How to Make the Most of a Night In
Step 1: Set aside one night every month (more frequently, if you can swing it), and make it known to your honey that it’s “your night.” Raise expectations by marking it on your calendar and talking up the evening.
Step 2: Eliminate distractions. Send the kids off to a friend or relative’s house for the night. Turn off the television, shut down your computer, and silence the phones. Showing your honey that he or she is a priority and that there’s nowhere else you’d rather be in the world is a big turn-on.
Step 3: Set the mood, according to your sweetie’s taste. Punk rock and Pabst Blue Ribbon may put many more stars in his eyes than, say, Billie Holiday and bubbly. Don’t get saddled by convention. Just find something that suits you both. Or, take turns. There’s nothing wrong with beer one night and champagne the next.
Step 4: Activate your senses. That may mean enjoying a delicious meal, taking a bath, giving a backrub, or, wink, wink, slipping into something a little more comfortable. A short warning: Remember that the sole purpose of the evening is not to simply eat dinner. Take care not to overindulge, lest your stomach steal the spotlight from your sweetie.
Step 5: Surely, dear reader, you can figure this one out on your own. And if you can’t, wait a few years and try again. It will come to you.
More tips
- Trade planning duties. You take charge one night, and allow your honey to plan the next. If he’s stumped, tell him what you like. That way, you’ll both feel catered to and cared for.
- Be flexible. Expectations can bring pressure, so just be loose. Even if the evening doesn’t go exactly as planned, it’ll still be time together, which is valuable no matter what happens.