9 Cuddly Ways The Coziest Couples Can Create Warmth This Winter
Don’t let the winter weather stop you from getting out with your special someone and creating memories.
Pavel Danilyuk | Pexels As the weather gets colder and the nights get longer, it’s tempting to just stay inside and cuddle up with your partner under a warm blanket while watching a good movie. And while alone time is always nice (and necessary), don’t let the winter weather stop you from getting out with your special someone and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
But dating expert Stacie Ikka says that many winter date ideas and activities can make for memorable dates and that couples should take full advantage of those opportunities: "Any opportunity to date is a good opportunity to date, weather conditions notwithstanding. If you’re using cold temperatures as a reason not to get out there, what other excuses are you making, and what other self-imposed obstacles are you creating for reaching the love you so richly deserve?” Ikka says.
Here are 9 cuddly ways for couples to create warmth this winter:
1. Go ice skating
Pavel Danilyuk | Pexels
Even if you can’t make it to the famed Rockefeller Center to ice skate, hitting a local rink can be just as fun. Holding hands as you skate around the ice and then sharing a cup of hot chocolate to warm up afterward makes for a nice afternoon or evening out.
2. Visit a gourmet coffee shop and order a personalized concoction for each other
Elina Fairytale | Pexels
“My boyfriend used to do this all the time, and while it drove the baristas a little crazy, it was a simple adventure and indulgence for us,” Ikka recalls. “He would go up and order while I waited at a table or in the car, come back proudly holding a coffee cup, and I'd — on cue — ask, ‘So, what'd we get this time?’ I can only imagine it would be that much more fun with someone you don’t know as well.” As an added bonus, some coffee shops have nice fireplaces to snuggle up by while sipping your special drink.
3. Hit the hills on a toboggan or sled
Pavel Danilyuk | Pexels
If weather conditions permit, going sledding or tobogganing is the perfect way to establish physical contact without crossing too many personal boundaries. It is also great exercise, and it may take the damper out of an otherwise bleak winter afternoon. Plus, it is way more exciting than the typical "coffee date."
4. Build a snowman
Arina Krasnikova | Pexels
Sound silly? Consider that there’s something about reliving childhood activities that tends to conjure up feelings of nostalgia, comfort, playfulness, and warmth — all of which go a long way in alleviating dating fatigue or dread.
If you find yourself having too much fun and don’t want the date to end, consider grabbing some soup afterward to warm up and carry on the good conversation.
5. Visit a bakery and then spread some holiday cheer
Nikolett Emmert | Pexels
The best date begins with stopping at your local bakery or coffee shop to purchase hot chocolate and donuts to give away. Before doing so, set a reasonable budget (perhaps $20 between the two of you). Then, step outside to whatever Winter Wonderland awaits you and share your goodies with strangers, the homeless, neighboring retailers, or whoever you know is in need.
It’s a great way to observe your date’s social skills, and it’s a relatively selfless pay-it-forward endeavor. This activity also takes some of the pressure and focus off of you and your date so you’re not stuck staring at each other across the table.
6. Cook together
Tima Miroshnichenko | Pexels
Assuming it’s a blustery winter day and going outside just isn’t an option, try picking out some new or unusual recipes and then make them together. There’s nothing like enjoying good comfort food on a cold winter’s night, and then snuggling up in front of a movie to digest.
7. Take a cocktail-making class
George Dolgikh | Pexels
Whether you've got experience behind the bar or are just starting to understand the difference between shaking and stirring a drink, an intro-to-cocktailing class is a cozy way to warm up during chilly winter months.
8. Recreate your first (or pivotal) date, if you met during the winter
Mikhail Nilov | Pexels
If your partner planned it the first time, perhaps you can plan it the second time. Be sure to add a few touches that demonstrate how the relationship has grown or how that first date was so instrumental in allowing the relationship to evolve.
9. Volunteer together at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
RDNE Stock project | Pexels
This activity not only allows you both to give back to your community, but you’re doing a good deed while getting to spend time with each other. It’s a win-win.