If anyone needs to be celebrated in the month of December, it’s the caregivers. Being a mom of two, I understand the pressure we endure during the holiday season. There’s decorating the house, fulfilling Christmas lists, participating in the dreaded school themed dress-up weeks, baking cookies, and wrapping all the gifts.
It’s challenging.
Tiring.
And every caregiver needs a break for one moment to catch their breath, and I have the perfect date night idea to help with that.
First thing is first, find someone to watch those kids if they can’t watch themselves.
Next, plan to have dinner at three different places. Excessive? Maybe, but if you break it down by course, it adds an element of fun rather than just going out to dinner. So ask your partner where they want to go for an appetizer, for the main course, and for dessert.
Once your bellies are full, it’s time for the main event. Now, being a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, I know the greatest escape is reading a book, which brings me to our date location: a bookstore.
And before you go and say: “we’re not big book people”, give it a shot; all it takes is one good book to change your mind. Just one good book to help you escape from reality . . . or even to spice up the relationship.
So here is the plan. You might have seen this on all over social media, but I think it’s a great date idea for any bookworm or for someone to get into reading. Give your partner five minutes to peruse the store and look at books. When the five minutes are up, bring them to the front of the store and give them two minutes to grab as many books as they can hold.
Now, there can be variations to this task. You can limit the number of books, you can offer them a basket and tell them to go wild, you can even make a game out of it and they pick a book for you, you pick a book for them. Either way, have fun with it.
And when you’re all done, it’s time to chat about them. If you’re at a bookstore with a coffee shop attached, grab a cuppa, sit down, and chat about what they’re excited to read the books they chose. You might even surprise yourself and join in on the fun. Either way, I hope it’s a fun way to show your partner you appreciate them and to maybe spice things up in your relationship.
And if you’re looking for that added spice with some humor as well, might I suggest something to get you into the holiday spirit like How My Neighbor Stole Christmas, by yours truly. And if you’re not in the holiday spirit, try Bridesmaid by Chance or even A Not So Meet Cute.
Good luck, and happy holidays!
Meghan Quinn is a USA Today & New York Times Bestselling author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. She’s the author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, bringing readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book. You can find her on Instagram at @meghanquinnbooks.
This article was originally published on scarymommy.com.