Date Nights

Date nights are an important part of any long-term relationship. Let’s face it, we all get busy. There are careers to build, kids to shuttle around, friends to see, and organizations to be involved in. Even if you spend your evenings with your spouse, it’s not the same as being engaged in courtship with your spouse. In fact, in my wedding vows with Wining Husband, we promised one another that we wouldn’t end the courtship and that we would be each other’s partner in mischief.

In all seriousness, you do need to get out. We have things we like to do on a weekly basis – going to wine tastings, hanging out at a sports bar, enjoying walks together, watching movies at home together – but date night is different. On date night, you get dressed up to go out with your spouse. You go to an effort for your partner – and you do something different. We have “mini-dates” often, and true date nights about once a month where we’ll go to dinner, see a movie or an opera (at the movie theater!), and perhaps if the mood strikes us we’ll see a band or go dancing. By continuing to date after you’ve already “won” over your partner, you can keep that magic connection. You can forget about housework and laundry and work and kids and gardening and doctors appointments and you can just be together.

Too often we become too complacent in our relationships. We wake up next to the same person day after day, and sometimes we forget why we’re with that person who made our knees go weak in the early stages. Instead, what we see is an endless list of chores, obligations, and bills. Set all that aside. If you’re short on cash, pack up a picnic dinner. Grab an inexpensive, but amazing bottle of wine. Go hike somewhere, spread out a blanket, and let the day pass – without phones or computers.

What are your favorite date night ideas? Post your ideas in the comments!