Date Night Idea: Movie Night

We didn't have any big travel plans for the Labor Day weekend, so Sunday we were able to spend a much needed quiet day at home.  For a stay-at-home date night, we decided to turn our living room into a movie theater.  Sure, this isn't exactly the most creative idea, but we had the best time (best of all, the seats are more comfortable and more conducive to snuggling)! Here's what we did to turn a "ho-hum" movie night into something really fun!

1) Pick a signature drink for the evening. 

I wanted something with a little carbonation, reminiscent of getting a Coke at the theater, so I made a pitcher of Long Faced Doves, which was delicious (and contains a good splash of ginger beer). It would also be fun to pick a drink inspired by your movie choice.  When watching Sabrina, maybe make a champagne cocktail fit for one of the Larabee's famous parties!  And your signature drink doesn't have to be a cocktail! A bottle of French wine would go perfectly with Amelie. You can even go non-alcoholic: a pitcher of water with fresh fruit and mint, a "mocktail", flavored lemonades, etc. The key is to make something a little out of the ordinary to help make for a special evening.

2) Pop some popcorn! 

You can't go wrong with a big bowl of buttered microwave popcorn (or a bag of kettle corn, our choice since our microwave sucks). If you can find it, try Quinn Popcorn, from right here in Massachusetts! Their natural, organic microwave popcorn comes with flavor packets to toss with the popped kernels. We tried the Vermont Maple + Sea Salt and loved it! Next time I want to try making my own flavored popcorn (or a treat with popcorn inspired treat)! Here are some recipes on my "To Do" List:

1. Southern Living BBQ-Ranch Popcorn, 2. The Kitchn Buttery Popcorn Ice Cream, 3. Serious Eats Buttered Rum and Cranberry Popcorn, 4. Quinn Popcorn, 5. Serious Eats "Pesto" Cheesy Garlic Popcorn, 6. Joy the Baker/Smitten Kitchen Buttered Popcorn Chocolate Chip Cookies

3) Stock up on your favorite movie theater candy.

How often do you indulge and eat candy at home? If you're like us, never (Halloween leftovers don't count). So splurge a little and get a box of your favorite candy (after all, it's cheaper than at the theater).

4) Put to use those cute plates, napkins, and paper straws that you usually reserve for parties

If you're like me, sometimes you have a tendency to reserve your cute little party wares for guests. But a date night is a special occasion too! Going to a little extra effort to doll up your spread makes the night seem more special and out of the ordinary.

1. Assorted Striped Straws, 2. Gold Star Straws, 3. Orange Chevron Straws

5) Pick an old favorite to relive together.

I am slightly addicted to buying cheap DVDs, so I have racked up quite a collection thanks to $5 bins. They're all movies that I could watch over and over, but I tend to forget about them in favor of Netflix new releases. For a date night, it's fun to pop in an old favorite, one where you can probably recite every line together. For an added romantic touch, maybe watch something that you originally saw at the theater on one of those early dates!

6) Get creative! Make your own rules!

So we also had some cheese and crackers for our movie night. Do you normally have cheese and crackers at the movies?  Definitely not. But did cheese and crackers sound good to us while we were at the store? Absolutely! Things don't always have to fit perfectly with the theme to be fun! So whatever you can dream up to make for a special night, go for it! 

7) Enjoy spending the evening with someone you love!

No explanation necessary for this one, whether it's a date, good friends, or your family!