Ah yes, Christmas time – the season of giving and, more importantly, winter break. You’ve just finished your finals, and you have someone to celebrate it with. The question is, what is there to do? You can’t spend a thousand bucks on a dinner plate (maybe you could, but I know I don’t), but you still wanna have a good time. If you’re a Californian like me, I got you covered. Here are 7 affordable winter date ideas to get you and your significant other in the Christmas spirit!
1. Visit a winter market
If you’re sick of the mall date, take your partner to the average mall date’s cooler sister – a holiday market! Winter markets combine both the shopping galore of malls and the wonder of a winter wonderland!
Winter markets are a great way to do last-minute Christmas shopping from artisanal (meaning fancy) small businesses. I guarantee you, you will find something in a holiday market you won’t find anywhere else. If you need a gift guide though, we got you covered.
Don’t forget, these markets have festive activities too! The Westfield Century City Mall has a Christmas market with snow shows to make you forget you’re still in sunny California. You can also check the Nevada City Victorian Christmas to be serenaded by Victorian Carolers without needing to hop on a time machine. Of course, you can always say hi to the one and only Santa Claus at the Los Angeles Christmas Market.
Be careful, while most markets are free, some holiday markets have an entrance fee. Others are only open for select dates. Do your research before asking your partner out, or someone’s gonna get coal for Christmas.
2. Drive through a Christmas neighborhood
When you have enough of the shopping, visit a Christmas neighborhood for a free light show. Visit the Seaside Holiday Lights or Candy Cane Lane and see neighborhoods that look like they came straight out of the North Pole. Enjoy the view of glittering reindeer hopping from house to house and rows and rows of candy canes lighting your way. If you’re lucky, you may see a couple of Santa Clauses walk by or maybe a few vendors with a hot cup of cocoa with your name on it.
Some neighborhoods, like Naples Island, have parades, too! Make sure you check what times these parades pass by before you miss them! I mean, you wouldn’t want to miss Santa’s sleigh, would you?
Don’t forget, these neighborhoods are still neighborhoods, so remember to watch for traffic and always be respectful to the residents. Landing on the naughty list isn’t worth it, man.
3. Spend a day at an attraction farm
You probably already have a Christmas tree wrapped in lights and bows, but carrying a whole pine tree back home isn’t the only thing you can do at a Christmas tree farm this winter break.
Attraction farms are the most underrated affordable date idea! Many of these farms have exclusive events for the holidays. Underwood Family Farms has several festive activities, including a reindeer petting zoo, in case plane tickets to the North Pole are hard to come by. Live Oak Canyon also has a Christmas Train that circles a tunnel of lights and a Ferris wheel to get a good look at the forest of pine trees.
Of course, it’s still a farm, so make the most of the outdoors and have a picnic! While you’re at it, take some produce home.
4. Try your hand at ice skating
Don’t worry. You don’t have to be good at ice skating. If anything, you can always have your K-drama moment and watch as your date catches you from falling. This is the kind of romance Shakespeare tried to write.
Some ice-skating rinks can reach up to 20 dollars, but others are a bit more college-budget friendly. Hint: They aren’t gonna be in L.A. (sorry, Angelenos).
Pasadena Ice Skating Center, for example, lowers its 20-dollar price tag to 16 every Thursday! There’s also Snoopy’s Home Ice, with tickets as cheap as 8 dollars for a one-hour session. You might even get a chance to see the Snoopy at one of their ice shows!
5. Watch a movie
There’s a reason why movie dates have existed since forever – they’re foolproof! It’s the perfect affordable date to feel all types of romance without the stress of trying to think of something super original. Besides, you’d have to be crazy to not watch a Christmas movie this winter break. It’s tradition!
Almost all movie theaters have student discounts, but some have extra discounts for when you need them. AMC has 25% off matinees, meaning shows before 4 p.m., in all its theaters. If you’re a member, you can also get discounts every Tuesday.
Check what your local theater has in store and I guarantee you, you will have an amazing date.
6. Have an aesthetic day at a museum
If you really want to impress your partner, bring them to a museum. Museums are the perfect fancy, affordable date. All museums will have some kind of student discount, and half the time they’re usually free.
Lucky for you Californians, L.A. County happens to have the best museums in the world! Visit LACMA or the Broad for pieces that will make you feel like you’re in a dream. If you want to feel like a celebrity, visit the Grammy Museum or the Hollywood Museum and see what your favorite stars have been up to. If you want something a little more niche, try the Museum of Neon Art or the California African American Museum.
Pro tip: If you want to see a bunch of museums on the same day, visit L.A.’s Museum Row or Exposition Park. These places are just long strips of cultural museums you just can’t miss!
7. Go on a hot cocoa run
Winter break is the perfect time to relax and warm yourself up against the windy afternoons. So why not kick the classic coffee date up a notch and spend time with your partner over a cup of hot cocoa?
If you really want to make things fancy, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel has a complimentary hot cocoa bar every day until January 2, from 5 pm to 6 pm. While staying at the hotel may not be in your budget, you can still breathe the fancy Beverly Hills air and chill in their beautifully ornate lobby. Maybe you can even do some Beverly Hills (window) shopping afterward. Who knows!
Make the Most Out of Winter Break!
Whatever affordable date you choose, make sure you have a good time with your partner! After all, winter break, at the end of the day, is a time to spend with the people you love. So enjoy the holiday cheer before the spring semester hits!
