Looking for some new date night ideas to try over the Holidays? Or some fun activities to keep your kids busy while on break? With restrictions these days it might be harder to find things to get out and do or to keep your kids busy. Below I have a list of Ideas that will work with kiddos and some date night ideas for you and your significant other!
K I D S
- DIY Drive-In Movie Night
Have some boxes laying around the house from all those Christmas orders? Have your kiddos make boxed cars for a drive in movie night! They can decorate the outside, put a blanket down on the inside with a pillow and viola! They have their own boxed car to watch their favorite movie in. Don’t have any boxes? The kids can come up with their own forts to watch the movie in or to make their own cocoons out of blankets or sleeping bags. You can also put together a caddy of treats and sweats for each child. They will feel like they are really at a drive in and you won’t have any melt downs about someone not sharing or taking too much of the popcorn! haha
snack caddy / popcorn containers / lounge pillow / fur lounge pillow / kids bean bag chair / candy pack / portable mini projector
2. Make DIY Night Light Snowglobes!
We did this activity recently with our kids and they LOVED it! A fun Christmas activity they get to do themselves, it’s inexpensive, adds a little Christmas decor to their rooms, plus acts as a nightlight! Win, win, & win! This even works for around your home. It doesn’t just have to be for the kids. You can make one for a bathroom counter, entryway, or kitchen top decor!
S u p p l i e s (everything linked below):
- glass container / glass container option #2
- snow flurries
- bottle brush trees
- battery string lights
- festive ornaments for decor ( truck / snowman / reindeer / house )
A S S E M B L Y
- Add snow flurries to glass container
- add in your bottle brush trees and/or your festive ornaments
- feed your lights into the container around your decor
- hide the battery pack in the snow ( I turned ours on to the timer mode so the kids don’t have to keep digging it out)
- put on your nightstand or on a dresser
- that’s it! enjoy your new Christmas nightlight!
3. Paint Christmas pebbles
Have your kids grab some small rocks from outside, clean them off, and paint Christmas themes on them! Once they are done and dry, you can then make a fun walk out of it! You can walk around your neighborhood or area and leave fun rocks for your fellow neighbors to enjoy! We end up doing this with every season, our kids add nice messages or cute paintings on them for others to enjoy and they love finding spots around our neighborhood to place them.
paint pens / rock painting kit / 20pcs pack of painting stones / paint brushes /
4. Games for everyone
I don’t know about you but I enjoy games so much more over the holidays. I love playing games and doing puzzles this time of year. I’ve made a list of top games and fun puzzles for you to enjoy with your littles, friends, or loved ones!
monopoly builder / catan junior / catan / do you really know your family / spoof / herd mentality / what do you meme / peanuts puzzle / dog Christmas puzzle / 12 days of Christmas advent puzzle calendar
5. Have a baking day
Baking for the holidays can be so much fun and can also be a great way to spread some Holiday cheer to those around you. It allows you to all be together in the kitchen baking your favorite recipes. Stay in your pj’s, turn on some holiday music and bake the day away! Baking yummy treats can not only be for your enjoyment but a great way to give holiday gifts to your neighbors and friends. You can bake with your kids and then walk around to give Christmas sweets to your neighbors or drive around and deliver to your friends! Growing up my mom always made Christmas goodie plates for all our friends and families. It is one of the highlights of Christmas for me, my mom still does it today.
cookie cutters / Christmas cupcake liners / rolling pin / holiday baking dish / cooking sheet with cooling rack / Christmas spatulas
B a k i n g I d e a s
- Christmas sugar cookies
- fudge
- thumb print cookies
- peanut brittle
- peppermint bark
- homemade reese’s cups
- peanut butter haystacks
- peanut butter snowballs
R e c i p e s
Here are a few recipes of my all time favorites!
Mom’s Sugar cookies:
I n g r e d i a n t s-
- 2.5 cups of flour
- 1.5 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tarter
D i r e c t i o n s-
- preheat oven to 375
- mix wet ingredients together first until smooth
- slowly add in powdered sugar, flour, and baking soda
- mix well
- set mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours, overnight is best
- when ready to bake roll out your dough using a rolling pin, make sure to put a little flour down before you roll out to keep from sticking to rolling pin or surface
- use your favorite Holiday cookie cutters
- place on baking sheet and bake on lower rack for 3-5 minutes then move to middle rack for another 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
- let cool and decorate!
Grandmas Fudge:
I n g r e d i a n t s-
- 1 10oz jar/can marshmallow cream
- 3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk ( 1 small can)
- 1 12oz bag chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (preference)
D i r e c t i o n s-
- In medium sauce pan combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter and bring to a full boil on medium heat
- stirring constantly boil for 4 more minutes or until temp reaches 234
- remove from heat, add chocolate chips, marshmallow, stir until blended
- add vanilla and nuts if you are adding them
- pour into a 9×9 pan, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting and serving
Mom’s thumbprint cookies:
I n g r e d i a n t s-
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 crisco butter flavored shortening
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 egg, separate egg white from yolk
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- fine chopped walnuts
D i r e c t i o n s-
- preheat oven to 350
- mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, egg yolk, vanilla, and then add flour until dough holds together
- spoonful some dough, roll into a ball, dip into egg white, then the nuts
- place onto baking sheet
- bake on lower rack 3 to 5 minutes
- remove from oven, using your thumb push down in middle of cookies to make a little hole
- place back into oven on middle rack and bake until golden brown, another 5 minutes
- once cooled add jelly in the center, or Hershey kisses (I like to add the peppermint ones)
Mom’s peanut butter cups:
I n g r e d i a n t s-
- 1 cup jiffy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup butter- melted
- Almond bark
- 1/4 bag of milk chocolate chips
- cupcake sleeves
D i r e c t i o n s:
- by hand mix all ingredients together
- place in freezer until stiff
- while those are cooling, bring a pot of water to a boil, place a bowl ontop, add chocolate and melt
- take out peanut dough, roll into small balls and place into your paper cups
- to assemble, place a small amount of melted chocolate in the bottom of cupcake paper cups, place dough ontop, then add more chocolate over top of peanut butter
- once all dough is gone, let cool in fridge before serving
D A T E N I G H T I D E A S
My husband and I have date night every Friday, with all the restrictions happening, and with me being pregnant (not always wanting to put real clothes on these days😂) we are loving our stay-in nights. Personally I think stay home date nights can be some of the most fun and most romantic. This is also a money saver especially as we enter the holidays! I have listed our top 5 stay in cozy date night ideas below!
- Spa night for two
Going to the spa can be so expensive and for me, I don’t feel like I can just be myself and chat with my husband when we are there. So! create a relaxing evening at home. Maybe turn the space you are in into a tech free zone, put your phones away, light some candles, break out the scented massage oil, and face masks. I think you’ll agree having a spa night at home can be just as relaxing, if not more, than an actual spa and think of all the money you are saving!
massage oil / freeman variety face masks / Burt’s bees detox mask / battery tea light candles / mens plush robe / women’s fleece robe
2. Fort movie night
This isn’t your average movie night. Make a blanket fort together, put your favorite snacks together on a tray (chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, popcorn, etc) light some candles, put your comfies on and maybe pick your all time favorite movie together or pick one you’ve never seen before! You could even change up where you watch it, maybe use a portable projector, hang up a sheet and make your movie night in even more special.
projector / mini projector / serving tray / women’s long sleeve & shorts pj’s / womens cozy plaid pj’s / men’s pj’s / stemless champagne flutes /
3. At home paint and sip night
Have you ever attended a paint and sip event? They are always a blast but they do cost money, and you can’t always find one right now. Instead do it at home together! You will need a blank canvas, some bottles of wine, and an instructional video of your choice. There are so many of those videos on YouTube!
canvas / paint brushes / acrylic paint set / paint / mixing palette / entire paint & sip kit
4. At home wine tasting
Are you a wine lover? My husband and I love to go wine tasting or to a winery for a nice glass of wine with a cheese and meat tray. This makes for a fun date night at home as well! Grab 5 to 6 bottles of wine you have never tried before. Write cards with the different notes, where the wine is from and what it pairs well with. Pour yourself little samples and taste the same wines at the same time. At the end you might even pour yourself an entire glass of your favorite! We also love to make a yummy meat, cheese, and cracker tray to go with! Makes for a great time and good conversation together!
Charcuterie board set / wine tasting flight sampler / elegant wine glasses / tabletop fire pit / solo stove / modern serving board with knives
5. Gourmet dinner
Come up with a gourmet dinner that you both cook together! Everything tastes better when its home made plus how fun is it to cook away in the kitchen with your significant other! Also don’t forget the dessert. I have listed some gourmet dinner choices with links to the recipes, along with some dessert ideas!
D i n n e r s:
Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken In Prosciutto
Garlic & Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Filet Mignon With Asparagus & Hollandaise Sauce
D e s s e r t s:
I hope this gives you all inspiration this holiday season to try some new things with your kids or just to spice it up with your Wifey or Hubby! Thank you for stopping by!
