Classic Holiday Dates: Expectations vs. Reality
Welcome to December—aka the month of painfully basic holiday dates.
If you're lucky enough to be in a relationship during Christmas season, you're probably looking forward to a few weeks of festive dates with your S.O. Unfortunately, holiday activities are never quite as fun as they appear to be.
While we definitely encourage your holiday date planning, we're also here to hit you with a little dose of truth. Keep scrolling for expectations vs. reality: holiday dates edition.
Ice Skating:
Expectations: You and your S.O. will bundle up in your warmest winter clothes and head to the rink. You'll glide across the ice, hand-in-hand, chatting excitedly to one another while you enjoy the experience. Afterwards, you'll grab a yummy cup of hot chocolate and snuggle into a booth, happy that you got to spend an entire day soaking in each other's company.
Reality: You'll dress just a little too warmly, forgetting that the rink isn't that cold, especially when you're skating around. Not only will you end up sweaty and uncomfortable, but you'll both slip almost immediately when you step onto the ice. Instead of holding hands, you and your S.O. will cling to the wall for the majority of the time, desperately trying not to fall. The rink will be too busy and the food won't be great, so you'll drink some watered down hot chocolate and try to avoid the screaming children who are inevitably running through the off-ice area.
Looking at Christmas Lights
Expectations: You know the perfect spot in your town to see all the best Christmas lights. You and your S.O. will plan ahead, packing a mug of hot cocoa to drink while you walk. You'll park and stroll down the street, appreciating the magic of so many houses done up in amazing lights.
Reality: You'll head out to look at the lights, but you'll forget that everyone is heading to that same exact neighborhood. You'll sit in tons of traffic, and finding a parking spot will be nearly impossible. If you do happen to find a space, the walk won't be nearly as exciting as you expected it to be. You have a mug of hot cocoa, but it won't be cooled enough, so it'll burn your tongue every time you try to drink it. The lights will be impressive, but there will also be a lot of houses that did the bare minimum. On top of all that, you'll probably cut the walk short because it's too cold to continue strolling down the street.
Building a Gingerbread House
Expectations: You and your S.O. will find a gingerbread kit that isn't too difficult, but will still result in an impressive house. You'll work in perfect harmony to bring all the pieces together, preserving the candy in the process. Your structure will be just a little bit wobbly, but—if handled with care—it should make it to Christmas. After the holiday is over, you and your S.O. will dig into the treat, sharing it with your family so you don't eat too much sugar in one sitting.
Reality: No matter how easy your gingerbread kit appears to be, it's always harder once you pull it out of the box. You and your S.O. will struggle to arrange the pieces, and every time you try to stick something together it will inevitably fall down. You'll get more and more frustrated with each other as your house continues to fail, eventually letting your annoyance get the better of you and giving up all together. You'll dig into the candy, half of which is smushed and gross from being handled too often, and you'll end up with a stomach ache from consuming too much sugar.
A Holiday Movie Marathon
Expectations: You and your S.O. will plan a day full of watching holiday movies. You'll prep some Christmas snacks and create a cozy little nook for the two of you to settle into. You'll watch all your holiday favorites, snuggling the whole time, while you dig into your festive Christmas treats.
Reality: You'll realize that every Christmas snack recipe requires a lot more than you thought it did, so the treats are immediately out. You'll grab some blankets and pillows and settle in to watch the movie, but you'll get distracted and end up talking through half of it. Before you get to your second feature, your parents will start bugging you about why you're being so lazy. Or, even worse, they'll ask to join the festivities, turning your sweet date night into a bustling, busy family affair. You'll get through two movies tops before you get bored, ending your marathon after only a few hours.
Just because your dates might not go as planned, doesn't mean you shouldn't post about them. Click HERE for 12 festive movie quotes that make the best holiday Instagram captions.