Have you felt the chill in the air? One cold night, I decided we needed a cozy NIGHT IN to offset the cold, because… baby, it’s cold outside! This cozy winter date is cheap, easy, and perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit together — here’s exactly how I pulled it off.
Send a Cozy Invitation
I left my husband an invitation along with a new pair of gloves. They were a few dollars on sale, but you could easily find an inexpensive pair at any discount store. You could pair the invite with any warm clothing — a hat, scarf, cozy socks — or just leave the invitation on its own!
Set a Winter Wonderland Scene
I wanted a Winter Wonderland feel for the date, so earlier in the day I hung snowflakes from the ceiling. I’d planned to cut them out of paper, but when I found beautiful foam ones at the dollar store I decided to save myself some time — I just strung them with fishing line and taped them to the ceiling. If you want to involve your kids, have them cut the snowflakes!
I also dug out a strand of white Christmas lights and hung them around the entertainment center and mantle. Between the lights and the snowflakes, it really made everything feel magical! When my husband got home, we went about our normal dinner routine, then I asked him to put our son to bed while I finished prepping — the perfect way to keep the surprise under wraps while I set it all up.
Pick a Cozy Christmas Movie
I love the Christmas song “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” so I decided we’d get into the holiday spirit with a movie that features it — Elf. It just happens to be one of my husband’s favorites, too!
If you have a fireplace, get a fire going — it really sets the mood and makes your home feel cozy. No fireplace? Light some candles, prop open a laptop with a crackling-fire video, or string up an extra strand of Christmas lights.
Make Easy Winter Treats
I wanted my husband’s favorite holiday snacks to go with the movie. He loves caramel apples but hates biting into them, so with a melon baller I scooped out apple bites and soaked them in water to keep them from browning. Then I speared them on skewers and dipped them in caramel — the perfect pop-in-your-mouth size. He loved them!
After laying out blankets and pillows, I cued up the movie, dimmed the lights, plugged in the Christmas lights, and brought out the food. Along with our caramel apples, we had a cheese ball and crackers, plus chocolate-mint truffle hot chocolate.
The spread also had marshmallows and fudge-striped grasshopper cookies to go with the hot chocolate — the BEST way to enjoy a warm mug (and thin, minty cookies work just as well if you still have any around this time of year!).
The Cookie-Straw Hot Chocolate Trick
My husband was skeptical at first, but I promised he’d love it. Here’s the trick: take a small bite off one end of the cookie, then flip it and bite off the opposite end. Now use the cookie as a straw — sip the hot chocolate through it until you just start to taste the warm liquid, then pop the whole melty cookie in your mouth. HEAVENLY!
We laughed, we ate, and we thoroughly enjoyed being together and getting into the Christmas spirit. When it was over, my husband turned to me and said it was one of his favorite dates. Success!
If you’re looking for a date to warm up this chilly season, this is the one! It’s cozy, inexpensive, and a great way to save a little cash during the holidays. It would also make a perfect Christmas Eve date for two — once the kids are in bed and the presents are wrapped.
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Baby It’s Cold Outside Date FAQs
It’s a cozy, inexpensive at-home winter date night: you set a Winter Wonderland scene with Christmas lights and snowflakes, cuddle up for a holiday movie like Elf, and enjoy warm treats like caramel apple bites and hot chocolate. It’s perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit together.
We love Elf because it features the song ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside,’ but any cozy holiday favorite works. Rent it, borrow it from the library, or stream it on whatever service you already have.
String white Christmas lights around the room, hang paper or foam snowflakes from the ceiling, lay out blankets and pillows, and get a fire going (or fake one with candles or a crackling-fire video). Dim the regular lights and let the glow set the mood.
Think warm and simple: bite-sized caramel apples, a cheese ball with crackers, marshmallows, and hot chocolate. Don’t skip the cookie-straw trick, sipping hot cocoa through a fudge-striped cookie until it melts.
Absolutely. Almost everything can come from the dollar store or your own cupboards, which makes it a perfect budget-friendly date for the holiday season, or any cold winter night in.
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The cookie technique is the Tim Tam Slam. My Aussie friend taught me 11 years ago when we had to drive miles to a specialty store to get authenic Tim Tams. I have never tried it with Grasshopper cookies, but will have to now!
Oh yea – forgot…. LOVE LOVE LOVE THE CARAMEL APPLE IDEA! We both love them but don’t eat them because we the biting into it-hurts my teeth. Love it!!!!!!
Might do that this weekend
THAT’S OUR FAVORITE SONG AND I LOVE THIS IDEA!!! Especially since we hate being out in the cold- winter gets boring!!!
Thank you!!!
~ <3 ~ Erika 😉 Adorable idea, I wanted this year to be very special. <3 <3 Were together 38 yrs. Dec 21 and I <3 "Baby, It's cold Outside" song. I wanted something ,awesome this year. <3 I'm going to do this. and keep looking for more ideas. Thank you for sharing. <3 <3 <3 THIS! xx
Congrats on 38 years! Enjoy celebrating!
Elf is my favorite Christmas movie now. Mini caramel apples, yummy. ((Can I pin pictures from your blog on Pinterest? shuttermom77{at}gmail{dot}com))
Yes, you can! Just make sure to link back to our original post. Thanks for asking.
I have tried to make these before and the caramel just slid right off. How did you make it stick? HELP!?!? It’s so cute..I must try.
Rachel, I’ve had that problem too! 2 things I do (not sure if they BOTH help or it is just one…) is 1) boil the apples for a few minutes to get the wax off the apple skins and then after sticking the stick in the apple 2) pop the apple in the freezer for 15 minutes. That way once the hot caramel goes on, it hardens quicker. Hope that helps!
Sounds like a LOT of fun! Good to hear about the cookies, my sons learned that trick with TimTams at scout camp, but they’re hard to find around here.
Sounds like a fantastic evening! As soon as the snow starts to fall, I am all about this. : )
Funny about the grasshopper cookies … that is Mark's favorite, but we haven't had them around in a long time. He would love to get reacquainted with the melt-in-you-mouth goodness.
Glad to see you and the family are well!
Love, Britany
You PULLED it off! I love the date, babe! ROund TWO was a success! lol…..so…I totally owe you a few extra Craft Tutorials, eh!?! LOVE you…and LOVE yer date!!
So fun! I'm totally doing this tomorrow! Heading to the store in the morning to get a few Christmas treats. Thanks for the ideas! 🙂
Big fun. And we love ELF!
Sounds like an awesome date!
This is awesome! I always enjoy doing things at home because it is sometimes really hard to find a sitter. Thanks for the idea! 😉
This is a darling date idea! Maybe I should be embracing the upcoming cold instead of dreading it! 😀
How adorable, we do this sort of thing all the time, but to add the invite, and food makes it so special and what a cute theme. Thanks for the great idea!
I love this date idea! Elf is one of my favorite Christmas movies. I am going to do this date soon.