Who doesn’t love a good Christmas date idea to make the season feel romantic and special? Here’s the ultimate list of 55 Holiday Date Ideas to do in 2025 to help you plan your next holiday date night!

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As professional date night bloggers who have personally tested each and every date we recommend, here’s the ultimate list of Christmas dates we recommend to add some extra holiday cheer to date night this Christmas season!

55 Holiday Date Ideas

We’re making this easy on you and sorting these date ideas into three different types of Christmas date ideas:

Out on the Town Christmas Date Ideas (1-25)

At Home Christmas Date Ideas (26-40)

Romantic Christmas Date Ideas (41-55)

Cute Christmas Date Ideas

We absolutely love Christmas dates, and just can’t seem to get enough time to do all we want each season. There’s always a list of all the Christmas date ideas we can think of, and only so many weekends to fit all the holiday date ideas in! Regardless, it’s always fun to try to fit them all in and make the most of the holiday season while creating memories together.

Even if many of these dates may be tricky to fit in this year, you can easily choose your favorite and reserve the other favorites for next year. But also keep in mind, that so many things work well for romantic Christmas date ideas at home!

With so many fun date ideas, we decided we might as well pass along our list of ideas for others to enjoy this fun holiday season!

55 Christmas Date Ideas to Do This Holiday Season

So here you are friends, here are 50 holiday date ideas to make the holiday season a bit more romantic and memorable.

Out on the Town Holiday Date Ideas

1. Christmas Light Drive Date

Drive around neighborhoods and look at lights. You can look up the best neighborhoods in your area and tour them all (we love Christmas on Comstock!) We also have a free Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt printable to take this date to the next level of holiday fun!

2. Hot Cocoa Crawl

Get hot chocolate at your favorite coffee shop and hit up the mall, lights show, or community centers that have free performances the nights leading up to Christmas.

3. Book an Immersive Holiday Pop-Up Bar Experience

This modern Christmas date idea is taking over and for good reason! So many bars and restaurants are turning their places into an Instagram-worthy photo op and decorating floor to ceiling with holiday lights and ornaments.
Book a fun dinner or night out to get special holiday mocktails or cocktails together.

4. Rooftop Igloo Dining

Restaurants have started offering private “igloo” domes with heaters, blankets, and holiday menus. They’re luxurious, intimate, and perfect for date-night selfies under city lights.

5. Go Caroling

Listen, wheter you’re musically inclined and ready to show off, or not a singer in any way, everyone still loves to hear Christmas carols! And we’d argue there’s no better way to do this than visiting a hospital or nursing home and spreading some cheer!

6. Make Handmade Ornaments

If you want a really unique Christmas date idea, find an art studio that offers handmade ornament classes. You could take a glass blowing class, do a paint your own pottery class, or check with local craft studios for class offerings. You and your date just show up and enjoy making a custom keepsake that matches your decor and taste.

7. Visit a Church Christmas Lights Event

There are so many religious places that go all out to celebrate Jesus’ birth and set up holiday light shows, concerts, and community events. It’s like the ultimate Christian festival for many churches, and a great time to visit! We love to see the temple lights or church light setups every year.

8. Go Christmas shopping together.

One of the best ways to get in the holiday spirit is to go choose gifts for others. As a married couple with kids, we love booking a babysitter to go buy all the gifts without little eyes watching.
Tackling some holiday shopping together works really well for a holiday date no matter what your phase in life or relationship status!

9. Make Photo Christmas Lists

Make Christmas shopping easy for others, go around town, and take pictures of some items on your wish list to send to others.
Back when I was single, I actually had a second date during Christmas where we went shopping and made photo Christmas lists to send to our moms who wanted some ideas. It was really fun to explore and learn about each other’s tastes!

Or make a wishlist together with easy links to send! 

10. Attend a Christmas concert at a local venue.

Small town or small budget? Attend the local high school’s Christmas concerts. If there isn’t one this year, look up a past performance and support them digitally. Seriously, you can take yourself to Rome, New York, or most major cities in the United States and find a recorded concert to enjoy.

11. Take a Holiday Cooking Classs

We love learning how to cook from professionals, and so many offer fun seasonal holiday cooking classes! Get ready to impress your friends and family, and whip up a batch of holiday treats or learn to roast a turkey together!

12. A Christmas Carol Date Night

Go see The Christmas Carol many small theaters and large theaters alike offer this classic Christmas play during the holiday season.

13. Attend the Ballet

Be a ballet fan and go see The Nutcracker. There are so many productions of the nutcracker ballet (or modern takes on it), it’s not hard to find one in most cities or even small towns! You can attend this live or watch a live broadcast or YouTube replay for a free version of this classic Christmas date night.

14. Go a Christmas Play/ Christmas Musical

There are many special productions put on by schools, professional artists, and everything in between. Look for creative local productions and touring opportunities for some really cool dates.

15. Zoolights Date Night

We love going to see zoo lights with our kids, but it’s a really romantic date that’s great for couples too! These usually start in November and go through January. Look for discount nights to save on this fun Christmas activity!

16. Botanical Gardens Holiday Lights

Did you know that many botanical gardens go all out and decorate their grounds with lights, displays, and custom installations? These are the locations many Christmas

17. Get Your Picture Taken with Santa

Let your inner kid have a moment! Go get your picture taken with Santa at the mall, or at a professional photo studio. This surprisingly nostalgic activity makes a really fun and often funny date. You’ll also have great pictures to use in a newsletter, post on social media, or share with friends.

18. Attend your Company Holiday Party Together.

Why not use the company party as an excuse to dress up, enjoy some food or drinks on your employer’s dime, and let your date get to know your work family?
If you don’t have one, create your own digital party with your favorite coworkers or friends you wish were coworkers. This can be such a fun and enlightening date night!

19. Volunteer

There are so many great ways to serve during the holidays! Offer to organize toys, gifts, or food for local non-profits. See if you can fill in a shift at the local soup kitchen. Make Christmas decorations for nursing homes. See if any churches need an extra set of hands for special events.

20. Pick Out a Christmas Tree Together

Go get a tree together (real or fake). It’s a fun outing at a Christmas tree farm or even your local Walmart! Whatever type of tree and location you choose, this is such a fun Christmas tradition for couples and it makes for a special and memorable date!

21. Have an Ice Skating Date

If you’re lucky enough to live in NYC, go skate in Central Park for all of us! But for everyone else, your local ice skating rink is still full of plenty of date night magic!
Be sure sure to cozy up and hold hands with your sweetheart while you skate around the rink. Many do a special date night skate on Fridays or Saturdays with romantic songs perfect for a cozy holiday date night.

22. Attend a Religious Service

You get bonus points if it isn’t your religion and you get to learn something. Christians all over the world are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in so many cool ways. Take advantage of their work and productions and make a date of it! Also, so many offer these online, check with your local churches.

23. Have a Snow Date

Have a play in the snow date. Find a great location and go sledding. Make a snowman/snow angels. Let your inner child enjoy a great time for a winter date night!

24. Visit a Cozy Outdoor Winter Market

Holiday markets are trending, and they’re magical in their own special way! Check out local artisans and vendors under a magical winterscape.
Many markets now have designated “cozy corners” or fire pits. Grab hot pretzels, roasted nuts, or cider, sit by the fire, and people-watch — it feels like a Christmas rom-com moment.

25. Holiday Drive-Thru Light Experiences

Drive through Christmas light experiences started booming during 2020, and stuck around for good reason! Stay cozy in your car with cocoa while driving through tunnels of synchronized lights, snow machines, and massive holiday displays.

At-Home Christmas Date Ideas

Need a holiday date night idea you can do in the comfort of your own home? These cute stay at home Christmas dates are personally tested and recommended by thousands of date night enthusiasts in the Friday We’re in Love community!

26. Bake Christmas Cookies.

How fun would this sugar cookie kit be for a date night? Or up your game with some festive sprinkles sure to make any cookie look good! 

27. Holiday Charcuterie Board-Off Date

Themed snack board are always a fun date night at home food choice. Use this as an excuse to prep the perfect holiday themed charcuterie board for two!
Each person makes a themed board — “Sweet vs Savory,” “Elf Snacks,” or “North Pole Treats.” Then rate presentation, taste, and creativity.

28. Gingerbread House Date Night

Build graham cracker gingerbread houses together. It’s a great date night for two, but we also love this as a group date idea! One year we had everyone build a graham cracker “Gingerbread House” that was anything but a house. It was so fun to see each couple’s creations and made for the perfect Christmas group date!

29. Have a holiday movie marathon.

It will probably surprise no one that many surveys show the favorite holiday traditoin of most people is watching holiday movies. So why not pop the Christmas popcorn and make it into a Christmas date night?

You could watch a series or as many Christmas movies as you can fit in one night. Or, grab your favorite Christmas movies with a little romance, and cuddle up under a warm blanket. This is a great date to do several nights during the month of December. I mean a Christmas movie marathon and cuddling on the couch is always the perfect date this time of year!

30. Wrap presents together.

Why not help each other get more prepared for Christmas Day with some present prep? We love to combine this with a Christmas movie night. It feels like a fun date night that helps us get even more prepared for Christmas celebrations. 

31. Try a Christmas Date Night Box

These are delivered right to your door with your date night ready to go! Many do a holiday-themed date box available in December. And if they don’t, they’re still a magical thing for a date night in with Christmas music and hot chocolate.

32. Hot Chocolate Date Night

Skip the expensive hot cocoa cup, and make this a cozy stay at home date idea! Make a hot chocolate bar, and have a hot chocolate sampling date. This sampler set is super affordable and would be perfect for a fun hot chocolate date night! 

33. Decorate Your Home or Apartment for Christmas.

Set up a Christmas tree, hang some mistletoe, and get your space ready for the celebration of Christmas!

34. Hang lights around the house.

There’s something about holiday lights that sets a romantic mood, and decorating your house with Christmas lights is a surprisingly fun and productive date night! If you’re up for climbing the roof, fantastic! But you can also find some places to add some extra Christmas magic and Christmas whimsy indoors for a little bit of bonus fun.

35. Snuggle Up by the Fireplace

With all the events and typically very busy calendar, sometimes scheduling a night to just relax and cuddle up by a fire is the perfect date! Feel free to add in some couples Christmas pajamas for some extra cozy fun!

36. Create a Christmas Playlist

Play Christmas music together. This is a great chance to share your favorite Christmas songs with each other!
Seriously, just tune up the Christmas music and share your favorites. And if you need some romantic Christmas songs, be sure to check out our playlist!

37. Enjoy a Holiday Beverage Together

Drink eggnog/hot chocolate/tea by a fire.

Warm up and enjoy the taste of your favorite warm beverage or holiday drink with some mood lighting. Think of it like a cozy coffee shop date night in the comfort of your own home.

38. Learn About the History of Christmas

Remember in school when you’d learn about Christmas around the world? Whether there’s a focus on the birthday of Baby Jesus in Christianity, or you study traditions and customs of other cultures, it’s a really fun opportunity to have an itellectual date night and share some knowledge together.

39. Take Holiday Photos.

You may need Christmas card pictures if you send one out together. But we also think this date works really well on a casual level, and you can 100% do it for free at home!
Set up a self-timer and direct your own photoshoot! You can either enjoy these and keep them between yourselves, or get some darling pictures for social media.
Check out our cute couples Christmas pictures post for some fun ideas! 

40. Write a Christmas Card Newsletter Together.

Go funny, go practical, just make a date in December where you make a quick Christmas card-worthy update for physical mail or to post on social media together. 

Romantic Christmas Date Night ideas

41. Make stockings together.

You can either get crafty and make some, or you can prepare one in advance and fill itand surprise each other with a few thoughtful little gifts. We have the ultimate list of stocking stuffers for him, as well as the best wife stocking stuffers list to give you tons of creative ideas for this date night!

42. Christmas Books Date

Hit up a bookstore, read your favorite childhood holiday books, A Christmas Carol, etc. You could also take turns reading aloud and read a book to each other by the fire for a very intimate date night.

43. Take a Sleigh Ride

A Christmas sleigh ride date is about the ultimate romantic holiday date experience! You can usually find these at most farms, city events, or Winter Solstice festivals on a set date of December. It’s the perfect time to enjoy this fun tradition! 

44. Find one of your Family’s Favorite Holiday Recipes, and Make it Together.

It’s a great time to hit up mom or grandma for a family favorite recipe. Or, look up recipes from your ancestry to try. Like if your family comes from England, it’s a good chance to try your hand a yule log. You could take it up a notch with our blind baking date night, it’s perfect for baking Christmas date ideas!

45. Have a Christmas cookie exchange with other couples/friends.

You can drop these off or have a fun couples party to exchange your favorite cookies.

46. Make a Homemade Gift Together.

Find someone who would love a handmade item, and spend your time crafting it together. Get creative with your combined talents and make something truly special for someone else.

47. Christmas Cabin Retreat

Rent a cabin for the weekend- preferably somewhere with snow.
While you have a federal holiday and hopefully some time off work, use it as a great excuse for a getaway! This is always a fun idea to do in January for New Year’s Day if you can’t make it work during December. 

48. Couples Ugly Sweater Party

An ugly sweater party is always a fun time, whether you scored an invite or decide to host on yourself. This is a chance to rock your ugly sweater of choice. It’s a great way to work in group Christmas date ideas. And if you need some great couples’ ugly sweater ideas, we have you covered!

49. Attend Church-Sponsored Parties/Activities Together.

We have been to fun live nativity events, had fancy feasts, saw Santa Claus, and had casual gatherings all sponsored by a church. Why not use their celebrations as a fun Christmas date night? Most have fun activities the week before Christmas and even on Christmas Eve.

50. Support an Angel Tree.

You know what’s really romantic? Using the season to give back to someone in need, and have that experience together. Choose a child’s name from a wish list and go shopping to find a toy to make the season for a child. (Toys for Tots is a great source)!

51. Christmas Brunch Date

You certainly could go out for a themed Christmas brunch together. But we think this is a romantic date you can easily do at home! Discuss your family’s Christmas/holiday breakfast tradition. Make that dish together for a breakfast date. Or try our breakfast cookie recipe that people are raving about!

52. Cut Out Snowflakes Together.

This not only unleashes your inner-child, but it’s also a really great opportunity to sned some holiday cheer to someone else! Go donate the decorations to a shelter, nursing home, or school in need.

53. Christmas Festival Date

Find local holiday festivals, and attend one together (Festival Lights, Festival of Trees, Christmas picnic in the park, drive-through light shows, etc.) Check out your city, local news, and community websites for all the information.

54. Have a Snowball Fight.

This simple active date idea is play holiday fun perfect for a little friendly competition and an excuse to grab hot chocolate at your favorite local coffee shops after.

55. Take Holiday Treats to Your Neighbors.

Spend some time baking or buying a few holiday treats. Use them as an excuse to see your neighbors. That could mean meeting them, getting to know them a little better, or just having an excuse to catch up for a few friendly minutes.

We hope this helps inspire a little extra holiday magic for two this season! And may you feel a little more love during the most wonderful time of the year!

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