This Date Night Trend Is Helping Couples Have More Fun and Meaningful Dates

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Source: Jasmine Jordan | Dupe Source: Jasmine Jordan | Dupe

For the first two years of our relationship, my boyfriend and I had no shortage of new and exciting date ideas. Even though we were long-distance, we had creative dates over FaceTime and spent every second while we were together on some sort of adventure. Everything changed once we started living together, though. It felt like we had already exhausted all the activities in our area, and since our work schedules clashed, dates became harder to plan. This caused us to resort to the same old dinner spot for almost every date we were able to squeeze in. After months and months of this, I became desperate to have more frequent dates.

What is a date night jar?

A date night jar is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a jar (or any container) that’s full of date ideas. The dates in the jar, which are typically written on popsicle sticks or folded paper, can be anything from going to the movies to doing something adventurous like hiking or trying a new activity.

@simmiestationery

i always see popsicle sticks for these date jars but i decided to make origami stars! 🌟 🥹 #datenightideas #diygiftideas #romanticgift #doityourself #diyprojects

♬ Glimmers Everywhere – Lunar Vibes

Why you should make a date night jar

A date night jar is a great way to keep your dates, and subsequently, your relationship, from becoming mundane. It’s easy to default to going to your usual dinner spot or binging shows on the couch, or being so indecisive on an activity that you end up just wasting the entire night. Having a jar full of ideas takes the pressure off deciding and adds a little excitement. Plus, it pushes you to try things you might not normally do.

When you’re trying new things together and sharing those experiences, it naturally creates more memories that you can look back on together. Even if the date itself ends up being a total flop, it’s still time you’re choosing to spend together, which is what really matters when it comes to building a healthy relationship. This is why I choose to document all the dates my boyfriend and I go on from our date night jar. Even if we end up at a boring dinner, I snap a picture of him across the table or a selfie in the car on the way back. They are memories I love to look back on, and a good reminder when I see them that prioritizing time together is important.

“A date night jar has brought excitement, spontaneity, and ease back to our dates, and I can’t recommend it enough.”

My advice? Make an album on your phone just for the date night jar, or create a physical scrapbook you can keep adding to as you go on more dates. Over time, you’ll end up with a collection of memories and a reminder of all the little moments that make your relationship special. Being intentional about the time you spend together and cherishing it is what will really help strengthen your bond.

How to make a date night jar

There’s nothing wrong with using a plastic container you already own and ripping a few pieces of paper to jot down date ideas for your date night har. But I will say that the trip we took to the craft store for our date night jar was pretty cute and romantic. So, if you don’t mind making the trip and spending a few extra dollars on supplies, I highly recommend taking that route.

All you need is a small to medium-sized jar, popsicle sticks or slips of paper, and pens or markers. But if you want to make it even more personalized, look for stickers or ribbons. For our date night jar, we picked out a glass jar with a copper top, a bag of 75 large popsicle sticks, gold stickers, and a pack of colorful markers. We used the stickers to write “Date Night Jar” on the outside. Then, we wrote one date idea on each popsicle stick, and if something were season-specific, I colored the end so we’re sure never to pick a summer date in the middle of winter.

Source: Emily Wise

You can color-code your sticks or paper for seasonality, as we did, but you can also use colors to specify the type of date. Think: pink for at-home date nights or yellow for adventure-themed dates. There really are no rules when creating your jar, so how you customize it is completely up to you.

50 ideas for your date night jar

Add activities unique to you and your partner, be as adventurous as you’d like, and most importantly, have fun! Here are 50 date night jar ideas to get you started!

At-home date night jar ideas

Host an at-home movie night
Cook a meal together
Have an at-home spa night
Play a couple’s card game
Make breakfast in bed
Make homemade pizza
Make cocktails or mocktails at home
Craft a relationship bucket list
Have a themed presentation night

Budget-friendly date night jar ideas

Go out for pastries
Get ice cream
Spend the day at the lake or beach
Head to the bookstore
Read books in the park
Go thrifting and pick out outfits for each other
Try a new coffee shop
Make dinner at home, then go out for dessert
Go for a long walk along the water

Adventurous date night jar ideas

Get tickets for a game
Go to an escape room
Try axe-throwing
Spend the day in a neighboring town
Go to an amusement park or a carnival
Go to the zoo
Go on a bike ride
Go kayaking

Creative date night jar ideas

Attend a paint-and-sip night
Attend a class you’ve wanted to try, like cooking or pottery
Have a bake-off
DIY something for your home
Build playlists for each other
Put together a puzzle
Visit a cat cafe

Romantic date night jar ideas

Go to a local winery
Get dressed up and go to a nice restaurant
Treat yourselves to a professional spa day
Go for a sunrise hike
Have a picnic in the park
Watch the sunrise or sunset
Go to a museum you’ve never been to
Recreate your first date

Entertainment and night-out date night jar ideas

Go to a comedy or improv show
Go on a double date
Go to a festival or local event
Go to a drive-in movie
Belt it out at a karaoke bar
Challenge each other to arcade games
Play trivia or bingo at a local spot
Play darts or pool at a dive bar
Head out to listen to live music

Looking for more ways to keep date nights interesting? Try these:

90+ Date Ideas That Go Beyond “Dinner and a Movie”
Experts Say This Date Night Upgrade Leads to Happier, Longer Relationships
12 No-Spend Date Ideas That Are Just As Romantic as They Are Fun
8 Ways To Come Up With New Date Ideas if Dinner & a Movie Is Getting Old