'Tis the Season for Romance

Written by Rebekah D. Sharp

This article is courtesy of Christian Single magazine.

Ahh…the holiday season. Christmas music in the air, twinkling lights, a hint of frost – it’s a season full of romance. Here are 10 romantic date ideas, ranging from the silly to the sweet, to share with someone special this Christmas.

Dance on Ice

 Maybe balancing your body weight on a thin blade of steel doesn’t sound like your idea of romance, especially when a single slip can leave you cold and damp. Yet when two are involved, you’d be surprised how much fun struggling on ice skates can be. If you’re a good skater, try some fancy steps for two. If you’re a bad skater, just remember you’re not out to impress and that your teetering efforts give a wonderful excuse to hold hands with that certain someone.

Dress Up a Tree

Oh Tannenbaum! Nothing says Christmas like an evergreen tree draped in lights. Put on Christmas music and let your decorating ideas run wild. Make some homemade ornaments out of anything from popsicle sticks to gingerbread. (See page 34 for a crafty ornament idea.) Tell the stories behind some of your childhood ornaments and share tales of Christmases past. When you’re finished, celebrate with a cup of hot cider or cocoa, plug in the tree and dim the lights to see the fruit of your labor.

See the Lights

Multi-colored or white, Christmas lights set a magical holiday mood. Visit the elaborate displays at big hotels or downtown streets. Or better yet, play Christmas music in the car stereo and drive around some neighborhoods to look for those bright yards full of plastic Santas, flashing lights, and nativity scenes.

Take a Carriage Ride

If you live in a city with enough snow, you can make this a sleigh ride instead. Either way, snuggling against the chill in the back of a horse-drawn carriage is a wonderful way to spend an evening with someone special. Take a ride through a quiet park or down a busy city street and absorb the sights and sounds of the holidays: ringing bells, seasonal music, and the bustle of people as they go about their Christmas shopping. Either way, make sure you bundle up or the experience could be far less romantic than it is cold.

Exchange Socks

Chances are, you haven’t hung a stocking by the chimney with care since you were in footie pajamas, but stockings can be for grown-ups too. Appoint an evening to put on some music and exchange stockings. Selecting things – from the stocking itself to whatever toys, candy or trinkets are inside – gives you a chance to show someone how much she means to you. Put in her favorite chocolate-covered cherries, a pair of bright holiday socks, a tape or CD of her favorite songs, or that coffee mug that immediately made you think of her.

Go Caroling

Even if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, this traditional Christmastime activity is amazingly fun. Choose your favorite carols or hymns and astound your family and friends by singing on their doorstep. This is a great way to introduce them to your special date and spread a little holiday cheer at the same time. (Note: It’s usually a good idea to find out if the object of your caroling is going to be home before you begin. Few things can put a damper on a date faster than standing on a wet doorstep singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to an empty house.)

Step Back in Time

What could be more romantic than Christmas in an era past? Victorian Christmas celebrations abound all across the country. There are Dickens fairs everywhere from San Francisco to Skaneatles, New York. Eat some roasted chestnuts and join the carol singalongs. The costumes, greenery, and songs of years past will make it an unforgettable experience.

Watch the Classics

Classic Christmas movies never fail to stir up warm, fuzzy feelings of holiday hope. Why not share that with your date? Old classics like “It’s a Wonderful Life” will make you laugh and cry, while “Miracle on 34th Street” teaches us all to believe. “White Christmas” will leave you singing, and “A Christmas Story” will leave you grinning. Or relive your childhood with the antics of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Pop popcorn, make cider, and enjoy the show.

Attend a Pageant

Practically every church offers special Christmas programs in December, from singing Christmas trees and cantatas to Christmas pageants, complete with fourth-graders in bathrobes. Attend one (or several) of these with that special someone. They’ll remind you of the real reason for the season.

Join the Ballet

The holiday season is Nutcracker season. This ballet captures all the magic and wonder of Christmas. Make an evening of it. Dress up and go to dinner somewhere with candlelight before the show (or if you’re gifted in the culinary arts, cook a romantic dinner for your date). Even if watching men in tights isn’t your preferred form of holiday fun, the music, the elaborate costumes, and the amazing dancing feats will be sure to put you in the Christmas mood.

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