70 Ways to Have a Winter Date Night In the Middle of a Global Pandemic

Can you believe that as a global society we have now been through 3 ½ or 4, depending on when you read this, weather seasons in a global pandemic!! It’s remarkable that we have been living with facemasks, constant hand sanitizer, staying 6 feet apart when you’re out in public and simply staying home as much as you can, for over 10 months!

I know that this pandemic has been challenging for everyone. The introverts have been struggling to find their alone time to recharge while the extroverts have been struggling with being home all the time. And to top things off, how are you supposed to start, maintain or grow a relationship when everyone is being encouraged to stay home or stay away from other people?

In the Spring, Summer and Fall it was fine because you would just take your date outside. You could go for a walk or a picnic or coffee on a patio. You name it, it was easier to do when the weather was nice.

But now that the snow is flying and the weather has turned cold, how are you supposed to, 1. Grow a new relationship  when dating has become so much harder or 2. Help your current relationship flourish?

Well I’m here to help.

I went and dug around numerous sites on the internet and pulled together a list of all the winter date night ideas I could find, and added some of my own, so that you don’t have to do the leg work. Whether you’re married and want to keep your relationship fun and interesting or rekindle the spark that was once there that may have faded a little over time, or you’re dating someone and want to help your relationship grow into something more, I encourage you to have a read through this list of date night ideas and find some that would be fun to try.

Challenge to the couple who does ALL these activities!!! 

And don’t worry if you don’t live with your partner and are stuck in a location that is in quarantine. I’ve broken the list up into different sections. A section for if you live with your partner, a section for if you don’t live together and section with activities that are good for couples who may or may not live together. 

Winter Date Night Activities to do if you live together:

1. Write Letters to Each other

Let’s go old school for a minute. Who remembers getting a handwritten letter in the mail? It was always so exciting and special. So why not bring that special magic back and write your partner a thoughtful, heartfelt, handwritten letter.

2. YouTube Paint Night

If you want to try something creative, but don’t believe you are creative people, try a YouTube paint party. All you have to do is buy a couple of canvas’, some paint and a few brushes. If you don’t currently have any paints in your house I recommend choosing the YouTube video first because they will tell you what colours you are going to need and the size of brushes are recommended. Then sit down, and let YouTube guide you through creating a masterpiece.

3. Go stargazing

It may be cold out, but that doesn’t mean that stargazing is out of the question. There are several ways this can be done from a warm location. 1. Shut all the lights off in your house and go from window to window to see what stars are visible. Depending on where you live you might see a lot of stars, or you might see very few.

Go for a drive and park somewhere dark, outside the city. If you have a sunroof you can use that to look at the stars. If not your other car windows will be just fine. If you want to get really into it try to figure out which constellations you are seeing.

If you have a telescope, set it up and gaze at the stars through it.

If you don’t mind the cold, or on milder nights you can simply go outside together and look at the stars.

4. Movie Night

It’s time for a good old fashioned movie night! But instead of watching a show that you may normally watch, pick something that you would both be interested in that’s outside your normal range of movies.

5. Grocery Shopping together (or if you’re ordering your groceries online, pick them out together)

There’s something special about cooking together, but why not start your date night earlier than that? It starts by picking a recipe together, picking a new one that you’ve never tried before is always very exciting. Next make the shopping list then head out, don’t forget your masks and hand sanitizer! Or head over to your grocery ordering website and find your needed ingredients online. Once you have your ingredients you’re ready to cook your meal together.

6. Turn a regular homemade or take out meal into a romantic dinner by lighting candles and putting on some music

Your meal is made! You and your partner worked hard together and now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your efforts. But it’s date night so why not turn the lights down low, light some candles, turn on some romantic music and enjoy each other's company and the meal you created together.

7. Have a cook off

For those that cook together all the time, it’s time to kick things up a notch! If you don’t normally cook together you can still partake in this date night too. Have a cook off. Choose your recipes, cook them on your own then enjoy each other’s cooking. If you want an impartial judge take a small portion of each meal to a trusted friend and have them sample each dish. But don’t forget, it’s all in good fun.

8. Visit some of the great outdoor holiday festivals that are happening

Every city has some sort of holiday festivals happening this time of year. It’s simply a matter of finding ones that you are interested in and feel comfortable going to. Check out your cities local events calendar for more details. The great thing is there are a lot of events that happen in the winter that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your vehicle in order to enjoy!

9. Make a fort together don’t be afraid to act like kids again

Making forts is always a favourite pastime for kids. There’s something magical about creating a whole new world of blankets and pillows that just can’t be achieved any other way. So this date night, give yourselves permission to act like kids again and build an epic fort that you can be proud of.

10. Games night

Have a games night. Either as a family or just the 2 of you. It doesn’t matter what game you play, as long as you’re playing together and are remembering to have fun while you do it. You can learn a lot about a person by playing a game with them.

11. Make Tik-Tok videos together

You want to do something hilarious and maybe out of your comfort zone. Make a tik-tok video together. Have fun being creative and working on a project together.

12. It's Time for a living room dance party

There’s no one around so turn that music up and dance like there’s no one watching, because there’s not! If we can’t be ourselves in our houses then where can we be ourselves? On this date night turn a playlist on with a wide range of music on it, from slow dances to fast bouncy ones and simply enjoy dancing with your partner.

13. YouTube video night

This is a great way to get some laughs in together. All you do is pick a theme and search only videos in that theme. The funnier the theme the better. It’s that easy.

14.  At Home Spa Night (Bubble Bath, Massage, Essential oils, Candles, etc.)

Who doesn’t love being pampered? I know some people would prefer to go to a real spa, but since that’s not necessarily possible right now treat your loved one and yourself to an at home spa. Run a nice hot bubble bath, with some Epsom salt or essential oils in it, light a few candles, give each other a massage, put on some relaxing background music and just enjoy relaxing together. 

15. Recreate your first date

How did you first meet your partner? If you need a fun date try recreating your first date. Either try and recreate it at home, or go to the place you had your first date (if that’s possible). New relationships are fun and exciting, remember what that was like by bringing it back on date night.

16. Create a new cocktail 

Spend the night devising your own cocktails. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Listen to each other's ideas and see what works and what doesn’t. And if you want you can always have a cocktail making challenge. You make one, your partner makes one then you see what the other person was able to come up with.

17. Make your own Christmas Decorations together

Since you’re going to be decorating anyways, why not spend a date night making homemade decorations together! They’ll be fun and unique and if you do it right, you’ll be able eat some of them afterwards ;)

18. Decorate for Christmas together

If you don’t want to make your own decorations and have a bunch already in storage then take them out and decorate together. Instead of having only 1 person putting up all of the decorations spend a date night hanging and putting decorations up together. Make it fun and don’t be afraid to do things differently than you usually do. There’s no right or wrong way to decorate for Christmas.

19. Video Game marathon

Are you or your partner into video games? Why not have a video game marathon! If one of you isn’t interested in video games this date night may take opening up a little bit and making an effort to be interested in something that your partner is interested in, at least for a night. Who knows you may actually be great at video games.

20. Plan Your dream vacation 

The Covid-19 Pandemic isn’t going to be around forever so why not start planning your dream vacation now. This can be done using Google maps and simple Google searches. Plus planning a fun getaway is always an exciting pass time. It’s good to dream and have something to look forward to for when the world opens up again.

21. Blindfolded taste test 

This is an easy one. But requires a lot of trust in your partner. You prepare your “things” beforehand by cutting up small portions. Then sit your partner down, blind fold them and feed them your prepared tastings one at a time. Have them guess what the item is and explain the taste and texture of it to you. Some examples of things to include are chocolate, something spicy, wine, cheese, and whatever else you can come up with.

22. Paint a picture together on the same canvas

When starting this it’s important to remember that no matter what the painting turns into it’s going to be great. There are so many different ways you can do this. First you start with getting a canvas, brushes and paints. From there you just start painting. Both adding paint beside and on top of each other’s strokes. If you really want to you can look up some sort of tutorial online for inspiration, but that might take some of the fun out of the whole process.

23. Subscribe a Date 

Craving even more ideas to connect? Try a date subscription service. Every month, you get everything you need to create a fun and fresh experience delivered right to your door. You could try Crated With Love or SpicyBox or Date Box Club for an easy and fun date, with zero prep.

24. Set up a photo booth or have professional photos done

Do it yourself with props from around your house or have a professional take your photos for you. Either way take some time to capture this time in your lives and have some fun while doing it.

25. Take it to bed...or not, 

We’re all stuck at home more and more these days and it’s not hard to fall into routines of work from home life and wanting to get away from your partner for some peace and quiet. And although this is normal, it’s important that you fight for your connection as well. So this date night let’s spice things up a bit! Try expanding your physical intimacy together by trying new things, maybe in new locations around your house. Anything goes, within your personal limits. Communication is key here!

26. Find Item’s to donate 

Donating items can be stressful, but why not find a way to make them fun? Turn your date night into a donating night where you both go to the same room or different rooms in the house, set a timer (say 30 seconds-5 minutes and by the time the timer is up you both have to come back with a certain number of items to donate. Make sure the items are yours and not your partners. Take time to discuss why you chose the items you did and really hear each other.

27. Build a gingerbread house

What better way to spend an afternoon or evening than building a gingerbread house. It takes teamwork, there’s candy involved and it doesn’t matter how it turns out because you get to eat it in the end!

28. Wine tasting

Do a wine tasting. If your area doesn’t offer wine tastings then host your own. All you’ll need a couple of bottles from the liquor store. Make sure they’re different brands and styles and try to get ones that you’ve never tried before. Then google proper wine tasting procedure so that you get the most out of the experience and know what to look for. Wine tasting is an art.

29. Go Holiday Shopping together

Holiday shopping can definitely be quite stressful, but why not find a way to make it fun. I suggest going in with a list of things that you want to buy and try to stick to that list. Taking your partner with you will not only help you stick to the list you wrote out, but will also provide some quality time together.

30. If you’re winter outdoorsy people go camping, go for winter hikes or go skiing/snowboarding

This date idea definitely won’t be for everyone. But for those that love the outdoors in the winter why not take full advantage of it! Winter camping, ice fishing, going for hikes or simply going skiing/snowboarding are some, but not all of the great outdoor activities you can do together.

31. Outdoor campfire with smores

Want to get outside but don’t want to go anywhere? Why not have a campfire in your backyard. You can roast marshmallows, have smores, roast hotdogs and simply enjoy all the great things about a campfire with none of the fire ban risks. And when you get to cold or the fire starts to die down you get to go inside where it’s warm again.

32. Make a photo album together 

Your relationship is unique and special and deserves to be documented in some way. So why not create a photo album together. Go old school with a paperback/physical photo album or create a virtual one, there are plenty of online programs that will help you do this.

33. Host a virtual double date

Do you miss your friends and wish you could hang out with them again? Well be a little creative and host a double date with that couple that you miss hanging out with. Have a coffee date, where you all show up to the zoom meeting with coffee to drink, or have a dinner date. The meals may be different, but hey no one orders the same thing at a restaurant anyways.

34. Have an electricity free date

Shut those lights off! It’s time to light some candles and bring in some ambiance for your date night. There’s something about electricity that changes the atmosphere of a room. So try going without it for a date and see what you can come up with.

35. Have a fondue party

Now when I say party I don’t mean inviting a bunch of people over to have fondue with you. Having a fondue party can simply mean making fondue, of whatever variety or varieties you want, and getting a bunch of stuff to dip in it. Don’t limit yourself here. There are so many different things that go good in a fondue, why not have them all.

36. Have a puzzle party

Making a puzzle together is a great way to spend time together working on something productive. It’s not a competitive activity and results in a beautiful finished product when you’re done.

37. Drive in movie

With movie theatres closed or limited in their capacity it might be time to look at going to a drive in movie. They’re definitely making a comeback. It’s a great way to get out of the house, enjoy some time alone in the comfort of your own vehicle and see a good movie all at the same time.

38. Picnic in your living room

No one ever said that you always need to eat at the table or on the sofa. Also we go for picnics in the spring and summer, why not the winter? Clear a space on your living room floor and have your own personal picnic from the comfort and warmth of your own home. All the perks of a picnic with none of the cold and bugs.

Winter Date Night Activities to do if you don’t live together:

39. Video Call

Do a classic video call. We should all be used to zoom or Facetime calls by now. This is nothing new. If you want to spice it up a little try doing it in a different room or outside on a walk.

40. Give a video tour of your house or place you are walking

This will work differently depending on what stage of the relationship you are in. If you’re still early in the relationship, doing a zoom house tour will be more exciting and will provide you with more things to explain as you go. Farther into a relationship could be more challenging, but still fun as you could point out an addition you added to a room or changes you recently made. Be creative.

41. Go for a social distanced walk

Walks are a great way to spend time with people and going for a social distanced one is pretty easy to do. It’s a great way to chat and get to know each other while still keeping yourself and each other safe.

42. Video chat games night 

How many games can you come up with to play on a video call? One I would highly recommend is charades, but I’m sure there are plenty more. Charades is hilarious and there are online charades generators that you can use for topics. You can also set a timer to make things more interesting. 

This would be great for a double date idea as well, even if you are all in different houses.

Winter Date Night Activities to do if you live together or separately:

43. Create music playlist together and listen to it

This low key date will help you and your partner connect and get to know each other better. By creating a playlist together you learn what the other person likes and doesn’t like when it comes to music and you can expand your range at the same time. The best part is you don’t have to live together to do this with so much music being online now.

44. Sledding/Snowball Fight

Fun and easy way to stay socially distanced and come together in a less risky environment. If you bundle up properly and everyone brings their own sleds there’s ample opportunity for races, sled trains, etc. 

And when it comes to snowball fights the whole goal is not to get close to the other person while still having a good time together. 

45. Go for a walk playing the “Coin” Game. 

This little game will take on an adventure around your city or neighbourhood. And it’s simple, all you need is a coin. You start by going for a walk, making sure it’s a socially distanced walk if you don’t live together, and every time you come to a corner you flip a coin, heads means turn left, tails means turn right or vise versa. Make sure you decide this before you head out. And see where you end up!

46. Make coupon books for each other

This is a great way to give back to your partner. Show them how much you love each other by making each other coupon books. These coupons can include anything you want, be creative with it. It can be anything from help with yard work, spending a night doing something you know your partner loves, etc. The sky's the limit here.

47. Be creative! Painting, drawing pictures of each other, etc

Spend a night being creative together. You don’t need to be in the same house to do this. Spend your date night drawing or painting together. Whether you choose to try and draw each other or play pictionary or whatever it may be, the goal is to get your creative juices flowing and have fun.

48. In house scavenger hunt 

Scavenger hunts are always fun. Give your partner a category of things to bring back (eg. things that are round), give them an amount to bring back, set a timer (a short one makes things more interesting) and go from there. 

49. Video I spy 

Whether you’re on a zoom call, watching a movie together or just sitting in your house, why not randomly start a game of I spy? Make it fun and  wacky.

50. Try Role playing games

You get to decide what this will look like. You can make up your own role playing game and make it an evening theme, or play something like Dungeons and Dragons.

51. Put on a fashion show

Most people have copious amounts of clothing in their wardrobe. So why not put on a fashion show. Do your hair kinda wacky if you want and take turns showing off whatever crazy outfits you can come up with. Try to show off your partners’ clothing if you want.

52. Explore the Christmas lights and displays around your community

Every community is guaranteed to have some sort of light display going on somewhere. A simple google search will let you know where they are. Or just go for a walk or drive around different neighborhoods in your city. There are a lot of people that love to decorate for Christmas and you’ll find some really cool light displays around, you just have to look.

53. Do tarot readings or have them done 

Tap into the universe for a while and have a tarot reading done. If you know how to do tarot readings, why not do one for your partner, if they’re open to it. This is one date night that will require a conversation beforehand.

54. Skill share or build new hobbies together

Take an interest in your partners’ hobbies and tap into their skills. Spend an evening sharing a skill that you have with your partner and learning one of theirs. This will help you understand your partner better and you'll learn something interesting at the same time.

55. Start or join your own book club

Start a book club together or join one that’s already running. This way you and your partner will be able to discuss a book together and discover different things and meanings from the book that you may not have picked up on or viewed a different way. You can also listen to audiobooks together and discuss them the same way.

56. Do a meditation together

Take some time to relax and fully engage both with yourself and with your partner. By doing a guided meditation together you’ll both be able to come together in a calm space to rejuvenate and relax.

57. Turn your home into a co-working space with facetime or zoom

This may not be the best for date night, but it’s a great way to spend time together throughout the week and still get your work done. Whether you live together or apart why not turn your space into a co-working space? Hop on a zoom call or facetime with your partner and hang out while getting your respective work done. This could be great for collaborating or working through any problems that might arise that your partner could help you with.

58. Trivia Night

Have a trivia night, either in person or via video call. There are plenty of trivia questions generator sites on google that will help you come up with topics and questions to ask. Or make it more personal and ask trivia questions about the other person or yourself.

59. Join a virtual AirBnB experience

AirBnB recently launched experiences and they have grown in popularity over the past year. And you can find pretty much anything on there. From laughing parties, to cooking classes, to walks. You name it and someone is likely offering the experience on AirBnB. These are non-expensive experiences and are fun to participate in.

60. Ice Skating

Ice skating is always fun whether you live with your partner or not. It gets you outside, is a great form of exercise and is fun.

61. Volunteer somewhere together

Give back to the community this winter by volunteering with your partner somewhere. There are many places looking for help, especially during the winter. A simple google search will point you in the right direction.

62. Learn a new language together - or if one of you already knows another language teach it to the other person

Learning a new language can be fun, even more so when you do it with someone else. Learning with someone else will help you stay committed and motivated to continue learning than if you were to try on your own. If you or your partner already knows a second language then take this opportunity to teach it to the other person. 

63. Listen to an audio book or podcast together that you’re both interested in

If you enjoy listening to things instead of reading try to find an audiobook or podcast to listen to that you’ll both find interesting. Joint listening always opens the door for wonderful conversations. 

64. Go for a hike or simply a walk

Take the day and head out of town to go for a hike. Hikes provide a great source of exercise, a wonderful opportunity to talk and a chance to stretch your boundaries and limits as a person.

65. Create a relationship vision board

Sit down with your partner and have a discussion about where you both see your relationship going and what you both want from your relationship. Then together map it out on a vision board. A vision board will help you visually see what you’re both hoping for, what you both want to do and will help you move forward towards your relationship goals. Don’t forget, though, that vision boards are meant to be dynamic and change. So don’t be afraid to change it as time goes on.

66. Have a really good, honest conversation 

Nothing strengthens a relationship more than having a true, deep, honest conversation. In this conversation don’t hold anything back. Share your hopes and dreams, your fears and insecurities, your plans for the future and so on. Being open and honest with each other will bring you closer together like you have never been before.

67. Make homemade candles together

If you’ve never done this before, it’s time to learn something new. And if you have done it before then invite your partner to do it with you. Make candles for different occasions and that are different colors. Explore the possibilities.

68. Try a virtual workout together 

There are many places right now that are offering virtual workouts for their clients and some that are offering workouts for free. If you want to work out, but don’t know where to get started why not join a virtual workout together. Studies have shown that couples that workout together tend to feel closer and more attracted to each other because of all the endorphins that are raging through their bodies.

69. Learn something new together 

There are so many free online learning platforms these days. Why not sign up for one and learn something new together.

70. Just laugh together 

They say laughter is the best medicine and what better way to spend a date night than laughing together. This can be done in many different ways, from watching a comedy special to looking up funny YouTube videos to joining an AirBnB laughing experience. Whatever you choose, the point is to laugh together.

As you can see there are so many different ways to spend time with the person that we love or are in a relationship with. Just because the world is in chaos with the pandemic right now, doesn’t mean that we have to avoid date nights. Now more than ever we should be focusing on your relationships and fighting for them above all else. 

I hope that you are able to find some useful date ideas from this list and remember date night is only limited by what you and your partner can come up with.

So enjoy yourself, focus on the good that’s in your life right now and have some fun with the people that you love, whether you live together or not, because life is too short to be stressed out or working all of the time.