I doubt I solely speak for myself when I say that whenever I hear the term ‘date night,’ my mind almost instantly conjures up an image of a ritzy restaurant, nice clothing and dollar signs. I’m not even sure what the reasoning behind this association is, aside from possible social conditioning that has subconsciously influenced my perception of what a date night entails.
With the affiliations I seem to have distinguished in the context of date night, I suppose it isn’t overly difficult to comprehend why more and more couples are refraining from going out in an attempt to save money. If we consistently associate date night with notions of money and high-end experiences, the majority likely can’t afford it.
But, despite what I have in my own mind about date night, it really does not need to be an event that requires embellishments and glitter. By that I mean I think we could all benefit from a friendly reminder that date night does not have to be an extravaganza every time, and furthermore, that dates themselves can absolutely be simplified.
As an example, instead of doing the classic going out for dinner for a date night, consider going for a drive somewhere you aren’t overly familiar with. My parents did this regularly when they were first married, and they still talk about the memories they made and the places they visited on these drives, over 40 years later.
Another idea for a simplified date night is to bake or cook with each other. Instead of going out, perhaps make a meal in each other’s company, making the food in question that much more meaningful once you do sit down together to enjoy it.
With Christmas approaching, another option would be to stroll through some neighbourhoods to admire Christmas lights and decorations.
Date night doesn’t need to be anything fancy for it to be wonderful.
Photo by Amber Kipp on Unsplash
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