After we’ve finished our Christmas shopping and realised we’ve spent way more than we originally planned, it’s beans on toast for most of us until the festivities begin. But this doesn’t mean we have to put dating on hold until the new year! We’ve come up with some fun (and cheap) dating ideas so you can still impress your date in the run up to Christmas …

Take a woodland walk
It may be a little bit nippy out there, but taking a stroll through a local nature park is twice as romantic in the winter. The glittering frost on the trees and the cold crisp air makes the perfect setting for a first date. You can make a pit stop and wrap up together with a cup of tea or a cheeky flask of mulled wine and enjoy the scenery. Go scouting for chestnuts to roast at Christmas to pass the time, or if you have dogs you can use them as an ice breaker if things get a little bit frosty!

Go to an open mic night
Forget emptying your wallet for a sold out show, you probably have some great talent right around the corner. Have a look online and you’ll find that a pub or bar near you hosts a regular open mic’ night. There’ll be cheap entry and cheap drinks, and they usually give out free drinks if you’re brave enough to get up and sing! It’s a great chance to watch some live music without paying a fortune for tickets, there’s always a great atmosphere and everyone will be up joining in with the Christmas tunes!

Pub fireplace
Find a cosy little country pub and nab a sofa by the fireplace. You don’t have to get drunk or even order any alcohol; hot drinks are usually a lot cheaper at pubs. You can sit cuddled up by the fire until the late hours, getting lost in deep conversation and really getting to know the other person – you’ll soon forget than anyone else is around you! A warm, romantic atmosphere makes perfect first date material.

Saturday morning cinema
Going to the cinema is so expensive now, and the closer it gets to Christmas, the busier it’s going to be. Do something different and go to see a Saturday morning film instead; it’s really cheap and they sometimes show some really classic films you thought you’d forgotten about! Even if the film’s rubbish, you can have a laugh about it together and there’s no pressure to go for a drink afterwards. The cinema still beats Netflix any day.

Christmas market
Check your local newspaper and you’ll probably spot and advert for a Christmas Market going on right on your doorstep. You’ll pay little or nothing for entry and you can find some cheap and interesting gifts to finish off your Christmas shopping! Even if you’re not there to buy anything, the pretty light displays and festive songs will have you dreamily gazing into each other’s eyes in no time.

Weekday date
You don’t always have to plan your dates for the weekend, how about one evening after work? There’s no pressure to stay out late or go back to theirs after because you’ll both have commitments in the morning. Most restaurants will have a discounted menu on certain days of the week, and a few of your local bars will hold a happy hour after work some evenings. You’ll have something to look forward to to break up your work week and you don’t have to cancel any family get togethers or Christmas parties at the weekend.

Antique shops
A nice relaxed date, ideal for a Sunday afternoon. Visiting an antique shop together will give you a great idea of their personal taste and it’s one of those places that you can look around for hours. Visit a furniture recycling shop and you might even find a project for you both to do together – a guarantee for a second date! There’s usually a little coffee shop close by where you’ll be able to grab a hot chocolate together and have a chat.

Iceskating
Lots of shopping centres and parks around the country will be opening up pop up skating rinks towards the holidays. Outdoor rinks are a beautiful setting; you can enjoy the music, skate around for however long you’d like and just enjoy each other’s company.  If you can’t skate that well then it’s a great trust exercise (and you can make fun of yourselves when you fall!).

Bingo!
Going to the local bingo may seem like a bit of a funny date idea, but that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be – funny! You’ll meet lots of different (maybe strange) people to strike up conversation with, taking the pressure off of you to keep up with a continuous dialog. There’ll be cheap drinks and food, but you’ll probably get so into the game that you won’t even think about eating! It’ll give you a chance to see their competitive side and you might even win something!

Video date
If you really feel like you need to go all out to impress your date, then keep in contact over video call throughout the festive season. It will be nice to talk face to face, even if you’re not with each other in person, and you can really get to know them before you make plans. You’ll feel a lot less stressed when the time comes to go on a real date because you’ll feel like you’ve already done it before.

Until next time,

The Just Singles Team.

About the author…

Rachel is a Marketing Executive. She’s obsessed with Game of Thrones and country music. Her favourite pastime is cuddling up with her two Labradors and binge watching Netflix.