BY: Lindsey Metselaar
Can you believe it’s already August? That means the summer is majorly heating up, and your summer romances probably are, too. If you listen to my podcast and follow my dating rules, you know that entertaining your date at home is an activity reserved for the fifth date and beyond.
If you’re at that point with someone and are looking for ideas for an at-home meetup to escape this heat and bask in the a/c, look no further! Here are my favorite at-home date ideas.
- Cooking Together There’s nothing more romantic than cooking. Plus, it’s an amazing feeling to be able to create something together. Knowing your date’s “kitchen behavior” is great intel related to how he or she might be as a partner long-term. Are they helpful? Are they annoying? Do they try to take over? Start with a fun and interactive meal like homemade pasta.
- Themed Date Night During the pandemic, my husband and I had to come up with a lot of different ideas to keep ourselves entertained. Enter: themed date night. This was a cute idea we came up with because we didn’t have any reason to “dress up” at the moment. You can choose from a black-tie theme, favorite movie characters, or simply just pajama night.
- Movie Night Rom-coms were invented for the sole purpose of watching them on date night. There are so many to choose from. Find one that you and your date somehow both haven’t seen. Grab the accoutrements, such as popcorn and candy, and get cozy on the couch. I can’t promise you this won’t lead to a lot of kissing.
- Game Time You know what’s totally underrated? Games! I personally love the card deck from We’re Not Really Strangers. It’s a great opportunity to get a little deeper with this potential new partner. I also love Codenames: Duet, and you can’t go wrong with a puzzle. When in doubt, Uno is always a good idea. I also love a simple “Guess my favorite ___.” You can always take the game to flirtier place and have the loser remove an item of clothing!
- Bake Something Baking is a real science project. And how fun is it to have a romantic lab partner to do it with? Trying a new recipe together and mastering it can really get those endorphins going. Things will get totally messy, and that’s a real lesson in letting go and just enjoying each other.
If you’re having an at-home date night, the most important thing is that you’re comfortable, not only in your clothes but with the person who’s coming over. It’s an intimate step, and it’s important for you to be discerning about who you invite over for such a special occasion.
For more tips and clarity on the rules I mentioned, you can follow @wemetatacme on Instagram or listen to “We Met at Acme” wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you’re looking for rom-com recommendations, you can’t go wrong with Crazy Stupid Love or The Sweetest Thing. Enjoy!
