Lifestyle, London, Relationships

Winter Date Night Ideas

ellieslondon

With the days getting shorter by the literal minute as we get further into the depths of winter, it can become difficult to think of great date night ideas. This is especially true if, like me, you are a summer soul and loath the short days and distinct lack of summer nights by the river with a glass of something cold. Whilst I do love autumn colours, the food, Christmas markets and the side of winter leading up to December 31st, once we get into January it can be a real struggle.

I put together a few lists of ideas of what you can do with your significant other (or groups of friends) in the winter months, in the house that don’t involve Netflix, outside of the house and of course ones specific to living in London.

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INSIDE IDEAS

  • Make Hot Chocolate From Scratch
    • I’m talking old school cocoa, on the hob, hot milk, with a pinch of salt, lots of stirring and some spray cream on the top.
  • Play a Board Game and Cook Dinner
    • Winter is the perfect time for those meals that are simply too heavy for the rest of the year. A favourite of mine is mince and dumplings with mashed potatoes or a hearty beef stew in a giant Yorkshire pudding. As for the board games, dust off your favourites, usually only opened on Christmas day. (Memo to self, I need a new Monopoly board).
  • Bake Gingerbread Men 
    • Or if you really want to challenge yourself, try making one of those gingerbread houses. This Christmas I really want to make gingerbread people and decorate them with icing and little candies. If you do not like gingerbread, making any sort of cookies or biscuits counts and for me, cooking with a partner is always fun.
  • Start a Craft Project 
    • This really only works if everyone is creative. Personally, I have a travel scrapbook that I like to work on and this is the perfect way to spend a few hours on a cold evening.
  • Fake a Power Cut
    • I know this sounds insane, but last year I saw a few people talking about this one and thought it would be really fun to try. I haven’t discussed this one with my Mr yet, but I think he think I am crazy will be on board.
  • Carve a Pumpkin
    • Even better if you do this in October, and why stop at making just one. Get a few and experiment with different faces and designs throughout the month – have mini competitions as to whose looks best. This year, I am on the look out for a green one. I remember my dad getting a green one and carving it when I was little and I loved how this looked.
  • Have a Clear Out 
    • It might not sound fun, but it can be if you make it so; order a pizza, get a few drinks, put on some good music and get stuck it. Make some space before the holidays or before Spring dawns. It doesn’t have to be boring.

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OUTSIDE IDEAS

  • Ice Skating
    • A pretty popular activity to try in the winter. Personally I don’t like skating because I dislike being cold, wearing rented shoes and falling over, but I guess it could be fun for some!
  • Winter Wonderlands
    • In the run up to Christmas all sorts of places have festive markets which are always so lovely for a look around with a cup of mulled wine and a tasty German sausage.
  • Go For a Walk
    • It can be lovely to get out of the house all wrapped up and explore a town or city in the winter sunshine. Granted, it is not so magical when it is sleeting, gale force winds and perishingly freezing, but you get the idea.
  • Go and See a Movie
    • It’s indoors. There’s popcorn. Enough said.
  • Visit an Arcade 
    • Playing traditional arcade games can be a nice way to while away an evening especially if you get competitive.
  • Try Freejumping 
    • This is basically trampolining but instead of just one bouncy area, there are several rooms and zones all covered in trampolines, even the walls. It’s a great way to work up a sweat and burn some calories too.
  • Plan a Bonfire
    • In the UK at the start of November it is a popular pastime to wrap up warm and go with everyone you know to a freezing field to watch a bonfire burning into the night and a firework display, for Guy Fawkes night. I even prefer this to Halloween (insert gasp here). There are also obviously lots of firework displays on New Years Eve and even some around Chinese New Year, usually in early February, depending on where you live, which make for great evenings out.

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LONDON IDEAS

  • Climb Over the o2
    • This is something I have wanted to do for many years, but as I live in the complete opposite side of London to the o2 Arena, it is a long way to trek. It would be cold, of course, but the views of London would be nothing short of spectacular from the summit.
  • Take an Open Top Bus Tour
    • Not only for the tourists, I genuinely think it would be a fun way to spend a day seeing the city, even if you live here, and would be a bit quieter in the winter than in the summer.
  • Book Tickets to a West End Show
    • There are some fantastic apps and websites to get discounted theatre tickets these days, so going to a show is not so un-affordable (unless it’s The Lion King). From classic musicals to ones on limited runs to exquisite dance shows and off West End plays, London really can cater for everyone.
  • Go to the Top of a High Rise
    • With many tall buildings peppered across the London skyline, many of them actually have bars and restaurants at the very top. Pick one and venture to it for a night to remember. My favourites are the view from The Shard in London Bridge for drinks or Sushi Samba for food in the Bishopsgate/Spitalfields area of the city.
  • Take a Ride on the London Eye
    • You can literally see for miles on a clear day and you can pick up reasonably priced tickets in advance. You can also team it with another attraction; often the dungeons, Madame Tussaud’s or the aquarium, all other ideas for a winter date.
  • Go to a Cheese Bar
    • Yes, this is something we have here. And what’s better that hot, bubbling cheese on a cold winter day.
  • Battle Each Other
    • In London we have a range of crazy cafes where you can play board games as you have dinner. We also have a few places where you can play crazy golf whilst you have a drink and grab food which is always fun.  

Hopefully these lists have given you some much needed inspiration of what you can get up to this winter.

What is your favourite idea for a winter date night? Keep it clean guys, and let me know in the comments below!

Published by ellieslondon

A London based content writer with a little corner of the internet for ramblings that spring to mind. On a quest to meet fellow creatives!

33 thoughts on “Winter Date Night Ideas”

    1. ME TOO!! I totally get that – it’s also why I try to put together a winter bucket list for the season, otherwise I think I would be indoors from October to about April! Definitely not a fan of the winter, although Christmas (and my birthday) are okay! x

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  5. I love these ideas! I have been working on a similar post. You’ve got some ace ideas though, Although the gingerbread men might have to pinched for mine!

    Have you ever made a gingerbread house before? Honestly just eat the elements, don’t even try!!! Nightmare x x

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    1. Hehe 😂 I think that will be okay! Gingerbread are amazing this time of year and it’s been forever since I even made cookies, let alone gingerbread. I thought about getting one of those houses to build but then remembered I’m not 7 😦 I think I would end up eating the walls and stuff too 😂 I love the look of those igloos which are basically cakes upside down and covered in fondant < and they come in a kit – I wonder if they would be worth trying!?

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    1. That’s so great 🙂 I’m glad you liked my ideas. It’s super important to keep things as affordable as possible (with the odd treat here and there). Thank you for reading my post. I still need to buy board games! X

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  8. Autumn can be fab. If its dry! For me its the whole Halloween thing, terrible ham horror movies, vegetable broth, homemade bread and elderberry wine. Wonderful!😊😊😊😊😊

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    1. It is such a great time of year. If it would be dry that would be even better – I am not impressed that it has been raining pretty much continuously for the last three weeks now here. I love all of the things you described – I need to make vegetable broth again at some point too and try my hand at gingerbread and ginger wine!

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  9. Definitely helps when you live somewhere like London when there’s such a wide range of stuff to do. Some great ideas here though besides that. Hope the power cut is fun!

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    1. Thank you for reading and commenting on my post ♥ I’m glad you like the sound of the ideas. I think the power cut would be a great idea, but knowing my luck if I faked one, it would tempt fate and then a real one would happen when I did not want!

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  10. These are some great ideas! I tried ice skating, in front of the National History Museum actually, a few years ago and really enjoyed it. But I haven’t done it since! I’m hoping I can convince my S.O to join me. My favourite Winter dates include board game nights, hot chocolate(!) and of course anything Halloween themed.

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    1. I still really need to invest in some board games – I used to have loads but I can not find them for the life of me now! I think ice skating will be fun, but where we went it was so crowded and I had never done it before and really wanted a penguin to skate with b/c I was scared of falling over! x

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  11. My boyfriend and I love to make some soup and then either watch a movie together or play chess! I’m trying to get him to go ice skating this year. He has no coordination sometimes and won’t say he afraid of it, but hopefully, he will just suck it up and go this year!

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    1. That was a bit like me last year – not so much coordination but my balance is so terrible! I managed not to fall over but I was so scared of landing on my ass and being injured it sorta ruined it for me! I need to skate with a helper penguin maybe! I love the sound of making soup – I love any type of cooking with my man – I wanna get working on some gingerbread!

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    1. Haha oh no! Real ones are not great – I bet they are so annoying if they happen on a regular basis 😦 I used to really like them in a storm or something when I was little 😀 Thank you for reading and commenting on my post ♥

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    1. I love that! 😁 I have spent a few Saturday nights in organising the house and having a clear out. When you work odd hours, you have to use any time we get! I love a good movie night for sure – with some homemade popcorn and a nice drink! x

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  14. A cosy local pub with a real fire and something nice to eat does me.
    Or free jumping (lol) could be accommodated if it was in the marina mall in Abu Dhabi.
    A weekend away and a walk along the sea front promenade always blows the blues away too.
    To be fair I’d rather do any indoor pursuit until May comes again🛀💃🙃🙃🙃🙃

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    1. Oooh that is such a good idea! I don’t have many pubs like that down here, but one up north on a hill somewhere surrounded by sheep sounds like a plan! I think you would like freejumping but it may make you seize up the next day! I am the same – I just want to stay inside, that is why I make lists like this and winter bucket lists, to encourage me to go outside!

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    1. Hey, the London Eye is so much fun – although I’m prepared to let it go since I’ve already done it (but think you would enjoy it with me b/c we would do it right!) But the power cut is none negotiable. We need to do this 💡💡💡

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