This year for Valentine’s Day I’m getting my husband the best gift ever—time with me! Maybe I’m biased, but I think I’m pretty fun. Since he chose to marry me, he must think so, too! That’s why my go-to gift is a year of dates.

Before we had kids, it was easy to have a date night. But now spending time together outside of the house involves babysitters, budgeting, bedtimes, and a lot of other obstacles. It is often easier to just stay in and look at our phones while watching Netflix. Try to contain your jealousy of all that romance!

A few years ago, I got the idea to surprise my husband with a date night box. Inside were 12 prepaid and planned dates for the year. There was something different each month ranging from romantic to cute, creative to meaningful. I used what I would have normally spent on Christmas, birthday, anniversary, and Valentine’s Day gifts to make sure there was enough in the budget.

Some were actual events that had to happen on a specific day, while others could be done at any point in the month. A few were free or really cheap which allowed room for some more expensive dates. My goal was to force us to prioritize our relationship with a monthly date night. Since the dates were already scheduled and paid for, we didn’t have an excuse not to do them.

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How to Make a Year of Dates

I gave my year of dates to my husband for Christmas and it was a complete surprise. Each month was in a labeled envelope with details about what we were doing as well as any tickets, gift cards, or necessary date items. Whenever possible, I purchased a gift card instead of using cash so we wouldn’t be tempted to use the money for something else.

I used envelopes in a gift box, but you could also do a year of dates binder or whatever works for you. Regardless of how you package them, It is the gift that keeps on giving because each month you get to experience something together. Making memories and devoting time to your relationship is much better than a new sweater or briefcase any day.

The year of dates gift for my husband was such a hit that we did it again the next year. Although this time we were each responsible for planning six months, so half of the dates were a surprise to me as well.  We’ve now done this for several years and had so many fun date ideas that we pick our favorites together for the year.

If a year of dates is too much to tackle at one time, consider doing preplanned dates for just six months, three months, or even one big mystery date box. It’s great for a husband and wife to give one another, but it could also be a creative wedding gift for couple.

A year of dates gift can be whatever you and your significant other would enjoy, but to get your creative juices flowing I have compiled a list of some of our favorites. You can also download a copy of my 52 Date Ideas list here for even more fun suggestions.

One year we included a trip to Lexington’s famed Keeneland race track in our year of dates. If we hadn’t paid in advance, rainy and cold weather may have caused us to cancel. But the Year of Dates gift forced us to go anyway and we had a wonderful time!

Our Favorite Year of Dates Ideas

Progressive Dinner Date

Since we don’t go out to eat much with two young kids at home, a progressive dinner allows us to dine at multiple adult restaurants in one night. We usually choose an area of town saturated with multiple eateries and do appetizers one place, an entrée at another, then finish with a dessert somewhere. You could also add a drink stop or whatever your interests and schedule allow.

This is one of our favorite date ideas so we’ve done it a variety of ways. Downtown is fun when the weather is nice to walk from place to place. An outdoor shopping center typically has a bunch of restaurants in a small space. You could choose a theme for your date night such as new eateries, hole-in-the-wall dives (this was one was really fun!), fine dining, or select a specific ethnic cuisine. We even drove to different city once and did our progressive dinner there.

When selecting a progressive dinner for a year of dates, you could print out menus and include gift cards for the stops on your list. I suggest looking for discount gift cards at Raise for tons of dining options.

Cooking Class Date Night

I love food, so any date that revolves around a delicious meal is a win for me. But for our year of dates, I like to have something beyond a simple dinner out. When I found out a local chef offered cooking classes, I thought it might be a fun date night. My husband doesn’t have a lot of cooking experience so I wasn’t sure how he would like it, but we had a blast!

This date was a group lesson on how to prepare a multi-course dish. It was like an interactive Food Network show where we actually got to eat the food at the end. I loved experiencing new recipes and techniques with my husband and sharing a gourmet meal with our classmates.

If you are local to Central Kentucky, check out Wild Thyme to sign up for a class of your own. Or you can check out Williams Sonoma or Sur La Table for cooking classes near you, or you can try an online cooking class from The Chef & The Dish.

Escape Room Group Date

We have to plan way in advance to get a group of our friends to all have babysitters on the same night. When the stars align for a group date, we love to go play an escape room date. Even without friends, using clues to solve a mystery during the allotted game time with your spouse is a great date.

You can find companies that do these real-life action games in your area. Sometimes you can find deals here. 

We loved the doing an escape game for a group date with our friends. It’s a perfect addition to a year of dates gift even if it’s just you and your spouse.

March Madness Fun in Year of Dates

My husband and I are both college basketball fans. For our March date we both take off work the first two full days of the NCAA men’s tournament. There are games on from midday on and we love eating snacks and watching the madness unfold. We fill out brackets and compete to see who can choose the most winners. (Here’s a dry erase bracket if you want to make it more official.) It’s a fun—and cheap—date at home.

This date is also great for parents with kids in school or daycare because you don’t have to find a babysitter for your date. We usually go out for breakfast after dropping off the kids to kick off our date days.

If basketball isn’t your thing, this can also work great for the Olympics, Wimbledon, a Netflix binge, or a day of video games. With so many people leaving their vacation days unused, consider taking time off together to do something fun.

We took our March Madness date to the next level in 2012 with a trip to the Final Four in New Orleans. Though we planned the trip as a baby moon before knowing who would be playing, both of our teams were there. And my beloved UK Wildcats brought home the title!

Picnic in the Park Day Date

Especially in the first couple of years after bringing our daughter home from China, it was much easier to leave her with a babysitter during non-sleeping hours. We got creative with daytime activities and found that a picnic in the park was perfect.

We pack a picnic lunch or early dinner and a blanket and head to a park. (Here’s a beautiful picnic set for two if you want to be fancy.) There is a large one near us where you can rent pedal boats to take out on a small lake. We’ve also played tennis or took a stroll through the arboretum before or after our picnic. Taking advantage of public parks is an inexpensive option to add to a year of dates gift.

Scavenger Hunt of Your Town Date

Though I’ve lived in Lexington for nearly two decades, there’s still a ton I don’t know about it. Thanks to Living Social we found a premade, interactive scavenger hunt that forced us to explore some iconic downtown locations to answer clues and beat the clock. There are lots of companies with apps for cities all over the country (and world!) that design scavenger hunts for you.

I highly recommend something like this for your year of dates box!

Arcade Date

There are a few different arcade options near us that we mostly visit with our kids. But Nathan and I had so much fun without the little ones in tow! I recommend going closer to closing time if you want to avoid the birthday party crowd, but playing skee-ball, air hockey, and car racing games is still a blast as an adult.

One arcade near us also has bowling, miniature golf, go karts, and laser tag for more options. There’s also a bar with old-school arcade games in town that we need to check out. Check to see what options are near you.

Skeeball is always my favorite arcade game…especially when I don’t have to take turns with my kids!

Paint Your Own Pottery Date

Neither of us is particularly artistic, but we always enjoy a trip to a place that lets you paint your own pottery. We usually add this in the fall of our year of dates and do a Christmas plate, bowl, or ornament. But it can be done anytime with options for every budget. And you can do it from home with one of these paint-your-own kits.

Mall Bingo Date Idea

People watching is always a good way to get conversation moving. That’s why we love a mall bingo date! Whether a traditional mall or outdoor shopping center, competing to see who can get a full row first is a great way to take in your surroundings. I made my own cards, but there are also bingo cards online at this site that helps you customize your own printable. Or you can purchase template from Etsy for around $5.

This is one of the mall bingo cards I made. We used the same items, but moved them around for friendly date night competition.

Recreate Your First Date

Our year of dates usually includes at least one nostalgic activity. One fun way to do that is to recreate our first date. We reminisce on the nerves and excitement of our initial meeting while enjoying Italian food, bowling, and driving around talking. This is great for anniversaries or anytime you want to revisit romantic occasions.

Local Festivals Are Perfect for a Year of Dates

When preparing a year of dates, I recommend checking a local events calendar for events and activities in the coming months. Our town has a huge food and music festival each August that we attend for the date that month. It’s nice that we don’t have to put a lot of effort into planning a date since the organizers do the work for us. Plus, it’s nice to see the things going on in your community.

Date Night at the Theater

You don’t have to live near a huge theater scene to enjoy a play! We found a student production at a nearby university that was perfect for our year of dates. I’ve found that we are far more likely to engage in well-rounded activities when we plan dates 12 months at a time and exploring the performing arts is a great example.

Now it’s your turn! I’d love to hear details about your year of dates. Please leave me a message in the comments below. And don’t forget to download your free list of 52 Date Ideas for more ways to make the perfect gift for your significant other.

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