5 December date ideas that don’t break the bank
Let’s face it, December is an expensive time of year for most of us but your dating life should not have to suffer because of it. So here are our favourite affordable and fun date ideas for this month.
Get your skate one
Remember how much fun you had as a kid whizzing – or crawling – across the ice? Plenty of city centres now have ice rinks at this time of year so there’s really no excuse not to give it a try. Not only is it loads of fun but it is sure you get you very close to your date, especially if they are not as accomplished in the arts of ice skating and will need to hold on to you for balance. Afterwards, you can warm up with a hot toddy and laugh about your sore bottoms.
Have a bake-off
Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies, so why not have a bake-off? Each person picks one recipe and you ask friends and family to judge your efforts. The loser will have to cook the next meal, sing a Christmas carol in front of their family or come up with the next fun date idea. Make it interesting, get creative!
Mix it up
Whilst on the subject of food, we mustn’t forget the impressive art of cocktail making. Mixing your way through different cocktail recipes is another fun way to ‘expand’ your horizons so to speak. You could book one of the many cocktail making classes available, buy a book on the topic or simply Google some recipes to try. You could even create your own signature drink for you both. Wouldn’t that be a cute story to share one day?
Lend a hand
The true meaning of Christmas is to give, so why not spread some cheer and volunteer at a local charity or start a fundraiser to help those less fortunate? You could do a sponsored sleep out, a Santa Fun Run or create a gift-wrapped shoebox full of nice things and send it off to a disadvantaged child. There are so many ways to give (just search ‘Volunteer at Christmas’). It’s sure you make you all warm and fuzzy afterwards. And who knows? This might just be the start of an annual family tradition.
Shake a leg
Hit a local karaoke bar or stay at home to create a playlist with all your favourite Christmas tunes. Have a musical pop quiz or a dance-off in your PJs. You could even write your own nativity play or compose the next Christmas number 1. There are so many ways to have a music-themed date that you’ll be spoilt for choice but you can have some awesome fun. Up the ante and post your creations online for your friends to vote on and spread some cheer. It’s all about having fun!
We hope you like our favourite December date ideas. Have one to share with us? Then drop us a comment!
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Our top 6 autumn dating ideas
It’s not always easy to find something to do with your date – especially as the days get shorter. Dinner and a movie are safe and boring. But don’t worry, we got you covered. Why not try one of our favourite dating ideas?
Cream of the crop
One of our favourite dating activities at this time of year is visiting a Harvest Festival. With a huge variety of different festivals happening each week across the country – especially if you are a foodie. Each festival has a different way to celebrate autumn, from gin and pie tasting to craft demonstrations and foraging tours – there’s something for everyone. Check out Country File’s favourite harvest festivals for some inspiration or browse the net for a local listing near you.
Get focused
Autumn is undoubtedly the best season to get out and take some photographs. You and your date can take some really creative and Insta-worthy shots of each other with minimal effort or equipment. Not only will you have tons of fun but you’ll also create lasting memories. #relationshipgoals
Go Go Glamping
As it gets colder it’s also a great time to cosy up. Whilst booking a hotel is nice, it’s also a tad snooze-worthy. But rather than go full-on Bear Grylls on your lover, consider the unusual options of glamping. Stay in a safari tent or a treehouse for a weekend out of the ordinary but with most of the creature comforts. Certainly beats a boring hotel room, right? To get inspired visit Canopy & Stars.
Après-Ciate the slopes
This is for the sporty couples among you. If you haven’t tried skiing yet, you’re missing out on a whole lot of fun. To get started, book some time on an indoor ski slope (just Google ‘ski slopes near me’). Impress your date with your graceful – or not so graceful – moves. And who knows? You might end up booking a winter ski break for two.
Cook up some magic
Cookery classes are as varied as there are culinary tastes. Whether you are an accomplished hobby chef or barely manage not to burn the toast, you’ll be spoilt for choice. And what’s not to like? You get to work together as a team preparing, cooking – and importantly – eating a meal. I mean, food! Right? Regardless of how the meal turns out, you might just learn a thing or two about cooking – or your date!
If you got it, haunt it!
Strong emotions – such as fear – are known to make someone more attractive, so our next idea is set to bring you close than ever – muhahaha! Check out Haunted Happenings for a hooooge offering of mystery and spookiness. Stay at a Haunted Inn or go on a fully-fledged ghost hunt a la Scooby-Doo. Whatever you decide to go with, this type of date activity is guaranteed to send tingles up your spine. We’ll leave it up to you to find out if that’s a good thing or not.
Need a date? Check out Plentymorefish.com where thousands of singles are looking for love.
Autumn date ideas in London
Autumn is in full swing now and the arrival of shorter days and longer nights may make you want to stay in and chat with your potential date online, but if you can tear yourself away from the digital world there are some great events and eateries that make great alternative ideas for a first date. Here are a mix of things, for the younger and the over 40’s daters, that caught our eye for alternative dates and there’s not a dreary Weatherspoons in sight!
You might or might not be into art but let’s be honest this exhibition will raise an eyebrow or two. This year’s exhibitions include a giant bottom, a made-to-measure suit with a pattern of woven jacquard fabric bricks hanging in space, and 20,436 pennies in a pile surrounded by washed up litter and corrugated iron. All this makes for an unusual day out that will get the humour flowing and strike up a conversation with your partner on just how wacky yet politically poignant some of the work is.
Anthea Hamilton’s piece ‘Project for a Door’ (After Gaetano Pesce) 2016 at Tate Britain
A combination of amazing herby deep fried chicken and cocktails – could just make this the perfect food eatery for a date. The venue is located in Seven Dials which is a cool part of London for wandering about, with some eclectic shops – so this restaurant makes an ideal refuelling point after a day in the city. With a whimsical menu of deep fried chicken (check out The Colonel burger which is fried chicken thigh, buttermilk & herb mayo, cheese, lettuce & pickles) and great sour cocktails (the Negroni Sour is perfect) it is easy to relax here with your date and find some common ground over good food.
Amazing herb fed, locally sourced free range fried chicken – image courtesy of Chick ‘n’ Sours
This is a seriously cool and retro night out – a roller disco that will hopefully have you head over heels for each other by the end of the night and get you connecting over a love of music old and new, legwarmers, glitter balls and all things old school! A great way to let those first date inhibitions go and just enjoy something different.
For an evening of intensity and drama (of the stage kind we might add!), then you should check out David Hare’s psychological thriller ‘The Red Barn’ which will have you on the edge of your seat. The play is thrilling and chilling and a great alternative to the usual of going to see a movie.
Fear not this is bingo but not as you know it. Forget dusty bingo halls and cheesy number calling – Rebel Bingo is slick, fast and an absolute blast of a night out and a fresh approach to the game. Think hedonistic 90’s clubbing mixed with bingo, add in glitter cannons, raucous number calling and high energy atmosphere as well as some off the wall prizes.
What better way to enjoy the sights and history of London than by taking in the spectacular that is The Lord Mayor’s show? Taking place for over 800 years, this historical event is a lively mixture of London’s past, present and future and culminates in a glorious, colourful cacophony of fireworks over The Thames. The perfect end to a great day out.
London is a fantastic city for finding unusual and different ideas for meeting an online date, and hopefully, this run down of some of the top autumn events will help you to uncover the very best of London, but also secure some brownie points with whoever it is you’re trying to impress for your date.
Dating Inspiration of the Month
Here at Plenty More Fish we are firm believers that dating should be fun. And our date inspiration for this month certainly adds big ol’ tick in the fun category.
Add a little Bounce to your evening and check out the capitol’s latest craze – Ping Pong.
Bounce is the home of Ping Pong. It boasts the latest equipment and their attentive staff will not only deliver your drinks but also scoop up errant balls in a net (so no need to go fetching after the little suckers). For sustenance, which you’ll need once your competitiveness starts kicking in, there’s a casual and very tasty pizzeria at the back.
And if you or your date really don’t want to have a go, just have a giggle watching the other couples. Either way, here’s a little trivia for you, so you can show off to your date on the night. You’re welcome!
The game originated in England during the 1880s. It has been suggested that the game was first developed by British military officers in India or South Africa who brought it back with them. Incidentally it was originally played on the cleared dining table using cigar box lids as paddles, a champagne cork as the ball and was originally called wiff waff.
Be sure to book early though – Bounce is popular every night.
Happy Ping Pong-ing!
Maz x
PS: What ever you do though – avoid wearing this type of outfit!
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