We’ve all heard about a bazillion times how important it is to date your spouse. Dating after marriage is a piece of advice I think every couple rolls their eyes at because it’s just such a cliche. I mean, we live together, we said vows together, how hard will it be to continue dating?
But then you had kids.
Or maybe you didn’t. I’ll be honest, after 4 years of marriage (so, before I got pregnant) date night had somewhat fallen to the wayside. Or at the very least, it had transformed. It was no longer as special as it once was. It got boring.
Yep, I said it.
Date night for a married couple can get downright boring.
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I mean, how many times can you go to dinner and a movie before it’s just “meh”? And I don’t know about you, but I was out of date night ideas. Most of the ideas I found on Pinterest were silly or expensive. So, Netflix and chill became the norm.
Once your dates become boring, it gets easier to put them off. You justify it by saying, “Our marriage is great, we’ve been on lots of dates”. You think, Skipping our date night won’t hurt. But then weeks pass, and months pass, and one day you can’t remember the last time you went on a proper date.
You think, How did we get here? When you first met your partner, you never thought date night would be binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix after the kids went to bed.
So what’s a couple to do? How can you keep your date night fresh, fun, romantic, and affordable?
You get a subscription box, of course!
There are subscription boxes for everything these days. So it isn’t really surprising that there is a Date Night In Box! But, oh my God… Can I just tell you how impressed I was?
Not because I got some fancy keepsake. Not because the date was fun, clever, and cute (which it was). But because it truly strengthened my marriage. There was a lesson behind everything we did. Not in a hoakey way, I promise.
I don’t know if each box is like this (I’ll update you!). But this box blew me away.
Date Night In Box
So, a bit of information about the company and what to expect in general.
Other than reading through what to do, there’s not really any prep involved. They give you a menu each month that you can do if you’d like, which is nice since it gives you a new recipe to try. But if you’d rather order in, that’s fine!
They started off with just Date Night In, but have expanded to Faith Night In and Kids Night In. Stayed tuned for more reviews on those!
Their mission is to provide unique and fun experiences in a box sent straight to your door. And for my very first box, they definitely delivered!
Related: Strengthening Your Marriage After Kids
The Blind Date
When I initially opened this box, I was a little shocked. I mean, what type of date consists of a roll of tape and blindfolds? ?
There wasn’t much information provided. Simply a card saying that this date had audio recordings instead of the usual booklet.
Okay, you’ve got my attention. I’m intrigued.
There were different activities, each with a unique lesson to be learned.
Dinner
Each month, you get a beautifully curated menu plan. But, we actually didn’t make it. I mean, it would’ve been easy enough to tweak into being vegetarian-friendly, but I’ll be honest: any meal that takes longer than 20 minutes of prep is kind of a hassle for me.
I’m all about quick and easy here. #sorrynotsorry
So, we ate ravioli and garlic bread instead. And my wonderful husband brought home a bottle of sparkling grape juice (neither of us drink anymore). He knew I wanted the night to be special, but that the food portion of the night really wouldn’t be. So, he surprised me!! How sweet is he?
But, let’s get to the date!
Blind Drawing
First up, we learn why we were given a white board and dry erase marker. You take turns drawing.
Whoever goes first draws a beach scene with their blindfold on. Then, they draw the same scene, but their partner gets to give them verbal instructions.
The guy on the audio track points out the importance of communication. A few simple words can significantly change the outcome, if you’re communicating effectively with your partner.
Then it’s time to switch. The other person draws a portrait of their partner, blindfolded of course. Then, they draw the same thing, but with verbal instructions and their partner can move their hand three times.
So now we’ve learned the importance of touch.
To be totally honest, I feel like our communication has suffered since having our son. Things are just so different. We went from both working full-time to me staying home and him being unemployed for a while. Once he started working full-time, we only had a few hours together each day. We were both exhausted, so we snapped more easily. It just became so much ahrder to talk.
So this activity was really a great reminder. Communication is so important. If you want to have a healthy marriage, you need to be able to communicate well.
The Obstacle Course
I was pretty curious about the tape. Get your mind outta the gutter. Apparently this is not the next installment of 50 Shades of Gray. Turns out it’s to stick on the carpet to create an obstacle course or maze.
This was a little tricky. Our house is small, so we didn’t have tons of room. But, we made it work as best we could.
Now tell me: have you ever created an obstacle course for your partner before? I didn’t think so. ?
The idea here is similar, showcasing the importance of communication. And when I say communication, let me be clear. I’m not talking about words here. I’m talking about:
Can you give each other direction without getting irritated if the other isn’t listening or is telling that you’re not explaining things well enough?
Can you laugh when your partner goes left when you clearly said right?
Do you understand each other?
Do you trust each other?
The Q&A
This was maybe my favorite part. It was kind of like a mini counseling session. We were asked a bunch of questions that were (overall) really thought-provoking.
They encouraged you to remain blindfolded so that you could really focus your full attention on each other’s answers.
Here are some examples of my favorite questions they asked:
— What does your partner do to make you feel connected to one another?
— What does your life together look like in ten years?
— What are three physical shows of affection that you love?
The Kinky Part
I’m not going to share too much, since a lady doesn’t kiss and tell.
But it involves placing the delicious (organic) cotton candy on your body and letting your partner find it.
Blindfolded.
?
Why Date Night in Box?
There are a few things that drew me to this company.
1) They also have a kid’s night in box! The activities look so fun. I’m thinking of doing a review on one of those next, let me know what you think!
2) Their mission is to help busy couples find time to date each other. Even if they don’t have a sitter. Even if the kids are watching TV in another room. Even if we’re tired. There are honestly no excuses. Plus, you’ve already paid for it which I think means you’re more likely to do it.
3) Their dates are super creative! I was able to look at some past dates and they all looked so thoughtful and fun!
4) They cost about as much as a “regular date”. (Probably cheaper since you don’t need a sitter) These boxes are $34.99. The last time I saw a movie (before my son was born!) I believe tickets were around $12 each. That’s $24 just for the movie. If you want snacks or dinner or dessert, you’ll easily hit– or exceed– $35.
5) You are still in control. It was so easy to tweak things. Short on time? Cut out an activity you weren’t excited about. Super short on time? Break the date into parts and just do one activity at a time. Don’t want to follow a menu? Don’t. Don’t wanna get dressed up? Date your hubby in your jammies! (Although I promise, dressing up will make you feel so much better and make you really appreciate your date)
The Verdict and Takeaway
I loved this box. It was fun, unique, and creative. But more than that, it really allowed me to connect with my hubby in a way that we normally don’t make time for. Life is so busy, trust me, I get that. But I love this Date Night In because you really can’t make excuses. And if you want to read about what I’ve done in the past to date my husband at home, check out this post.
I can’t wait for next month! Be sure to check out Night In Boxes. You can browse some of their past boxes to get a feel for it. I highly recommend signing up. I know you rarely do things for yourself, momma. But do this. For you, for your hubby, and for your family.
Tell me…
Does Date Night In sound like something you’d enjoy? When was the last time you and your husband went on a fun date? Or had a romantic night in?
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