Newly Dating? 4 Holiday Dates that Are Guaranteed to Make You Glow

That giddy feeling that you used to have on Christmas morning when you were young, well, that’s the same feeling you have now every time the new girlfriend or boyfriend calls or texts. The holidays are romantic, and when you‘re at the start of a new romance every day feels like a holiday. It’s the perfect time to take advantage of all that magic in the air and plan date nights to remember.

Start a Holiday Tradition

Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” ballet is not only one of his most famous compositions, but every holiday season it is played in packed theater houses in large metropolitan areas as well as small, local playhouses. An evening at the theater to see this beloved Christmas ballet is a great way to start a holiday tradition. Is there anything better than bringing your sweetheart to Tchaikovsky’s “Land of Sweets?” If ballet isn’t your cup of mulled cider, then check the cultural listings in your area to see what holiday themed shows are playing.

The Long Weekend Trip

A long weekend holiday trip is like three dates in one. It’s like a Russell Stover’s chocolate filled with raspberry and then sprinkled with hazelnut. So where do you go? Winter is the off-season for many northern coastal locations, so it’s the perfect time to head to Maine or Cape Cod. New England has classic holiday charm, especially when the white clapboard and black shutter houses are decked in lights and the landscape covered in snow. If you’re more of an adventurous, outdoorsy couple, then a weekend skiing in Stowe, Vermont is the perfect date.

Flowers and Ice Skating

Ok gents: this one is for you. Show up at your ladylove’s doorstep with a basket of Christmas flowers — a poinsettia is perfect, or a holiday wreath— and two pairs of ice skates. Needless to say, you have the skates under your arm because you’re taking your new girl on an ice-skating date. You’ll earn some bonus points for sure if you take her ice-skating at a famous outdoor rink, say, Rockefeller Center in New York or The Frog Pond in Boston, but even a small frozen pond in the local park will work.

Hot Cocoa and a Holiday Film

What to watch? Should you go old school and cuddle up on the couch with a blanket and watch “White Christmas,” or do you go with something newer like “Elf?” “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a feel-good romantic classic. You could also go the romantic comedy route and watch “Love, Actually,” which may take the cake (or the pumpkin pie) considering you’re falling in love. Nothing goes better with a film on a cold night than hot chocolate. Opt for something thick, heavy and complex like E. Guittard Grand Cocoa.