They say that it’s springtime when a young man’s heart turns to fancy - and really, whose heart wouldn’t with all those teeny-tiny tank tops and short-shorts emerging like crocuses after a snowmelt? However, I believe that the cool climes of winter have their powers, too. The chilly weather is an excuse to cozy up to the one you love. Here are a few winter date ideas to make sure you get even cozier.
Night skiing or snowboarding. One of my all-time favorite dates was when an old boyfriend took me night skiing. We rode the lifts up to the top of a little mountain village and skied behind a cabin where no ski patrol could see us. We waited there until the last of the lifts shut down, leaving us the only two skiers left on the mountain. Then, we skied down together by the light of the full moon. It was so incredible and memorable. Plus, while we were waiting for everyone to leave, we totally made out. Well, as much as one can with a ten-layer Gore-Tex barrier to deal with.
Give your girl or a guy a hot rock massage. You can give a spa-worthy hot rock massage at home! You can use your own river rocks or use professional massage stones from supply stores like River Rock Massage. You simply heat the rocks up in a Crock-Pot or roaster full of water. One Goddess Way gives specific instructions on how to heat rocks. Then, once the rocks are warmed to a the perfect working temperature, you’re ready to go. Youtube has a ton of how-to videos that show you how to give a hot rock massage, some of which you probably can’t watch at work.
Two words: broom hockey. Most ice sports complexes have a broom hockey night where you don’t even have to wear skates. You just gather a huge group of people, divide up into teams, and go nuts! Whether you are ally-ooping each other on the same team, or instigating a healthy rivalry on opposite sides, all of that rosy-cheek-inducing exercise is sure to bring you closer.
Go cafeteria tray sledding. I’m going to be honest with you, when it comes to ingenuity, college students and sledding devices are a perfect match. Never before have I seen more inventiveness than when I sledded down the giant hill on campus by our oldest building - garbage sacks combined with cardboard, Slip-and-Slides combined with sleeping bags, it was unreal. But the best-ever sliding devices are still dining hall trays. “Borrow” one from your dining hall, and snag one for your partner. Later, after your pants are full of snow and your tray is split in half, you can find creative ways to warm up again.
Stay the night in an ice hotel. I actually went to the Absolut Ice Bar in London. You get to drink out of ice glasses, sit in carved ice chairs, and wear crazy fur-lined ponchos with hoods. Now, the Ice Bar is fun, but the Ice Hotel is top shelf. Check out the one in Sweden, or Canada’s version. Maybe Northern Michigan should also build an ice hotel. I have a feeling it would be breathtaking. Still, if you can make it to those in faraway lands, it could be the adventure of a lifetime. I don’t know, maybe Heidi Klum and Seal will be there, draped in bear fur or something.
Have a dogsledding adventure. I think I can safely say that a dogsledding date would be a night he or she would never forget. The Dog Sled Rides website has an incredible list of all kinds of dogsledding organizations all over the country, including three in my home state of Washington. Check it out, there may be a dogsledding team near you!
I hope you have found a few creative date suggestions to make your winter one you and your partner will remember well into spring.
