If you're like most of us, your booty is staying at home lately.
But if you're also like most of us, whether you've been married for decades or just started a new relationship, you know: date night is important. It's where you set aside time for the relationship, and let each other know you're special. And it's where you rekindle all those butterflies you feel.
But how do you get that flame going without a night at the movies, your favorite restaurant, a round of mini golf, or a night on the town?
You might be an at-home date night aficionado already, but we're here to give you some ideas that are tried and true, and some others you might not have thought of yet.
Dress to Impress
Would you wear sweatpants if you were out on a date? (Maybe don't answer that.) No, you wouldn't! That's why you shouldn't wear them on your date night inside. Show 'em that you really care and put some effort into your outfit today. Yes, Cute Booty leggings are totally up to dress code.
Cook It, Cook It Real Good
Make like Ratatouille and remember, everyone can cook. Never tried making gnocchi with pesto sauce? Been craving scallops dripping in butter? How about that marinated taco meat that's been sitting in your Pinterest folder since 2011? Put on your chef's hat and make a meal together. You can even try out some of the quarantine trends that have been popping up lately. Freshly baked homemade bread and from scratch pasta don't sound too shabby, do they? A creative and delicious dinner is really just a Google search away. Get really super cute and create your own menu.
Or you can become the kings and queens of takeout and support your local business.
Plan Your Own Wine Tasting
Maybe you've got a 50 dollar bottle on the shelf. And maybe you have a questionable blend that you picked up from a gas station. All the better. Give yourself a few different values of bottles to choose from, then do a taste test. See if you can tell which one is two buck chuck, and which one is top of the line. You might not actually care after a few glasses, but that makes the game even more fun.
Get Artsy Fartsy
So, what craft are you taking on in your lockdown? Learn needlepoint and write each other a cute little message in thread. Paint a mug and whenever you sip out of it, remember how much you love each other (you can say ahhh and awww.) Or be less cuter and make marshmallow guns out of PVC pipe and have a war. Whatever you decide to take on, there's thousands of tutorials out there to help you.
Pwn Some Newbs
There's nothing quite so bonding as playing a video game together, right? Bust out your old video games and take a trip down memory lane. You can share the nostalgia with your partner and tell them about all those adventures you went on.
If you're new to the video game world and don't have a console, the Switch is a great way to segue into gaming. It offers a whole number of games that are great for multiplayer - we're loving Mario Party, Overcooked, Borderlands, and, of course, Super Smash Bros.
If you don't want a console at all, you're still in luck if you have a computer. Download steam and get access to a world of games inside your PC. Check out Castle Crashers, Tick Tock: A Tale for Two, and Minecraft, for starters.
If you don't have a computer, how are you reading this? Just kidding, but you can still play games on your phone. Some great multiplayer choices to kickstart your addiction are Hearthstone, Space Team, and Pocket Tanks.
Get to Know Your Personality
Well, we're pretty sure you already know yourself pretty well. But you'd be surprised what you could learn from some really good personality tests. Take what you learn about yourself and your partner and see if it allows you to discover anything new.
Buzzfeed is cool and all, but our all-time favorite personality test is the Enneagram. You can also get some really good insight from the 5 Love Languages, True Colors, The Color Code, and Jung.
Make it a Theme Night
No matter what you're doing that night, choose a theme and run with it. Hawaiian tropical vacation, the 1950s, a trip to Italy, Star Wars, talk like a pirate, emo night - it doesn't matter what it is. Once you've got your theme nailed down, dress like it, eat like it, and act like it. You can even put on an accent to annoy - er, - amuse each other.
Actually Read a Book
We know this is currently an unheard of concept, but this can actually be fun. Choose a book you're both interested in (easier said than done, eh?) and take turns reading aloud. Don't be afraid to get super dramatic. If you're not really an out-loud type of couple, create your own coffee shop vibes by brewing up some lattes and each reading your material of choice.
Learn a New Dance
You could learn the basics of two-step or swing dancing while you're in lockdown so you can show off your cool moves later. If you're looking for something a little less traditional, TikTok has a wealth of dances to learn. Not only will you be on trend, you'll have killed quite some time learning the moves together.
Bored in the House and We're in the House Board
Any good date night calls for board games. Maybe whoever loses has to lose a piece of clothing too, eh?
Hey, keep it PG. But definitely keep the board games rolling. We love Clank!, Bananagrams, Codenames Duet, Exploding Kittens, and Coup for starters. If all you've got is a deck of cards, learn how to play gin. You can even sip gin while you play.
Candles, Candles, Candles
Candlelit dinner. Yeah, need we say more?
Or, do a picnic in your backyard. That's cute, too.
Don't Just Watch Netflix
We mean, you can. But you've been doing that every day, right? The key to your date night is making it special.
So, here's how it goes down. You both emerge from your room, dressed to the nines. You have a killer dinner in the candlelight, then move on to your favorite board game of choice. Mixed drinks and video games are up next, with some dessert to finish off the night. When you fall in love all over again, remember it was Cute Booty that helped.