5 date-night-in ideas when it's raining in Vancouver

Vancouver’s beautiful summer season has become a memory, and you are probably anticipating a lot of rainy days and chilly nights ahead. This may be a dreary thought, but the rain gives us a great excuse to have a date-night-in. In fact, while during the summer months we felt pressured to get outside, the rainy months offer us a certain solace: lazy, cozy nights in without the guilt – and no FOMO because hey, it’s gross outside.

A date-night-in can be a fun, relaxing and intimate way to spend quality time with someone you care about when the weather is making you want to stay in. In celebration of that, here are 5 awesome date-night-in ideas that will leave you willing the rain to come, and that will probably have you doing a rain dance:

1. Get cozy with candlelight and home cooking

If the weather outside is unpleasant, counteract it by using candlelight to give your home a dreamy and cozy atmosphere. With enough candles lit, candlelight can provide the sole source of light in your living room. Dim the lights or turn them completely off and let the candles create romantic glow.

The great thing about candlelight is that it naturally relaxes you and puts you at ease – perfect for new relationships where there are still nerves at play. You will need to buy at least a dozen candles to create this atmosphere (one or two candles won’t do it). Be sure to incorporate a few fancy candles with great scents, but the bulk of your candles could be the standard and inexpensive kind from Ikea.

If you’re the host of the date-night-in, cooking a well thought out meal for two is a great way to score those extra brownie points and avoid the rain by eating in. Try one of these great fall recipes and have a candlelit dinner.

2. Have a themed date-night-in

Just because you’re having a stay-at-home date, doesn’t mean you can’t set the tone to feel like you’re somewhere else! Get a French wine and borrow a friend’s fondue-making kit or make crepes together to have a French themed date-night-in! Top it off with a post-dinner movie like Midnight In Paris. Other themed nights could include Sangria and home-made fish tacos for a Mexican night, or Pasta, red wine and gelato for an Italian night. Try one of these home-made Sangria recipes if you opt for a Mexican night!

3. Set up a wine-tasting night at home

Wine tasting is a fun date-night in idea, especially if you’re adventurous enough to pair each wine with a different appetizer. You get to try something new, learn which wines you like best, and let’s face it: You’re safe to get a little tipsy in the privacy of your own home. Get comfortable with each other, let loose, and let the wine put you both into a state of blissful relaxation.

4. Bake cookies and have a movie marathon

Baking cookies is easy, fun, and will leave your home smelling delicious all evening. If you want to get creative, make cookies in different shapes or in the letters to spell out your names (and make sure you Instagram that – because that is so cute).

Halloween is coming up, and baking Halloween cookies in the shapes of pumpkins and ghosts is a great date-night-in idea, too!

Once the baking is done, put on Netflix and relax watching movies together. Decorate your cookies while you enjoy your movie marathon.

5. Play board games together

Playing board games is a great date-night-in idea because it’s entertaining, fun, and will most likely have you laughing and engaging with each other all evening. Some great two-player games are Scrabble, Battleship, Monopoly or working on a puzzle together.

Puzzles can be quite therapeutic and a great way to unwind together at home. If you opt for Monopoly, try these two-player Monopoly techniques to make the game even more interesting.

 

What are some things that you like to plan for date nights in?

 

 Feature image: Wine by fireplace via Shutterstock