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!
Still looking for that special someone? Try Plentymorefish.com and find singles near you today!
Dating after divorce or long-term relationship
As if breaking up wasn’t hard enough already, divorcing or separating after many years can feel devastating and the thought of ever loving someone else may seem impossible at first. Most people will experience a sense of grief and go through these 5 stages. They are:
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- Denial and isolation
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
So how do you know if you are ready to get back out there and start dating again? Here are a few things that you should consider before you get back on that proverbial dating horse:
Accept that it’s over
Seems like an obvious one but this is a vital step helping you be open for something new. First, make sure you’ve come to terms with your marriage/relationship being over and that you have accepted it. Reaching this stage can take a long time – sometimes years – so be patient and allow yourself to heal first.
The ex is dating again
Remember that acceptance we’ve just mentioned? That resolve can be tested when you see your ex with someone new for the first time. Be prepared for this to trigger emotions you thought you’d dealt with. Seeing him/her with another partner can really hurt and trigger feelings of jealousy and undo all the positive steps you’ve taken since the breakup. At this point, it is important to remember that it’s ok to feel those emotions but not allow them to overwhelm you. Remembering that you and your ex may be at different stages in life will help you remain objective. And that you both deserve to be happy – even if it’s with someone else.
Meeting the kids
Sit down with your children and talk to them about this step waaay before you start dating again. Especially if your kids are older. Helping them navigate their own grieving process will allow the family to heal as a whole before they reach the stage of acceptance. So be gentle and give them time to get used to the idea of you dating again. Just don’t put it off altogether – you too deserve to be happy!
Redefine yourself
Begin to redefine who you are outside of the marriage/relationship by spending quality time on your own. Take yourself out to dinner or the cinema. You’ve always wanted to try Salsa dancing but your partner did not? Go and do that! By rebuilding your own sense of identity you’ll get your confidence back and will begin to see all the exciting opportunities out there.
Time
As they say, “Time is the wisest counsellor of all.” I think we can agree that taking time out from dating after a breakup is a good strategy. One way to find out if the time is right to dip your toe in that dating pond again is to try visualising yourself with someone else. If you feel a sense of excitement – great – you are ready! If however, you struggle to do that, it’s safe to say you need a bit more time and space until you can. It’s ok to take as much time as you need!
Success with Plenty More Silver Fish
A little ping just announced the arrival of this wonderful message sent to us by Anne who met her John on Plenty More Silver Fish. Sadly she didn’t send us a picture but this is what she wrote:
I joined the site one year ago, after being alone for several years following an unpleasant divorce and many years alone. I started to enjoy exchanging correspondence through the site with many nice sounding men but none that I felt attracted enough to meet. Then I saw John’s picture and profile. His picture was of a nice looking man, obviously taken on a holiday, sitting relaxed at an outside beach café. His profile told me he was a widower who had been married for over 40 years and lost his wife very suddenly. I liked the way he worded his profile, with total respect of his marriage and his wife. I sent him a message although he lived some 30 miles from me. It was a while before he responded, and then for several weeks we sent brief messages. Then eventually he asked if I would like to meet him for a drink. It was the first time I thought Yes I will do this. We met in a pub car-park very near to me, I was very nervous, we had a nice evening, conversation was easy and flowed. Before the end of the evening he asked me if I would like to meet again and I said yes. We dated once a week for a month then John was away on a months holiday. I realised I missed him and he phoned several times. When he returned he came straight to see me and we fell into each others arms. From then on we spent more and more time together, met each others families. And we are now moving into a home together and planning our futures. I can honestly say that John has wiped out all my unhappy memories of my marriage breakup. Although John retains loving memories of his long happy marriage he tells me he feels re-born and looks forward to our future years together. We are both now retiring and ready to experience a new life together. Thank you Plenty More Fish!
We are so thrilled you both found happiness through our site and all of us at Plenty More Fish wish you both a long and very happy future together. You are proof that love can find you more than once in life.
If you are still looking for that special someone, why not give us a try? We have three dating ponds for you to choose from. Our Single Pond is aimed at singles from 18-45, our Silver Pond offers dating for the over 40’s and our Naughty Pond is something for the more adventurous among you. Registration on all ponds is FREE, so you can browse for singles in your area right away.
What are you waiting for? Go and cast your net at www.plentymorefish.com.
Happy Dating! x
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