First things first. I know holidays are mostly behind us and everyone is back to their daily routine, BUT! Well, but nothing really, I had this almost finished and ready to be posted last year, but alas, it was not meant to be. So here it is now. Holidays come every year anyways!
I don’t know if I’d automatically classify the holiday period as particularly romantic. Sure, everyone seems to be flashing their new diamond rings on Facebook, but a proposal on Christmas Eve feels tacky and I simply cannot feel sexy after eating Brussel sprouts. Yet, the idea of curling up with a significant other in, say, a ski chalet, with a bottle of wine and a roaring log fire? Utterly divine. If a little basic.
Perhaps the holidays are as romantic as one chooses to make them. If you’re willing to avoid sex in your childhood bedroom and instead take your partner for a visit to a winter wonderland or on a reindeer-themed date with steaming mugs of mulled wine, the holidays could become a treasured time. With that in mind, let’s consider some of the best romantic things to do with your partner during the holidays.
Spending time with friends and family.
Firstly, don’t rule out spending time with your childhood friends and family. Just make sure it’s done right: think looking through old Christmas albums with your parents, not meeting up with your old school buddies and reverting back to your fifteen-year-old self. A classy evening in a pub with people softly reminiscing over eggnog will probably make your partner feel close to you and included with your other loved ones – and, hopefully, they’ll share a few mildly embarrassing stories to make everyone laugh. Just remember that a little goes a long way, and it’s important to make sure that you still get some alone time if you’re spending the holidays in your hometown.
Travelling together.
If you’re travelling for the holidays, why not check out some fun couple activities to occupy an afternoon? Lots of towns will have ice rinks, winter wonderlands, Santa’s grottos (you might need to take a younger cousin/sibling) or other seasonal treats to entice tourists. A Christmas market can be great for a little gift shopping and checking to see what your partner might like for their own present. There will also probably be year-round activities that might not be available to you in your normal location, like short hikes, snowboarding or visiting interesting cultural or historical sites.
New Year’s Eve.
Make an effort for New Year’s Eve. It’s become a cliche to say that NYE is always a letdown and, after you hit 25, you’d like to go home and be in bed by 12:15. This feels rather sad. I think it’s a great opportunity to look back at some of the best experiences of the past year and think about what you might want to do in the next one. So, make a little effort, find a fancy bar or anywhere with a good view of the fireworks and remember to kiss your partner at midnight to ring in the new year with style.
Getting creative.
If you and your partner aren’t huge fans of nights out or dismal winter weather, you could always try some couples craft ideas. You can make all sorts of Hanukkah/Christmas gifts for friends and family together, or get creative with your decorations, or just really jazz up some holiday cookies and then eat them all whilst re-watching The Holiday. Why not try making a wreath, or putting tinsel on every available surface in your home?
Cookery.
A lot of us start eating at Halloween/Thanksgiving and don’t stop until the 2nd of January. Binge-eating and dieting are totally unhealthy, so why not switch to learning to cook a few delicious and healthy dishes to serve at Christmas dinner or take to a holiday potluck? Couples’ cooking classes are often fun, and perfecting a new skill together could well become a great hobby or even a new year’s resolution.
Imagine showing up to meet a new partner’s family with a delicious tray of stuffing and getting to proudly say that you learnt to make it together and mention what an excellent sous-chef your date is. If you’re not much of a foodie, perhaps a themed cocktail (or mocktail) would slide down nicely whilst you butter up your partner’s loved ones like a dinner roll.
Conclusion.
We’ve all sat in on a lazy day in late December, surrounded by hyperactive children overstuffed with sugar and clutching loud gadgets whilst our parents/grandparents snore and fart on the sofa and thought, wow, this sucks. But I think that the holidays provide an opportunity to do more than avoid talking to a racist uncle about his anti-vax views: we can spend time doing romantic things with people we love and sprinkle a little winter magic on a very special time of year.
Rachel Hall, M.A., completed her education in English at the University of Pennsylvania and received her master’s degree in family therapy from Northern Washington University. She has been actively involved in the treatment of anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and coping with life changes and traumatic events for both families and individual clients for over a decade. Her areas of expertise include narrative therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and therapy for traumatic cases. In addition, Rachel conducts workshops focusing on the psychology of positive thinking and coping skills for both parents and teens. She has also authored numerous articles on the topics of mental health, stress, family dynamics and parenting.
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