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Winter is the coziest season, so naturally, it lends itself to a ton of date ideas.
Whether you want to bask in the cold, snowy weather or would rather stay warm inside, there’s plenty of options that are cheap and free.
In this post, we’re counting 51 best winter date ideas perfect for this year.
Best Winter Date Ideas Indoor + Outdoor
Looking for something fun to do this winter? We guarantee there’s at least a few ideas on this list your partner will absolutely love.
#1 Bake a Winter Dessert
Winter is the perfect time for baking! Need some ideas? Here are 30+ Easy Winter Dessert recipes.
#2 Christmas Cookie Bake-A-Thon
The types of Christmas cookies you could bake are endless.
#3 Make Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is perfect to get into the Christmas spirit, or even after to keep you cozy and warm. Gather the ingredients and get your partner to help you make it! Here’s a mulled wine recipe to get started.
#4 Self-Care Day
You can have a self-care day with your partner! Plan to spend the day indoors and transform your apartment or house into a spa. Wear robes all day, do facemasks, exfoliate, etc.! Remember to put on some soothing spa music, dim the lights and light some candles to mimic the calm environment.
#5 Christmas Light Drive or Walk
Find an area in your city or town that’s known for its extravagant Christmas lights. Go for a drive and see all the beautiful houses.
#6 Go Tobogganing
Tobogganing is a fun activity to do if there’s any hills nearby. If you have 2 sleds, race your partner!
#7 Make a Snowman
Get outside with your partner and make a traditional snowman. You can spice it up a little with interesting scarf and hat choices.
#8 Winter Brunch
We often think of brunch as a spring or summer thing we do on restaurant patios. But we can do it at home during the winter and have just as much fun. Have your partner make a few dishes and you can make the others. You can drink mimosa or make it more winter-themed with some Baileys hot chocolate or coffee.
#9 Make Snow Angels
Yep, just like when you were a kid! Put some snow pants on and lay down in the snow with your partner. Brainstorm cute couple angel imprints you could make.
#10 Indoor Picnic
Since you can’t picnic outdoors if you live in a cool climate, take it indoors! Put a blanket down on the floor, make sandwiches and have some hot beverages ready.
#11 Play Video Games
Pick some of your favorite video games and make a little competition out of it!
#12 Go Skating
If you have a pair of skates or can rent them somewhere, take your partner to the nearest ice rink.
#13 Decorate the Tree
Invite your partner over to help decorate the tree! To make it extra special, buy them an ornament that represents them, giving them a space on your tree. Of course, put on Christmas music and have some themed drinks and cookies ready.
#14 Christmas Movie Marathon
If you’re a fan of Christmas movies, what could be a more cozy winter date idea than having a marathon of them?
#15 Make Christmas Care Packages
Hit up the dollar store with your partner and pick up some supplies to make care packages out of:
- Bags
- Ribbons
- Snacks
- Food
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes
- Shampoo
- Soap
Put these care packages together and go for a walk with your partner into an area of town you know has people who are homeless. Hand the care packages out!
#16 Casino Night
If you like card games, get a pack out and line up a few games for the evening: Black Jack, Poker, Rummy, etc. Have some change ready to gamble with. If you don’t like gambling, you can use something arbitrary like candies and assign a prize to the winner.
#17 Swap Family Photos
Plan ahead of time so you both can get some old photos from your families. Then come together and look at your baby photos. Compare your childhoods and learn about each other’s histories.
#18 Shop for Ugly Christmas Sweaters
Take your partner to a few thrift shops. Whoever finds the ugliest Christmas sweater wins!
#19 Play a Board Game
Board games are great to play in the winter season when you want to get cozy with your partner. If you want a few options, hit up the thrift store for some cheap games.
#20 Winter Hike
If you and your partner can stand the wintery cold, why not go for a hike? You can pick a new trail or even going on the same ones can be interesting since winter gives it a new, magical vibe.
#21 Make Christmas Cocktails
Gather some ingredients and play bartender. Need inspiration? Check out these 64 Christmas cocktails.
#22 Give Each Other Massages
If you’re looking for winter date ideas that are also romantic, this one tops the list. Research some massage techniques beforehand and get a base oil and some essential oils ready. Take turns massaging each other.
#23 Winter Photoshoot
If you’re in love with Instagram, get some props and have a winter photoshoot together!
#24 Make Snow Slushies
I know there’s going to be people that are going to say, “Ew! I’m not making slushies out of pee snow!” And to that I say, don’t pick up pee snow. Pick a day when there’s freshly fallen snow and an area you know won’t be contaminated. Bring some snow inside and mix it with a little juice or syrup. For a grownup version, add some vodka or rum.
#25 Pick a Project
Pick a project to do or tackle together. For example, maybe you make model cars. Or, maybe the kitchen table needs to be sanded and repainted. Or maybe you found a craft online you can try with your partner.
#26 Go Toy Shopping for Those in Need
If you have a few extra bucks, go shopping for children’s toys and games. Then donate them to a local charity, toy drive or family in need.
#27 Fondue
Fondues are a great winter date idea because the heat makes it super cozy. You can do it with different cheeses or chocolates. If you don’t have a kit, you can probably find one for cheap at your nearest thrift store.
#28 Indoor Smores
If you can’t get outside for a campfire, you can still make smores indoor! You’ll just need some roasting sticks and gel cooking fuel to light (the kind used for chafing dishes).
#29 Tarot Date
Wondering what the upcoming year has ahead for you? Get a pack of tarot cards and do a New Years tarot spread for both you and your partner. Compare results of what the next year looks like for you both.
#30 Make Hot Buttered Rum
You’ve probably heard of hot buttered rum being a holiday classic, but have you ever actually had it? Try making it with your partner with this recipe.
#31 Make a Blanket Fort
Get your blankets, chairs and fairy lights ready and construct the most elaborate and cute blanket fort together.
#32 Read Christmas Stories
If you’re looking for a romantic winter date idea, try reading some Christmas stories to each other. This sounds and is cheesy. To make it hilarious, give each character a distinct, silly voice.
#33 Make Pizza
Making pizza together is fun because it’s simple and you can prepare your own toppings.
#34 Paint Night
You don’t need to leave home or do a group paint night. Simply get some canvasses, paint and find a paint tutorial on YouTube. Pick a painting you and your partner both enjoy so you can compare results after.
#35 Baking Competition
You can choose to have this baking competition with just you and your partner. Or, you can involve other friends or couples and have everyone share their creations on Zoom. Pick and extravagant winter dessert recipe that no one could possibly nail. Challenge yourselves to do your best in a set amount of time, say 3 hours. When times up, share your creations and vote on the best one!
#36 Sampling Winter Date Ideas
Pick a winter food or drink:
- Wine
- Whiskey
- Hot chocolate
- Chocolates
- Christmas candies
- Cookies
Buy multiple and have a sampling night, trying each one and comparing notes.
#37 Candle Night
Have a technology and light-free night. Pretend the power is out and light some candles. Plan some activities to do that don’t involve TV, laptops or phones. In fact, turn your phones off and put them away. If you want something romantic to do, simply talk or learn about each other by asking these 160 Questions For Couples: New + Longterm (Very Telling).
#38 Make Christmas Ornaments
Search up some DIY Christmas ornaments on Pinterest. Select a few you like, gather supplies and make some with your partner.
#39 3-Course Takeout
If you’re bored or ordering regular takeout on date night, here’s an idea: Get each course from a different restaurant.
#40 Pajama Party
Order some matching winter pajamas and have a PJ party!
#41 Leave Gifts Around Town
Winter should get us all into the giving spirit, but it doesn’t have to just be for those we know. Collect some items with your partner, like:
- $1 bills
- Scratch tickets
- Small gift cards
- Good luck tokens
- Inspirational notes
Take a walk with your partner and leave these gifts around town, on park benches, tables, posted on poles, etc. Bonus points if you do this in low-income areas.
#42 Yoga
If you’re looking for a relaxing winter date idea, look up a yoga YouTube class, get into your gym clothes and invite your partner over.
#43 Korean BBQ at Home
At Korean BBQ restaurants, you can order foods that you can grill yourself at your table. You can get a similar experience at home though by getting your own indoor grill!
#44 Wrap Gifts Together
Both of you probably have gifts to wrap for family members and friends. So, put something good on TV, get some snacks and get to wrapping together!
#45 Volunteer Together
See which charities or events in your area need help and volunteer with each other to make your town slightly better 🙂
#46 Make a Gingerbread House
Get some supplies ready and spend an afternoon constructing the most elaborate gingerbread house.
#47 Visit a Loved One’s Grave
The holiday season is a great time to visit a loved one’s grave and leave some flowers. You can also learn more about your partner’s family that way too.
#48 Have a Snowball Fight
If it’s a night when the snow is falling, have a few drinks and get outside for the ultimate snowball fight!
#49 Play Truth or Dare
Prepare some ideas ahead of time and get playing. It can be as clean or steamy as you want.
#50 Plan a Vacation
Spend some time deciding the next vacation you’ll take together. Even if you don’t have the money, it’s fun to plan for when you do. Research together where you’d stay and what you’d do.
#51 Bring the Pottery Class Home
Pottery classes are a romantic winter date idea, but if you don’t want to go out, you can bring it home. Of course, you won’t have the pottery wheel, but you can buy some clay and watch some online pottery classes. Your local pottery place may also sell kits that you can bring back to fire.
