With December finally upon us, it is truly the most wonderful – and romantic – time of the year and these Christmassy date ideas might just get you a cheeky kiss under the mistletoe…
Ice Skating
The iconic Christmas date, you can either woo your partner with your suave skating skills or ‘accidentally’ fall into their warm embrace – a win-win, either way. The closest and easiest ice rink to access is in the Newcastle Centre for Life which is open until the 24th February. With Newcastle being only a short train journey away, you may want to consider…
Photo by Shinya Suzuk, from Flickr.
Day Trip to Newcastle
Along with the ice skating, you can explore multiple Christmas markets and visit Fenwick Department Store’s gorgeous Christmas display; this year it depicts the nostalgic story of The Snowman. Newcastle’s Winter Village also offers the unique experience of ‘Dine by the Tyne’, where visitors can have dinner in their own panoramic igloo, offering a wonderful view of the river and surrounding areas.
Beamish
A fun day out at any time of the year, the Beamish open-air museum has an added sparkle at Christmas time. Their Frost Fair will transport you to Christmases long ago with traditional fairground rides, market stalls and another opportunity to go ice skating.
Photo by Andrew Kordampalos, from Flickr
Alnwick Gardens
Yet another ice skating spot, but this time in the beautiful gardens by Alnwick Castle. Along with exploring the gorgeous expanses of the gardens, at Alnwick you can also visit their Christmas market, treat yourself to a ‘festive afternoon tea’ and, from the 14th of December, watch their magical Christmas lights show. A day trip to Alnwick isn’t complete without visiting their treehouse restaurant, where the open fireplace and fairy lights offer a cosy dining experience.
Edinburgh Christmas Markets
If you’re looking to impress someone or just really enjoy a good Christmas market, a day/weekend trip to Edinburgh is the way to go. With an abundance of stalls, reindeers, rides and more delicious food than you should – but probably will – eat, Edinburgh Christmas Market is one of Britain’s best for a reason.
Cosy Coffee Date
If all these outdoorsy dates have left you with cold feet, perhaps a date in one of Durham’s many coffee shops would be more up your street? With Leonard’s and Tealicious offering an amazing variety of teas and cakes, and 9 Altars providing a delicious selection of hot chocolates, you should consider escaping the cold in one of Durham’s many independent coffee shops.
Photo from freestocks.org
Dine In
If you enjoy cooking or like a challenge, try swapping a restaurant dinner date for cooking at home. Not only does it save money but learning to cook something new together will allow you to bond and work as a team while (hopefully) producing a delicious meal. (Note: this suggestion is better catered for livers out with actual kitchen space and the author takes no responsibility for any college fire alarms being set off).
Movie Night
A staple, a classic, what could be more perfect when the weather is disgusting and your bed is toasty than a bit of Netflix and chill? More intimate than a trip to the cinema, you can still make movie night a special occasion by treating yourself to your favourite cinema snacks at half the price from Tesco’s. Get in the festive spirit by bonding over your favourite Christmas movies and keep each other warm on these cold December nights…