Money is tight. The weather is bad. You've been running around all day and would prefer to stay in. There are many reasons that you decide not to go to a restaurant, a show or other "date night" event. But, you still want to spend the evening having fun with the one you love.
How about a stay at-home date night?
There's no reason you can't do something fun and enjoy the company of your significant other...without leaving the comfort of your own home. I'm sure you'll have some ideas on how to spend your stay at-home date night, but the tips below will get you thinking:
1. Get rid of distractions. Move the pile of bills where you won't see them. Leave the dirty laundry in the hamper; you don't need to wash clothes just because you're home. If you have kids, send them to grandma's for the evening. Tonight, you and your significant other should only be distracted by each other!
2. Make a list of topics you're not going to talk about. This may seem like an odd "pre-date to do." However, you're on a date...so act like it! No talking about the kids' sports schedules, your annoying boss or the rising price of groceries. Agree on a penalty for every time either of you mentions a forbidden topic. Maybe you can stop & kiss?
3. Make a special meal together. Tonight is the night to open a bottle of wine and cook together, just like they do in the movies. Try a recipe you wouldn't ordinarily make -- maybe paella or jambalaya. Of course, if you don't enjoy cooking, order in from your favorite restaurant or take-out place. Whatever you decide to eat, set the table like you're having company. Use your good china and crystal glasses. Light some candles. After all, you're in the company of the love of your life.
5. Talk to each other like you're on a date. What can the two of you talk about, now that your "day-to-day topics" are off the table? It may sound silly (especially if you've been together or married for a long time), but think back to what you used to ask each other when you were first falling in love. You may think you know the answers...and perhaps you do. But, basic questions like "What's the funniest thing that happened to you recently?" and "What is one thing you wish you had more time for?" could spark some interesting dialogue.
6. Play a game together. Of course, one game I recommend (since I created it!) is Stop & Kiss: A Card Game for Couples. Tim and I have played it multiple times, but continue to enjoy saying nice things about each other, remembering shared moments in our past and testing how much we know about each other...and of course, stopping & kissing! We also enjoy a good game of Scrabble every now and then...although it can get a little competitive! Whichever game you choose, you'll enjoy relaxing and connecting with the one you love.
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Wedding season is just around the corner, and there's a good chance that you'll be invited to a wedding. Of course, you can give the newlyweds the always-needed gift of money or select a present from their registry -- after all, they picked it out so they are sure to like it! But, especially if the wedding is celebrating the marriage of a special friend, you may want to do something a little more innovative and with slightly more personal flair.
Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
1. If the couple likes romantic get-aways, consider a gift certificate from BedandBreakfast.com, which the couple can use at any of the 4,000 participating B&Bs in the U.S. and Canada. Cindy choose this gift when her sister was getting married since "they love to travel and like trying out new B&Bs." As her sister and the recipient of this creative gift, I'd have to say that Tim and I loved it!
2. If you have a special talent, use it to create a gift for your friends. For example, Sherry and Bob treasure a painting of the Scottish countryside created for them by a friend and gifted painter. When I got married, my "forever friend" Ann made a scrapbook that celebrated our wedding as a complement to a gift from our registry.
3. For couples who like picnics or enjoy attending outdoor concerts, consider a picnic basket. Many gift stores and websites sell different types of picnic baskets or outdoor knapsacks that come complete with cloth napkins, wine glasses, cheese cutting boards and other necessary outdoor essentials. A picnic basket is something that many couples wouldn't buy for themselves, but they are sure to enjoy for years to come.
4. For "foodie friends," consider a gift certificate to a favorite restaurant. Once your friends get back from their honeymoon and back into the swing of the "real world," they'll enjoy going out to dinner. Tim and I certainly appreciated the thoughtfulness of an out-of-town friend who made the effort to investigate restaurants in our area and purchased a dining gift card for our wedding gift.
5. If you're looking for an "add on" gift to go along with a bigger item, consider Stop & Kiss. "My husband and I received Stop & Kiss for a wedding gift and decided to take it on our honeymoon," said Sarah. "We had a ball thinking back to some of the early moments in our relationship and creating new memories.”
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There’s nothing that creates a more instant connection with the one you love than a kiss. I truly think that couples would get along better if they just took the time to “stop & kiss” frequently throughout the day. In a completely unscientific study of about a half-dozen married couples, I found that most of them stop & kiss four to five times throughout the day. That’s pretty good, considering how busy everyone is.
How often do you stop & kiss the one you love?
My husband Tim created the phrase “stop & kiss” back in our dating days. He was out of town and called to tell me about a great place he’d discovered on the beach for us to “stop & kiss”…if only I was with him. The phrase stuck. Today, one of our preferred places to use it is in the woods while hiking, one of our favorite shared activities. We like nothing better than to come to a clearing or other resting place and declare it a “stop & kiss place” – even though the kisses typically taste of sweat!
Where do you like to stop & kiss?
Sherry and Bob enjoy “kitchen kisses” – in the morning over coffee and while cooking together. Cindy and Dennis make it a point to try to stop & kiss every time they’re stopped at a red light. Holly and Shawn’s favorite kissing place spot is under the stars at night on their deck – sounds wonderful! Diane and Matt are lucky enough to both work at home, so they take frequent opportunities during their time to stop & kiss. Maureen and Brian are equal-opportunity kissers. Their favorite place to stop & kiss?
Anywhere!
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Life is busy, and at times, your relationship may seem to come in dead last…after kids, work and all of your other commitments. It doesn’t have to be that way. Amidst life’s craziness, there are ways that you can ensure that you stay connected to that special someone in your life.
Based on my experience, and the experiences of some of my friends who are in happy and committed relationships, here are some things you might want to try if you’re feeling that you are not as connected to your significant other as you'd like to be.
1. Leave love notes. The last time Tim left town for an overnight work trip, I pulled down the bed to find a note that said simply, “Goodnight, my love.” That made me feel very close to my husband, despite the fact that he was in another state.
2. Do an end-of-day “catch-up.” Even if your time together during the day is scarce, make sure you take at least a few minutes before you go to sleep to talk about the day’s events and other topics on your mind. Some couples do this over a before-bed glass of wine or cup of tea, while others enjoy chatting while snuggling in bed.
3. Hold hands. Whether you’re walking through the mall, watching your child’s soccer game or drifting off to sleep, holding hands with the one you love is a special way to express your love and create an instant connection.
4. Schedule couple’s time. Even if you can’t always spend as much time together as you’d like, it’s important that you make time for your relationship. Schedule time just for the two of you. Go for a walk, go out to dinner, stay at home and play a game. The important thing is to carve out some time – even if you have to mark it down on your calendar – to be together without all of life’s other distractions.
These are just a few of the many ways that you can make time for love. How do you make time for love in your busy life?
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Your wedding anniversary (or other special date that marks a milestone for you as a couple) is certainly a cause for celebration. When I asked a few friends how they celebrate their anniversaries, a common theme emerged. Being together. For most couples, spending time together to celebrate their special day is more important than exchanging expensive gifts. Some couples enjoy a romantic dinner at a nice restaurant or take a mini-vacation together.
Tim and I have done both. In fact, one year we were lucky enough to celebrate our anniversary by dining in an upscale restaurant near the Sydney Opera House in Australia!
We've also created a ritual of sorts that we repeat yearly to mark the occasion of our marriage. We like to look at our wedding photos (and marvel at how different I looked with professionally applied makeup!) and view our wedding video. And, while watching the DVD, we can do something we only wished we could do during our actual wedding: fast forward through the minister's rambling and off-topic sermon!
Next comes the part that sounded like a good idea at first, but is getting more difficult each year. I was so enamored of the fact that we wrote our own wedding vows that I decided we should add to them each year and recite the expanded version back to each other. (In case you're wondering, we haven't yet been married four years, so the vows aren't yet ridiculously long!) Some of the additions have been brilliant, like when Tim compared our love to a sacred aboriginal spot we'd visited together. Others, like my choice to reference our frequent dinners of "chicken and rice," are not going to stand the test of time so well.
One element of our wedding anniversary ritual that I feel will stand the test of time was new last year: Tim and I play Stop & Kiss, the card game for couples that I created.
What do you do to celebrate your special anniversary? Do you have any anniversary rituals?
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Meghan recently shared with me that the thing she likes best about Stop & Kiss is that “it makes you look deep within and cherish the reasons you love your partner.”
That made me smile. It also got me thinking about small ways that we express our love…the ways that we make our spouses, partners, boyfriends and girlfriends feel special.
One thing that Meghan mentioned is that she feels special when her partner falls asleep in her arms. I’d have to agree. There’s nothing that makes me feel more special and loved than falling asleep hand-in-hand with Tim.
Silly as they can be, nicknames are another way that couples show they care about each other. On last night’s episode of The Office, Dwight’s whole manner softened when he called Angela “Monkey.” (Of course, she didn't respond as he'd hoped because she was still mad at him for killing her cat...but that's another story!) Tim has a lot of nicknames for me (which I’m not going to share because they’d be embarrassing, not special, coming from somebody else!) For some reason, I’ve been unable to come up with many for him, which is sort of a private joke between us.
Shared private jokes and other forms of humor are another special bond between two people in a relationship. Like Sherry and Bob, many couples share a sense of humor...or at least can appreciate one another's take on what's funny. Magazines consistently rate “sense of humor” as a key characteristic that women look for in a partner, so there must be something to it. After all, Marie Claire and Glamour can’t be wrong!
Of course, there are more significant ways that couples show their love. Things like listening to, supporting and taking care of each other. Maureen says that she and Brian know that they can “count on each other for anything.” But, Maureen also mentions that she feels special when she gets a "wink or a special look" from her husband. From my perspective, a strong relationship where two people know they can count on each other begins with the little things they do to make each other feel special.
What do you think? What do you do to make your loved one feel special? What does he or she do for you?
Share your thoughts in the
Stop & Kiss blog survey.
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I recently got the happy news that a good friend's sister is engaged. Since I've known Mary my entire life, my first reaction was, "She's old enough to get married?" Once I remembered that she's in her 30s, my thoughts turned to the topic of wedding planning.
Now this particular bride-to-be really doesn't seem the type to get mired in the details and turn into a bridezilla. But, unfortunately, many women fall prey to the dark side of wedding planning, and what should be a happy time ends up being stressful for them...and not much fun for those around them. I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about.
So, with the wedding season just around the corner, I thought I'd share some simple tips to ensure that your planning period goes smoothly:
1. Set a budget and stick to it. While you're meeting with the florist, the caterer, the band or any of the many other providers who will have a hand in your wedding, it's easy to be upsold. You'll be convinced that you need more expensive flowers, a fancier cake, the finest alcohol that money can buy. Step back and think about what's really important to you and whether it fits into your budget. Remember that you'll be paying the bills long after the flowers have wilted and the last piece of chicken picatta has been savored, so make sure you're spending wisely.
2. Don't sweat the details. Tim is still a little upset that our DJ was unable to play a mixed CD he made especially for our wedding. But you know what? Nobody else was expecting to hear our electic mix of Juan Luis Guerra, Jackson Browne and BNL. And, we still listen to and enjoy the CD.
Every bride I know has a story of something that went wrong at her wedding. Usually, she was the only one who noticed. Of course, when it started raining on our outdoor ceremony, I was not the only one to notice. But, you can't control Mother Nature... even on your wedding day! Keep in mind that your guests are there to celebrate and share in your happy time, not to pick apart the logistics of your ceremony and reception.
3. Compromise. While it's
your wedding, you are likely not the only person with a vested interest in how it goes. You may be surprised at what's important to your fiancee. And, don't discount the opinions of your mother, mother-in-law and other close family members. While you and your fiancee should have the strongest voices in your wedding-related decisions,it wouldn't hurt to be a little flexible. After all, your wedding is a huge occasion for everyone who loves you.
4. Make time for each other.. It's easy to get so caught up in picking a venue (sad to say, I dragged Tim to eight golf courses before deciding on one for our wedding location), picking out the perfect color bridesmaid dresses (face it, they'll never wear them again!) and attending to all the other nitty-gritty details, that you forget to have fun with your fiance. Planning a wedding takes months (sometimes, years), so don't let it consume you and your relationship. Take time out and celebrate your love. Brides.com recommends taking a break from wedding planning to play
Stop & Kiss, a suggestion I certainly endorse.
5. Remember, it's really about spending your life together. Keep in mind that all the work you do to plan your wedding is for
one day. Granted, it's an important day and one that you'll always remember. But, keep the focus on what's truly important: that you're planning to spend your life with the one you love.
Do you have any tips for someone planning a wedding? I'd love to hear them.
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April showers bring May flowers. April also brings the Stop & Kiss spring sale. From today until April 21, you can save 10% on your order of Stop & Kiss: A Card Game for Couples.
You may be interested in Stop & Kiss for...
A wedding gift: Wedding season is right around the corner and you just might find yourself invited to celebrate the marriage of a friend or relative. Why not enhance their gift with a fun and romantic card game they can play throughout their life together?
A shower or bachelorette party gift: When there are weddings, there are wedding showers and bachelorette parties. Stop & Kiss makes an alternative to the sometimes embarrassing gift of lingerie for a bachelorette party and adds a personal touch to a shower gift from the bridal registry.
Mother's Day: Husbands, if you're looking for a unique Mother's Day gift for your wife -- something that acknowledges that you see her as more than "Mom" -- consider Stop & Kiss. I promise you'll have fun celebrating your relationship together. And, playing Stop & Kiss is something you can do together at home after the kids have gone to bed.
An anniversary or birthday: Do you or a close friend or family member have a wedding anniversary coming up? Is someone special celebrating a birthday? Consider Stop & Kiss for a gift they're sure to treasure.
Of course, you don't really need an occasion to buy Stop & Kiss, especially when
it's on sale. Why not buy it just to say "I love you" to that someone special in your life?
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Spring seems to have finally arrived, bringing with it a range of dating options not available during the cold, snowy months of winter. Here are a few springtime date ideas for you and your significant other:
1. Hike through the woods: A spring hike is a great way to witness nature emerging from its winter slumber. Wildflowers start to poke through the thawed ground, trees begin to blossom and the mating calls of frogs and birds fill the air. Hiking with your spouse or partner not only is great exercise, it's a chance to chat, hold hands...and maybe even stop & kiss once in a while!
2. Go to the zoo: Tim and I went to the zoo on our third date, which may be why I consider wandering among the lions, tigers and bears to be a fine spring date option. The zoo, like other places and activities often associated with kids, can bring out our childish sides...and make a date that much more fun!
3. Take a bike ride: For me, nothing says "spring" like the first time I'm able to ride my bike outside, rather than in my basement on a bike trainer. Pedal through your neighborhood, and you'll see gleeful children playing outside after months of being cooped up indoors. Or, if you're feeling more hard-core, hit a bike trail and get some exercise with your loved one. You can always bike your way to the local ice cream shop on your way home!
4. Have a picnic: As the weather warms up, my thoughts turn to dining "al fresco" -- and what's more enjoyable than a picnic? Find a quiet space in a park or other natural area. Pack your favorite foods and perhaps even a bottle of wine. You might even bring along Stop & Kiss: A Card Game for Couples as a fun way to celebrate your relationship after you've dined.
These are just a few ideas for getting outdoors with the one you love and having a different kind of date. What sort of spring dates do you enjoy?
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Are you looking for a unique Mother's Day gift for the woman you love? Would you like to buy her something to celebrate your wife or partner's special dual role as both the mother of your children and the love of your life?
If so, Stop & Kiss: A Card Game for Couples, would make a great Mother's Day gift.
If you're like most parents, you probably don't take enough time out of your busy lives for each other. Stop & Kiss is a fun way to do just that. When you play this card game with the woman you love, you'll reminisce about memorable moments from your shared past...and discuss future plans. You'll be prompted to say nice things about each other (and what woman doesn't want to be complimented?) You'll test how much you know about each other in a playful and non-competitive way. And, as the name implies, you'll have plenty of opportunities to Stop & Kiss!
If you think the love of your life would enjoy a unique Mother's Day gift that the two of you could enjoy during a "stay at-home" date night, you can
order here.
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