20 christmas date ideas

hope you are having a great week! i can’t complain- my pain is now minimal. yay! in fact, i have had tons of energy this week! full force nesting over here. i can’t stop. {note: i nest when i am not pregnant! but it’s way worse} we have been {incredibly} busy… so i am thinking that this weekend i would simply love to just spend time with mr. monaco. plus, this magical season brings a sentimental feeling-  listening to christmas songs you’ve grown up with, getting to be with family, replaying traditions, and making special recipes. it’s a joyful time of year and even though my head is constantly spinning with things going on {getting ready for my maternity leave at school/baby prep/gifts} i am grateful for time with mr. monaco. so i am feeling some ‘mini dates’ together would be nice {before the holidays and before baby arrives} i compiled a list of ideas… planning to pick a few  randomly this weekend.

1. bake and decorate cookies- seeing who can come up with the most creative design
2. go on a ‘tacky’ and beautiful holiday light tour {a polar express drive!}; driving around and looking at neighborhood lights – with holiday tunes blaring
3. go ice-skating
4. go see a christmas play or the nutcracker
5. go to the mall and give one another $10 and 10 minutes to see what you can come up with for the other person
6. make a hot chocolate bar
7. take pictures with santa
8.  spend time watching old home movies of when you were both children at christmas time; warching the magic of christmas in each others eyes when you were young
9. make sugar cookies and watch christmas classics
10. shop for and create a box for operation christmas child
11. read and chat {especially about the new year/hopes & goals} at a local coffee shop
12. go to the grocery store and pick up your favorite canned goods and drop them off at a local food bank
13. make a scavenger hunt around your town/city {i did this last year for mr. monaco- to escape the moving process for an evening- so much fun.}
14. build a snowman {if only we had snow}
15. make breakfast for dinner
16. build a fire and make s’mores
17. go to a wine/beer tasting {not right now for me… but you all should go for me!}
18. take a cooking or dance class together
19. head out to a matinee movie and enjoy a large popcorn/pop together
20. and then we can snuggle. {-buddy the elf}