November Date - Movie Night

So much for posting a couple of updates yesterday!  I got too invested in decorating the house for Christmas.  I'll post some ideas for that soon.  I did want to get November's date posted right away since December starts this week!  So, in continuing with the Dates for a Year Basket ideas, here is November!  

Since the weather is supposed to be cooling down, I chose something for a cozy night in for November.  Here in Tennessee, we still have 70 degree days mixed in with a couple of cool ones, but cozy nights in are always indulgent!  This date is kind of a popular, predictable date, but it had to be included.  This month, Kim & Larry get to enjoy a Movie Night!

Here's what was included in the November envelope:

• Date Card
• DVD of a movie they hopefully hadn't seen (I got it in the $5 bin at Wal-Mart)
• 1 bag of unpopped popcorn
• 1 jar of Popcorn Seasoning.  The one I got was butter flavors, with four different varieties.  (I got it for about $3 at Ross)  They also had some other choices, like a sweet variety and a spicy variety if that fits your recipient better.
• 2 bags of candy (I got sharing size bags of M&Ms and Skittles...something fruity and something chocolate that they can share)

Here is the date card that was included in the envelope:

This date was an easy one to plan and prepare.  I had a box of popcorn, so just added one of my bags.  I grabbed the candy for a dollar in the checkout line at the grocery store.  When looking around at date ideas, I saw somewhere (though, I've searched and can't find it again!) where someone suggested playing a game.  The game is that you turn on the movie with the sound off, and each person chooses a character.  As you're watching the movie, you fill in your own dialogue to match what is happening on-screen.  You can turn a funny movie into something serious, a serious movie into a joke.  Have you ever done that while people watching?  I've seen Kim and Larry do that several times when we've been together, with strangers we see out, our pets, whatever is on TV, etc.  So I could definitely picture them playing this game.  I'm sure it wouldn't be fun for a full movie, you would probably get bored with it pretty quick.  But it makes movie night a little more fun and different. 

For me and what I included, this date cost about $10.  You could definitely make this date cheaper if you tell them to just rent a movie on demand off of their television, or to just turn to a movie channel at the top of peak movie times and use whatever movie is coming on.  You could also leave out the popcorn and candy and suggest they gather all their snacks onto a tray and bring them to the living room for munching.  You definitely could pull this together into a larger, more valuable gift, too.  You could include several movies and/or more popular titles.  Add more snacks, a six-pack of their favorite beer or bottle of their favorite wine.  A gift card to order pizza or chinese.  A nice big cuddle blanket, pajamas, and slippers can be added.  The possibilities are endless!

So, there you have it!  I'm really getting excited to get into the new year.  There are LOTS of fun, more creative, and exciting dates happening in the Spring & Summer!  This movie date is number 5 of 13.  Stick around, because I'll be posting December's date soon!

October Date - Bake a Birthday Cake

I am WAY behind on blogging, and I apologize!  Life has been changing pretty rapidly and time has been slipping away from me.  So, in an effort to catch up before the holiday season gets fully under way, I'm going to try to do a couple of posts today.  First up, the next date in the Dates for a Year Basket!  It's already November, so you'll get two today.  But this one is all about October!  


When thinking about what to plan for October, I had a lot of options.  I could have planned a fall activity, like a hayride or corn maze.  I could have gone with the Halloween theme and sent them to a haunted house or ghost hunting near local urban legend sites.  But, Kim & Larry are a unique couple in that both of them have a birthday in October, only a few weeks apart.  So, October's date was baking and decorating a cake together!

Here's what was included in the October envelope:

• Date Card
• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 jar of sprinkles
• 1 "Happy Birthday" banner
• Birthday candles
• Party poppers

Here is the date card that was included in the envelope:

This date was fun to plan, and super easy.  This date could be modified for just one birthday, or you could choose to use it as a "half-birthday" celebration or to celebrate something else entirely.  I got all the supplies at my local grocery store.  You could also include a tub of icing, but since I was assembling this in July, I didn't want to send them something that would expire.  I of course didn't include the eggs or oil that they would need for mixing their cake, but those are inexpensive and simple things they could pick up at the store if they didn't have them at home.  On the card, I also mention the Red Plate.  I forgot I haven't posted about that yet, but will do that soon.  It's another cheap, easy, and meaningful wedding gift!  

This date cost about $10-$15, but could be less if you didn't include the decorations and more if you wanted to add more decorating supplies.  Actually, you could go all out and make just a birthday decorating kit to give as a wedding/baby/birthday gift for anybody.  You could include icing tips and bags, food coloring, a cake plate, books with decorating tutorials and ideas...  You could really make it nice!  

I'm hoping to get the November date posted this afternoon, since December kind of snuck up on my!  This is date 4 of 13...many more great dates to come!