Let’s be honest, dating your spouse when you have nothing on your calendar is hard enough, but when your calendar is full of school Christmas sings, ugly sweater parties, last minute shopping and out of town family visits… it’s 100x harder.

If there is one thing we know about marriage it’s this: If you do not make time for each other, eventually you will feel disconnected and bummed about your relationship.

It gets crazy busy during the holiday season.

Like super duper crazy and we get it. Every child has one, two or like five special events at school, work has a holiday party, your mother-in-law wants to spend the entire weekend on a “girls shopping trip” and you think you might pass out at the thought of volunteering during the month of December because, hello, it’s super busy already.

With the crazy and busy comes the immediate cut of date nights, quality time and dare we say it, SEX.

Yes, you heard that right.

Doesn’t it seem so backwards that during the holidays you spend LESS time with the one you love and committed your entire life to, than you do the other 11 months out of the year?

Well, we believe it’s all about being intentional. It’s all about choosing to make time for each other.

To help out, we’ve rounded up 10 festive date night ideas to enjoy the season together and not let the weeks pass you by:

1. Instead of focusing on shopping for everyone on your list, take an evening and shop for a stranger.

Check out your local non profit organizations and find out what kinds of “give a gift” programs are available. Commit to supporting and purchasing a few gifts for a family in need this holiday. Guarantee you and your spouse will have more fun shopping for a family in need than you will your own family.

2. Create a new tradition – grab some hot cocoa and head out looking for an ornament.

Not just any ornament, but one special ornament you’ll pick out together. Find one that signifies something big that happened in your marriage this last year or that is meaningful to the both of you. Grab it and hang it on the tree.

3. Plan a night to drive around and see the Christmas lights.

Crank up the holiday tunes on the radio and sing along. The stress of the holiday season can be a lot, let lose with each other in the comfort of your own car.

4. Stay home and bake.

Cheap and fun, this holiday find an evening to stay in by the fire and decorate snowflake cookies. Bonus points, spike the eggnog and stay up late watching a favorite Christmas movie (we love ELF!).

5. Plan a one-night staycation to help be intentional and not let the season fly by without enjoying each other.

Check your local hotels and make a reservation for just one night. Get away and have some time alone without the kids!

6. Step totally outside your comfort zone and sing all the best Christmas carols at your local karaoke bar.

Neither of us can sing very well, but karaoke doesn’t require you to have skills y’all. You can do it! Especially if you’ve had a glass of wine.

7. Santa’s sleigh might not come to your city where it’s 80 degrees outside during the month of December, but find a local horse drawn carriage ride instead.

It’s typically freezing where we live, but in my dream world I would live somewhere warm so this would be something I could see us doing together during Christmas time.

8. Commit to an advent season devotional.

Each day you’ll spend time as a couple or family reading through and remembering what this Christmas season is really all about.

9. Spend a night wrapping presents TOGETHER. 

Isn’t wrapping gifts the most dreaded part of Christmas? Ok, maybe that’s just me. But it doesn’t have to be! Put on your favorite Christmas Pandora station, pour 2 glasses of wine (or giant fountain cokes depending on your likes – ahem) and wrap away.

10. Head on up to your local mall and get a picture on Santa’s lap.

Sure you might be a little older than the average age in line, but it will be sure to be a memory you and your spouse laugh about for years to come.

Pin this post so that all your married friends will have ideas on how to stay connected during the holidays!

One thing we don’t want you to do… get so busy during this time of year that you neglect your marriage. Be intentional and love each other even more when life gets busy.

Do you have any festive date night ideas?