DIY Date Night In a Box Ideas

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This is a great idea to inspire date nights year round but I thought now would be an opportune time to share with Valentine's Day coming up--especially since it's on a weeknight. You can put together one of these for a wide range of date night ideas, from simple night in to a night out on the town.  The DIY date night in a box possibilities are endless. Below are a few ideas to get you started, including what you'll need to add to each box in order to help bring the night to life! Make your plan, place all items inside the box and close it to maintain the element of surprise. If you live with your Valentine, I suggest leaving the box where they'll find it after work for date nights during the work week.

DIY Date Night in a Box Ideas

• Game Night - good for double/group dates or any extra competitive couple
  • favorite card, board, or console games
  • favorite snacks
  • bottled or canned drinks
• Movie Night - can be on your couch or at your favorite theater
  • DVD or tickets
  • popcorn (try this easy buttery chai popcorn recipe)
  • favorite movie snacks
  • fan gear
  • 3-D glasses, if applicable
• Picnic - Don't limit yourself to parks! Think rooftops, gardens, etc. Indoors can work, too, if the weather isn't right.
  • blanket (extras if it's chilly)
  • fresh fruit
  • something easy and light like sandwiches or this massaged kale salad
  • bottled or canned drinks
  • this make your own s'mores bar is a fun portable element to include!
• Night on the Town - works for dinner, drinks, theatre, or any kind of outing
  • outfit for your significant other
  • tickets, if applicable
• Pizza Making - You can do this any time of day, including brunch!
  • dough, sauce cheese, and desired toppings
  • drinks of choice
  • music
• Spa Night - Decompress and treat each other when a traditional spa visit won't fit in your schedule or budget.
  • essential oils
  • massage oils/lotions/scrubs
  • mani/pedi tools
  • candles
  • towels
  • water
  • calming music
• Painting & Wine - Explore your creative sides at home. Also a great group/double date idea.
  • 2 canvases
  • paint
  • brushes
  • inspirational picture to recreate (or you can go abstract)
  • favorite wine + glasses
  • easy finger snacks (cheese board tutorial)
  • music
• Wine Tasting - Try new wines (responsibly) in any setting.
  • 1 bottle of your (as a couple) favorite wine and two you've never tried before
  • 2 glasses
  • fresh fruit
  • chocolate
  • cheese
  • pickled veggies
  • music

Last but not least is the box I've created here, which is for a simple romantic night in. For this particular box you'll need:

• Candles
• Bottle of your favorite wine
• Two wine glasses
• Strawberries
• Red wine chocolate dip ingredients (see recipe below)
• Hallmark Vinyl Card

The Hallmark Vinyl Card is new and comes with a real vinyl record inside each card. I chose the Bruno Mars record but there are also options from Aretha Franklin and INXS. If your Valentine is a music head, this is a great way to complete a gift or change things up on any date night. Giving and receiving cards to mark special occasions is something that my parents demonstrated to me growing up and I love finding cards that have a little something extra like this one and the Hallmark Signature Card I picked out below.

Red Wine Chocolate Dip

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 4 ounces milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 2 ounces red wine

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat or slow cooker then stir in remaining ingredients.
2. While still warm, dip in strawberries, cookies, marshmallows, or other treats of your choosing.

In addition to aforementioned vinyls, Hallmark has a wide range of other cards specifically for Valentine's Day like the one below, which I picked up in the holiday section at Walmart for my favorite bookworm. As y'all likely know, it's easy to get what you need for a V-day celebration at Walmart--including the Hallmark Vinyl Cards. You can find a Hallmark Card for every occasion and every type of date night in a box idea described in this post! With Ibotta at Walmart you can earn $1 back on any Hallmark Valentine's Cards priced $2.97 and above from 1/29 through 2/14/18 or while supplies last. And when you're shopping for Hallmark at Walmart, look for an in-aisle coupon to save $2 on 3 or more Hallmark Valentine's Day cards.

Check out the Hallmark Valentine's Day hub for more inspiration and to find a store near you!

I hope these DIY date night in a box ideas inspire your next date night and V-day celebration. Let me know if you have any creative ideas in the comments below. Thanks for reading!