I’ve written a lot about date nights: giving ideas, stressing how important it is, but that it doesn’t have to be epic. Well since “date night” isn’t as simple as you think, I’ve got more to say about it, of course!

I’ve been watching cooking shows lately, and have heard the term “elevate” be used a lot. It’s described as like adding an extra element or level to your dish that gives it a kick to stand out from the typical version of that dish. For example, there’s mac and cheese. You can do it from a box or make it homemade. Either route you choose, you can add a few more steps of ingredients like adding bread crumbs and bacon on top and baking it. YUM, right? This can make it taste that much better! Well, I’ve been thinking that you can do the same for your date nights too :)

Kick it up a notch

As the legendary chef, Emeril Lagasse would say, “BAM! Let’s kick it up a notch!” And you can totally do that in your marriage! Take what you guys do on a regular basis and elevate it in a way that makes it new and special from the usual. Just some ideas on the top of my head:

• Make a fort to play your video games in, instead of just on your couch like every other time.
• Go on a walk or typical hike but pack a picnic or snack pack of your spouses’ favs.
• Make a special music playlist for the 30-minute drive to your favorite restaurant.
• If you like the drive-in movies, go early to not only get a good spot, but play some games with each other in the back of the pickup truck while you’re waiting for it to start.
• If you’re going to the movie theater, fork out a little extra money for the luxury seating, or make a competition out of answering the movie trivia questions they play before the movie, or see how many odd-shaped snacks you can sneak in :) haha.

I guess I think of weird things to do for entertainment, but you get the idea! There are so many possibilities to make your typical date night a little extraordinary!

Back to the original idea of elevating a meal, you can also elevate your usual dinners, not just your usual activities. Example: make your typical meal but pull out some sparkling cider and candles for a little romance ;) Again, there are lots of possibilities here, you just might have to put on your thinking cap and put a little more time and effort into planning. But it could be worth it!

If you’re looking for some more whimsical ideas that can get your ideas flowing, check out this blog post on turning bizarre and silly national holidays into date ideas!

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