Among the canceled workdays and classes, something more mundane, yet important, has also gone out the window: date night. So how can you keep the romance alive without restaurants, museums, or theaters? Here are some quarantine-approved date nights to try if COVID-19 has turned your love life upside down.
A fancy dinner in: Dressing up to stay home can help recreate the environment for going out for a nice meal. Cooking together is a great bonding activity and you get to take pride in what you have created (and fill some quarantine hours). Turn off your phones, take the time to create a nice table setting, and enjoy the manifested ambiance of fine dining in your own home.
A night at a virtual museum: If arts and culture are more your speed, enjoy a virtual tour of one of the world’s great museums or cultural sites. Check out our article on virtual tours for some ideas.
Host a game night: Games are a great way to find renewed entertainment in your own home. A classic like monopoly or scrabble is a great screen-free way to reconnect with your loved one. Alternatively, if you’re quarantined apart from your partner, online gaming platforms allow you to play together even from miles apart. Pull up a game and talk on the phone while you play! One family in Oregon even set up a mini-golf course in their backyard for a romantic night outside.
Take a dance class online: Learning how to salsa in your living room might not be quite as romantic as in a studio, but the internet has a plethora of resources to learn every dance style you could imagine and, once you master it, you can host a night on the town in your very own living room.
If you’re quarantined apart. Being socially distanced from your partner can be incredibly difficult. Fortunately, technology offers us the opportunity to stay connected through video chat, phone calls, and texts. You can still share romantic dinners via video chat, or schedule a time to watch the same movie one night. Some couples have even set times to meet in parking lots and enjoy a meal in their cars parked away from one another. Committing to little moments of connection will help make long-distance feel not as far.
Amidst the anxiety and uncertainty of our current situation, date night may be the last thing on your mind, but making time to share moments with your special someone is a great tool for connecting with the person you love during these trying times and a welcome distraction from stress and worry. Being stuck in a house with someone all day isn’t the same as spending quality time together, so get creative and schedule a no-distractions quarantine date night this week!
