The 12 Dates of Christmas, Sharing Our Tradition with You
You could say “12” is a great number for us. We started a tradition called The 12 Dates of Christmas at the beginning of our marriage. Every year for our anniversary we spend a weekend filled with 12 fun dates.
Unsure of what to get the special person in your life for Christmas? Join us in our tradition with your own personal spin.
Sparkle! Sparkle! XX-gwyn
Favorite Date Ideas From Our Past
“The 12 Dates of Christmas”
*Denotes dates we create varying versions of every year.
1.*Share in an act of kindness by doing something extra special for someone. Or perhaps, volunteer somewhere together.
2. Take a dance class, an art class, or a cooking class together.
3. *Build a Christmas Fort together. Cut paper snowflakes out to decorate. Sit inside and sing carols.
We Build a Fort EVERY YEAR! IT IS SO MUCH FUN! See what we did this year below! We have upgraded to a TeePee! Holi-YAY FUN!
4. Go to a local mall to see Santa and get your photo made. Be sure to find a great place to people watch with a hot tea.
5. *Make an ornament together to represent the year and what is to come.
6. *Eat somewhere you have never eaten.
7. *Take a Christmas Light Show adventure in a random neighborhood. Put a prize on the door of the best decorated house. We usually leave Starbucks Gift Cards.
8. Go see a Christmas play or a Christmas movie. Enjoy popcorn and a Coca Cola together!
9. Have a coffee and donut date.
10. Bundle up and go on a hike. Holding hands is essential! If you are in an area with snow. Have a snowball fight and build a snowman!
The first year we were married we rolled face to face down a gigantic snow bank and laughed ourselves silly. We were sore for days!
11. *Buy a Christmas Album together, go home and dance and sing to it.
12. Create a Holiday Cocktail. I recommend thinking about the flavors you are choosing. We have had a few epic fails. Go to a wine store and pick a bottle of wine to share in front of a fire. Save all your Christmas cards and open them together while sipping your cocktail or wine. Christmas music in the background is a must of course.
The 12 Dates of Christmas 2017 Edition
Note: We did our 12 dates early this year. Smile! My husband is a soldier, duty calls! GREAT NEWS! He will be home for Christmas. Holi-YAY!
Here is our 2017 List…
1. We went antique shopping for vintage Christmas ornaments for our main tree. This year we found a lovely wreath with vintage glass pastel balls. This was Shannon’s idea.
Did I mention we decorate 12 trees every year? We do! SMILE!
2. We had a ton of fun flocking a Christmas Tree using old-fashioned flocking powder. We didn’t go for a light dusting. We went for the full blizzard. If you want to make your tree magical too, click here. DIY: How to Flock A Christmas Tree, Simple Vintage Charm. It is much easier than it looks.
*3. This year for our act of kindness, we filled a stocking full of Christmas goodies for a stranger, picked a random door, rang the bell and ran. This will get your heart racing a little. Shannon was the get away driver, I may or may not have tripped over a blow up Frosty.
*4. We ate Southern Fried Chicken and Biscuits together at a hide-away diner.
*5. For our tour of lights, we chose the Festival of Lanterns. It was magical!
6. We enjoyed coffee and crepes in Olympia. I must say they were beyond DELICIOUS!
7. Fish Bowling at the Bass Pro Shop was husband’s idea, we both love to bowl. After that, we ended up sitting in a tent sipping coffee and giggling for an hour. We decided it was time to go when the sales guy asked if he could get us another coffee. We had a good laugh with him. I cannot confirm or deny that this is not the first time we have hung out in a store tent.
8. Popcorn, roasted chestnuts, a fire, and a Christmas movie was a slow-down from our speed dating.
*We made our annual anniversary ornament. I love to watch my husband tie bows. SMILE!
9. This year for our annual cocktail creation, we went for a cherry flavor because it rhymes with MERRY and I wanted to use the recipe on my blog. You can check out the recipe here, A Very Merry Cherry Orna-tini.
10. A car date on the Puget Sound with hot chocolate and Christmas tunes blasting of course!
11. Finale! Our 2017 Christmas Fort! A CHRISTMAS TEEPEE! We sat inside and read old love letters from Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.
That is if friends! I would love to hear what you come up with! Please share your dates and photos in the comments.
PSS You are Invited! Weekly Sparkle!
Our Christmas Fort
Love Letters
Love the teepee!
Sweet! I love your ideas.
I’m glad your hubs will be home! Somehow, in the almost 22 years my hubs has been in the army, last year was the first year he was gone for Christmas. Even our (then) 14yo was sad. Our (then) 5yo, was a little sad, but he was more into gifts. We did facetime, while they opened gifts, but it wasn’t the same. He’s aiming for 30 years (after this long, what’s a few more, right?), and I’m hoping we can stay lucky at Christmas. Enjoy your holiday!
ME TOOOOO!