Ways you can give quality time together and create special memories with those you love. As I’ve gotten older I’ve stopped needing or wanting as many material gifts as I did when I was younger, and have instead been enjoying alternative gifts, like gifts of quality time. But I’ve realized that it’s not clear to everyone what quality time gifts are, or how to give them — which is why I’m breaking down everything you need to know, from what quality time is, to the best quality time gift ideas, and even how to wrap and give gifts of quality time. Table of Contents: Here’s a gift-giving problem you might find yourself facing: you want to give someone a gift, but they said they don’t need or want anything, they’re hard to shop for, they already have everything they could ever want, or they said that they just want to spend time together. Or maybe you want to give your time as a gift instead of a physical gift because you’re short on money right now, or you don’t get to spend as much time with your gift recipient as you’d like to and you want to change that. Whatever the reason, this list has quality time gift ideas for everyone you know: your significant other, parents, grandparents, kids, or friends. For each of the quality time gift ideas that I share, I’m including ideas for if you have a larger budget or a smaller budget (which includes ideas that are free or lower-cost). Use these quality time gift ideas to spend time with those you love and create lasting memories. What is quality time? Quality time means giving someone your full, undivided attention, and being truly present in the moment you’re sharing together. It’s about the quality of the time more than the quantity of it — so it’s important to set aside distractions like your phone, work, or other everyday obligations, and focus on building a meaningful connection with the person you’re spending time with. You can spend quality time with someone by having a deep conversation, enjoying a shared activity, or even sitting together in comfortable silence while you each read a book or the paper. Quality time is about creating moments that matter with those you love. What makes quality time together special is that it’s not so much about what you’re doing, but who you’re doing it with. Even something as simple as a walk around the neighborhood or cooking dinner together can feel significant if both people are engaged, enjoying each other’s company, and feel connected. Quality time strengthens relationships and reminds the people we care about that we value and love them. What does it mean to give a gift of quality time? Giving a gift of quality time isn’t about big or expensive gifts — it’s about gifting the opportunity to have special shared moments together doing something enjoyable. A gift like this can be deeply appreciated and valued by the recipient. It seems to be a growing trend that many people are choosing experiences and quality time gifts over typical store-bought gifts, because many people already have so many things in their homes, and an opportunity to spend time with those you love creating memories feels a lot more special. Quality time gifts work well for anyone you want to spend special time with or who wants to spend time with you — like your friends, parents, siblings, extended family, or significant other. In these times of rising prices for just about everything, many Americans are struggling to afford basic necessities, making quality time gift ideas a good option if you’re on a budget. All of these quality time gift ideas include options that are no- or lower-cost, as well as if you have a larger budget. 12 Quality Time Gift Ideas Use this list of quality time gift ideas to create the perfect present for your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, kids, mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, other extended family, or friends. 1. An experience to share Recommended for: Anyone on your list — significant other, parents, grandparents, kids, friends, other relatives The key to giving an experience gift of quality time is that it should be an experience you’ll be doing together, not an experience the recipient will be doing with someone else. There are many experiences for a variety of interests and budgets. Some examples are concert tickets, a specialty tour like a kayaking tour or a helicopter tour, amusement park tickets, a sunset cruise or brunch cruise, sporting event tickets, etc. Bigger budget: Helicopter tour, concert tickets, major league baseball tickets, golfing or driving range, tickets to see a play or musical. Smaller budget: Seeing a local band, going to a minor league baseball game, going to a rock climbing gym. Additional ideas for kids: A voucher for lunch or dinner and a movie together, one-on-one; a gift certificate to go for ice cream together at an ice cream shop, tickets to a children’s museum. Additional ideas for grandparents: If you have a grandparent who would rather stay home than go out, you can give a certificate for a special day together. You can enjoy spending time together, even if you’re just watching tv at home. You can also make and/or eat a meal together, work on a puzzle, play cards, or do some gardening.  2. Scheduled coffee dates Recommended for: Friends or relatives — a cousin, grandparent, aunt, uncle Provide a coffee shop gift card and a list of suggested dates to meet for coffee throughout the year, whether weekly, monthly, or bimonthly. You’ll always have an upcoming coffee date to look forward to and catch up!  Bigger budget: A generous coffee shop gift card inside of an insulated travel coffee mug; could also add a bag of coffee to have at home. Smaller budget: A coffee shop gift card in any amount you can afford. 3. A puzzle that you can do together  Recommended for: Parents, grandparents, kids […]

Fun ideas for selecting movies and bringing excitement to your date nights at home. As much as I love going out, I’m also very much a homebody. And one of my go-to activities at home is having a movie date night, girls’ movie night in, or cozy movie night by myself. But a movie night at home doesn’t need to feel mundane. I’ve come up with 19 ways to make your at home movie nights more enjoyable, whether you’re with your significant other, your friends, or watching solo. Table of Contents: As I’m sure you’ve experienced at one point or another, one of the most challenging things about having a movie night is deciding which movie to watch! That’s why many of the items in this list will give you fun ideas for choosing a movie to watch that you might not have thought of before. It can feel frustrating to scroll endlessly on your streaming app and end up watching something you’re less than excited about, so by trying these new ideas you can add excitement to your movie selections. Movie nights at home are perfect for any occasion, including a romantic date night with your partner, a movie night when you’re visiting your parents, a chill evening with roommates, or a fun-filled girls’ night with your best friends. Even solo movie nights give you a chance to relax and indulge in your favorite snacks. This list will inspire you with fun and creative ideas to make your at home movie night exciting and memorable. How to Make Your Movie Nights at Home Feel Exciting Switching things up with new themes, snacks, or genres can bring fresh excitement to your movie nights and keep them from feeling mundane. Try some of these ideas for your next movie night: 1. Have an outdoor movie night When weather permits, set up a screen (or sheet) and projector in your backyard, on your deck, or on your balcony. Add cozy touches like string lights, comfy seating, pillows, and blankets. It’s magical to watch a movie under the stars. 2. Watch all of this year’s Academy Award-nominated films and see if you agree with the selected winners Challenge yourself to watch all of this year’s Academy Award-nominated films and decide if you would have given out Oscars to the winners, or if you have other favorites. This will give you something to watch for numerous at home movie nights! 3. Watch every movie that a favorite actor has been in If you enjoy a particular actor, look them up on IMDB to see a full list of movies they’ve been in. Maybe you’ll discover some new favorites! 4. Work your way through a list of the best movies of all time This has been on my list of things to do for years. I’m planning to follow the American Film Institute’s list: AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies. This list has enough movies to fill almost two years of weekly at home movie date nights! 5. Make gourmet movie snacks to enjoy while you watch Elevate your movie snack game by making a cheeseboard, gourmet popcorn flavors, loaded nachos, crostini with toppings, or a candy charcuterie board. 6. Watch an Academy Award-winning film from the year you were born Throw it back to the year you were born and check out this full List of Academy Award–winning films to help make your selection. If you’re enjoying these at home movie night ideas, check out: 50 Awesome Outdoor Date Ideas for Summer 7. Compare an original and a remake  Watch the original version of a movie that has since been remade, and then watch the remake, to see which version you like best. Here’s a good place to start for ideas: Ultimate Movie Remakes List. You can also check out this huge two-part list: List of film remakes (A–M) and List of film remakes (N–Z). 8. Look up the director of a favorite movie of yours and watch another movie they’ve directed that you haven’t seen before When I find a movie that I love, I like to check out other films by the same director. It’s interesting to see how their style carries across different movies, and sometimes you discover a new favorite that you never would’ve watched otherwise. 9. Watch a top movie in a genre you don’t usually watch Many people stick to watching the same movie genres, but stepping outside your comfort zone can be surprisingly fun. You might discover a new genre you enjoy, and see from a different perspective. One place you can start is by checking out this list of AFI’s 10 Top 10, which shares the ten greatest American films in ten film genres: animation, courtroom drama, epic, fantasy, gangster, mystery, romantic comedy, science fiction, sports, and western. 10. Watch a movie based in the location of an upcoming trip, or a place you’d like to go to in the future  Find a movie based on a location you’ll be traveling to or where you want to visit one day. For example, if you’re traveling to Greece you could watch Mamma Mia!, if you’re going to Hawaii you could watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall, if you’re taking a trip to Thailand you could watch The Beach. 11. Create themed movie cocktails or mocktails to drink while you watch I love adding a little extra fun to movie night with cocktails that match the theme. A piña colada or other tropical drink for a beachy romantic comedy, an old fashioned for a gritty crime drama, and of course a white Russian if you’re watching The Big Lebowski. Alternatively, you can create themed mocktails! It makes the whole night feel a little more special. 12. Watch a movie title that starts with every letter of the alphabet Challenge yourself to watch a movie for every letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. This challenge will obviously require numerous at home movie nights, so you’ll be set for a while! 13. […]

The best outdoor date ideas for your next day date or summer date night. Whether you’re looking for first date ideas or are married and looking for ideas to switch things up on your next date night, this list of 50 outdoor date ideas will inspire you to get outside and enjoy the nice weather. There’s just something about spending time outside that allows us to feel more connected to ourselves and to each other. It’s easier to put down our phones, feel the summer breeze, and be more present in the moment. Outdoor dates also allow for us to actively participate in something together, which can make us feel closer to whoever we’re with. If you’re having trouble coming up with outdoor date ideas, you’ll love the list of 50 outdoor date ideas below. These outdoor date ideas cover numerous interests, including fun summer date ideas, day date ideas, romantic date ideas, date ideas for couples, date night ideas, first date ideas, and outdoor activities for couples. If you’re interested in date ideas that are more athletic and adventurous, or are looking for something quiet and calm, we’ve got you covered. There are also ideas for a range of budgets, so whether you’re looking for free date ideas, inexpensive and cheap date ideas, or have a larger budget, there are lots of ideas for everyone. Whichever type of outdoor date ideas you’re looking for, there are many great options for you in the list below. Here’s a list of the best outdoor date ideas for summer and warm weather dates. The Best Outdoor Date Ideas 1. Take a walk at a beach, lake, or pond. One of the best backdrops for good conversation is strolling around a body of water, whether you’re on the coast or inland. If you run out of things to talk about, you can always talk about the things you see as you’re walking around. 2. Play mini golf. There’s nothing like a little friendly competition. See who can get the first hole-in-one! 3. Go berry picking at your local pick-it-yourself farm. This is potentially a two-part date idea because after you go berry picking you can go home and make something together with what you picked, like a pie or a fun cocktail! 4. Go to a minor league baseball game. Support your local minor league baseball team by attending a home game. Share a pretzel or popcorn. 5. Fly kites at the beach or park. Flying kites isn’t just for kids. It’s actually much more fun as an adult! 6. Visit a botanic garden. Anyone with an appreciation for nature will enjoy exploring a botanic garden. Depending on where you live, there can be different things in bloom at different times of year, meaning you have an excuse to go more than once. 7. Go on a ghost tour. Ghost tours are meant to be fun and spooky but not too scary. You’ll have fun listening to interesting stories and learning more about the history of the area. 8. Visit a farmer’s market. This is a cute date idea because you can either choose a recipe beforehand that you want to make together and find fresh local ingredients for it, or you can go to the farmer’s market for lunch and eat as you walk around to the various stands and vendors. 9. Spend the day at the beach. Is there anything better than a beach day?! We don’t think so. 10. Go to a retro drive-in movie theater. It’s fun to experience a movie in a different way, so buy some snacks at the snack bar and enjoy the show! 11. Rent stand up paddle boards. You’re sure to have some laughs together as you try not to fall into the water. 12. Go for a hike somewhere you’ve never been before. A perfect combination of exploring, nature, and exercise. 13. Take a walking tour of a nearby city. There’s always something interesting to learn on a walking tour, and you can find one catered to your specific interests, such as architecture or history. 14. Spend the day at an amusement park. For a thrilling date, ride all of the roller coasters together. 15. Watch the sunrise or sunset. For romantic outdoor date ideas, you can catch a sunrise or sunset together. 16. Get takeout for lunch or dinner and eat it at the beach or park. You’ve probably had a lot of dates at restaurants, so switch it up and bring takeout to the beach or park. 17. Go on a camping trip. For one of the more adventurous outdoor date ideas, you can go on a weekend camping trip, consisting of hiking, swimming, making s’mores, and any other camping activities you enjoy. 18. Visit a historic cemetery. An interesting way to learn about the history of your area. Challenge yourselves to see what the earliest dated headstone you can find is. 19. Go for a run. Whether you both regularly work out or you want to motivate each other to begin, you can go for a run together and grab a meal or snack to eat outdoors once you’ve finished. Related: Create Your Perfect Fall Bucket List With These 32 Awesome Ideas 20. Take a day trip to a small town. Walk around, grab lunch, and visit the local small businesses for some shopping. 21. Go to a driving range. Even if you’ve never played golf before, this is a fun outdoor date idea because you don’t need to know how to golf in order to give it a try. 22. Go out for ice cream cones. One of the best outdoor date ideas because you can do it for a day date or a date night. Plus, everyone loves ice cream! 23. Plant a vegetable garden. Not only do you get to select the vegetables and plan out the garden together, but then you can try new recipes together with the ingredients once they’re ready to be picked. […]