For those of us who live where winter sometimes feels like minus-10 degrees and brings snow up to our knees, it can be challenging to stay creative and find fun things to do for romantic nights out!

Seriously, I’ve read some of these lists and while they’re full of great ideas, some just aren’t… well, practical! If it’s below freezing, sometimes the last thing you want to do is even think about going outside; sometimes it’s enough of a struggle to bundle up in five layers just to run to the car!

So how, on these sometimes frigid days of winter, are we supposed to find fun things to do? (Aside from just staying warm and cozy in bed and snuggling up with your loved one — which is NEVER a bad idea?)

Here are some date-night ideas you might enjoy.

1. Hot chocolate and board games!

Board games are seriously underrated nowadays. It’s easy to get swept up in technology, but it’s so much fun to get back to the basics. Break out Monopoly, Jenga, LIFE, or whatever board games you have! (And if you don’t have any, some can be found pretty cheap at Target/etc.) Throw in some hot chocolate and maybe some snacks, and make a night of it.

2. Movie marathon

An oldie but a goodie. You can spend as little or as much time doing this as you want! Make a blanket fort on the couch, cuddle up and pop in a flick or two. You pick, your partner picks – it doesn’t matter whether you’ve seen the movie five times before or not. Again, this one’s getting back to the basics, but it’s simple (and relatively affordable!) fun… and with Netflix and the Internet nowadays, you probably don’t even need to leave the house to get a movie.

3. Ice skating/etc.

The hardest question you’ll have to answer here is indoors or outdoors? The answer probably depends on the weather, but either way, it’s a fun time! Again, you can spend as little or as much time as you want doing these activities, depending on availability. In addition to ice skating, try something new – Canalside here in Buffalo offers ice bikes, which I’ve been wanting to try, and even curling!

4. Take a class together.

5. Do some pottery painting!

Look up pottery painting in your area. It’s a fun way to spend an hour or two, and when all’s said and done, you get a nice keepsake! You and your partner can either work on separate projects (like mugs, plates etc) or you can work on something together (like a statue or sculpture for your home). You’ll likely have to leave the finished product at the studio for a few days so it can be treated, so be prepared to go back in a week or so to pick it up!

Price also varies here depending on what item(s) you pick out, so you can pretty well control how much you’re spending.

6. Visit a museum.

7. Have a spa night, at home or out.

Book a spa night together or have your own at home, whatever that means to you. Maybe it’s giving each other massages (look up tutorials online!) and putting some nice-smelling candles on. Maybe it’s infusing some essential oils and meditating, or doing yoga.

8. Decorate your home/apartment together.

Maybe it’s rearranging some furniture, adding some new pieces (helloooo, shopping run!), or maybe it’s painting something together.

9. Attend a sporting event.

I’m partial to hockey games of course (perfect in the winter!) but any sport will do! Maybe even try something neither of you have ever attended before – even if you both end up hating it, it’s the memories that count the most!

10. Go to a bookstore.

God, yes. Pour over the pages of the newest novels. Share your favorite classics. Pick out a book for each other to read. Pick something completely out of the other person’s wheelhouse. Share some coffee or hot chocolate in the cafe. Breathe in the smell of new books.

11. Check out a holiday light show.

The holidays are pretty much over now, but these are always fun if you can find one in your area! Of course, this is also weather-dependent, but sometimes you can either walk or drive through these big holiday light shows. On a smaller scale, this can even mean just taking a stroll (or a drive) around the neighborhood to check out everyone’s holiday lights.

12. See a show.

Whether it’s a live band, an individual artist’s concert, a ballet, an opera, a comedy, a musical… there’s nothing quite like seeing a live performance. Yes, this means having to bundle up and leave the house, buy tickets and possibly plan it in advance, but it’s a great experience and will leave you with wonderful memories!

13. Bake/cook something.

Pick out a recipe, shop together for the ingredients, then spend the time cooking or baking it together. This is great because it’s like three dates in one – the shopping, the actual process of baking/cooking, and then at the end… you get to eat the finished product together! If you stock up on ingredients beforehand, you won’t even have to leave the house.

What are your favorite date night ideas for the winter?