Great Date Ideas: Christmas Themed Dates

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and the holiday is fast approaching.  With the hustle and bustle of the festive season pressing in all around, (work parties, ward parties, shopping, cookie and candy making, gift wrapping, etc…) it might seem a little difficult for LDS Singles to find the time to get out and date. No worries, in the spirit of 101 Creative Dates For LDS Singles, here are some Christmas-themed date ideas to keep you going, help you have a great Christmas season, and, who knows, maybe start a tradition!

• If one of you has yet to get a tree up and decorated.  Spend time getting a tree and decorate it together.  Sharing the meaning behind those special ornaments that you have can bring you closer together.  Be patient with stringing the lights…that could say tons about you as well!
• Bake Christmas cookies, make candy (caramels, choclate truffles, etc…), or other treats together and deliver them to neighbors, friends, elderly ward members, send them to missionaries or to service men/women serving from your ward.
• Get outside in the snow and make snowmen or snow angels; go ice skating, go sledding, go tobogganing, or have a snowball fight.  Afterward, head inside to warm up with hot cider, wassal, or hot chocolate.
• If one of you has an open fireplace, light a fire and roast marshmallows (You can enjoy the marshmallows with hot chocolate, hot cider, wassal, or eggnog) while singing along to Christmas carols
• Drive or walk around your local neighborhood enjoying the Christmas lights.  If your local temple visitors centers, like Temple Square in Salt Lake City, have lights you can walk around and see; make the time.   Check with your community chamber of commerce or visitors center, your town/city might have have organized Christmas light tours that you can drive or walk to view.
• Have a picnic in the room where your tree is, turn out the overhead lights, leaving on the Christmas lights and listen to your favorite Christmas Carols.
• Go visit Santa and have a picture taken with both of you on his lap.  Then, tell him what you want for Christmas (bonus points if you can make him laugh – or blush!)  If you are in the stage where your children are spending time together, you can take your kids to see Santa together.
• Take in a performance of the Nutcracker at the ballet.  (This is a tradition I do with my oldest daughter because she is a dancer…makes for a great daddy/daughter date!)
• Take turns reading ‘A Christmas Carol’ to each other (or go see a local performance of the play. And this year, you can go see the movie!)
• Take turns reading the Christmas story from the Bible to each other.  One version of this is to get a group together, dress up and act it out.  (Again, this is something you can do with your children, if your relationship is at that stage.)
• Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen or a Toy Drive together.
• Shovel the drive way of some one in your area.
• Join, or form, a group and go caroling!  (Your ward or FHE group is a good place to start!)
• If it is offered in your area, take a horse-drawn carriage ride with a thermos of hot chocolate or hot cider.
• Make dreidls!  (You can find instructions on how to do this throughout the internet.)

For the movie lovers, have a Christmas-themed movie marathon at home. Here’s a list of some of my personal favorites:

A Muppet Christmas Carol (Kermit’s 50th Anniversary Edition)
It’s a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversay Edition)
Miracle on 34th Street
Home Alone
The Holiday
The Santa Clause

There are a ton more…

Remember:  We’re LDS! We’re Single!  And, we’re all in this together!

P.S. Do you have a great date idea for the Christmas season? Share it with us in the comments.

Related Posts

 101 Creative Date Ideas for LDS Singles
Great Date Ideas:  The Halloween Date
Great Date Ideas:  The Veterans Day Date
Great Date Ideas:  LDS Movie Night

How To Connect With LDS Singles Online

Getting to know other LDS singles online can be just as daunting as trying to meet some one in real life.  Many of us aren’t sure where to begin in our efforts to get a response from someone that we are interested in.  I have a few suggestions about what people will and won’t respond to as result of my recent experiences using the various online dating sites  that I’ve reviewed.

Say Something Substantive!
Go beyond standard ‘pick-up’ lines and do more than send a flirt, quick note, smile, spark, etc…Put some effort into crafting your own note.  It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but it has to say more than, “Hi, I’m John/Jane.  I liked your profile (or I think you’re cute).  Tell me more.”  My profiles have pictures of me with  my kids.  The email that I receive the most is: “Cute family! Tell me more.”  I appreciate that my kids are beautiful, but such a statement doesn’t make you stand out any more than my first example.  Emails like that are quickly deleted and not given a another thought.  An important thing to remember here is be yourself; don’t try to be something that you are not

Speak Directly to the Person
Some people will craft a single email letter, and send it to numerous people. I don’t know about you, but I’m generally unimpressed by the lack of effort on the part of an individual when I receive an obvious form letter.  Such lack of effort is rewarded by a lack of response on my part. I mean really, is that all the effort that you want someone to put into getting to know you?  Then, put some effort in getting to know someone.  It’s not really a numbers game (write 10, hear back from 1).  It is more a function of the effort you put forth. Speak directly to what s/he said in her/his ad.  As you are reading the ad, make notes and then directly compliment the things you thought interesting, funny or entertaining.  Some of the online dating sites have a “comment on my profile” box on each page you view; you could just type something that strikes you as you are reading that section.  One caveat: the titles to those are generally generic and may not get read the way a unique title will.  If s/he has a list of “qualifications” in the profile, let her/him know why you feel you meet all those ‘qualifications.’

Titillate a little
Everyone likes to be in the know and we all appreciate it when someone tells us something that may not be common knowledge.  When writing to someone considering sharing more personal information about yourself than is contained in your online profile.  Perhaps you have a unique talent that you didn’t put in your profile and something in his/her profile reminded you of that.  Tell them.

Essential Items
I know this probably sounds like a broken record, but if you want your emails, etc… to have a greater chance of receiving a response, be sure that your profile includes a photo.  It is probably wise to have your profile filled out with more than just, “I’ll fill this in later.”  Just saying.

Be Patient and Be Persistent
Don’t be too upset or anxious if you don’t receive an answer right away.  It could take a little while for someone to get back to you.  We all lead busy lives! You never know but what the person you wrote is out of town, his/her server went down, the computer crashed, the email account for this service is a secondary account and he/she doesn’t check it everyday or they are buried by kids and work.  Give it at least a week after you write to hear back. If, by then, you haven’t heard anything and are still really interested, then write back.  In your second email, briefly mention you’d written before, and highlight the fact that you are really interested.  If a second email doesn’t receive a response, you’re on your own as to whether it is wise to continue to write.  You could find yourself blocked if you come across as a stalker.

Be Positive
Someone shared this example with me, it was an email that she received: ”Hi, my name is Bob. Write back if you’re not a liar or a thief”.   That’s a pretty negative approach and not likely to garner a response.  I read somewhere that ”a pessimist is a person who is seasick during the entire voyage of life.” An initial contact like that would tend to show an attitude of pessimism and negativity.   You may have written hundreds of emails and gotten little response, but remember that you haven’t really written a hundred emails, you have written one email a hundred times.  Does that make sense?  What I mean is that you write to one person at a time and you may have done that one hundred times.  Each person is different and what you say to them is in essence a form of first impression, make it a positive impression.

Be Polite
Along the same lines of making your communications positive, be courteous and polite regardless of the outcome of any correspondence.  Consider including a  closing statement which conveys best wishes for happiness whether the other person chooses to respond to your email or not.  Doing so will say a lot about you.  And, you never know, it may be the one nice thing s/he has heard all day, and be just the thing to trigger a reply!  The idea after all is to have another LDS single reply to your email.

There are wonderful, kind, caring and loving LDS singles out there, and one of them is waiting just for you!  Put some effort into your correspondence, write to the person, be positive, be polite, be patient and be persistent; you will be rewarded. 

Remember: We’re LDS!  We’re Single!  And, we’re all in this together!

Great Date Ideas: LDS Movie Night

Anyone who knows me knows that I am huge movie lover.   And, while I don’t advocate movie night as an every date habit (it’s hard to get to know someone very well if all you do is watch movies), there is nothing wrong with taking the time to time enjoy a good movie or two.  In keeping with the theme ideas generated from 101 Creative Dates For LDS Singles, I thought that I would put in a plug for a genre of film for which I have a strange affinity: LDS Films.  Quite a few movies have been made in recent years highlighting the joys, trials, and oddities of being LDS.  Singles have been an especially popular topic for LDS filmmakers (I think we are easier to poke fun at).  So, grab a favorite someone, your favorite candy, get some soda (make mine a rootbeer!), and pop some popcorn and spend the night getting acquainted with Mormon Pop Culture and the interpretation thereof!  Here’s a list of possible suspects:

The Singles Ward
This affable and heartwarming romantic comedy follows Mormon comedian Jonathan Jordan who, after a painful divorce, returns in a depressed and withdrawn state to his local community. Jonathan is determined not to be cheered up, and avoids all organized singles activities as best he can–until he meets the beautiful and sweet activities director, Cammie. The movie ultimately embraces Mormon values while poking gentle fun at its charming characters. This is the original LDS Singles romantic comedy.
Buy It Now from Amazon.com

Singles 2nd Ward
We all remember the gang from “The Singles Ward” – Jonathan, Cammie, DeVerl, Hyrum, Eldon, Dallen?  Well, some years have gone by and Dallen is the only one who isn’t married.  It’s the morning of Zak’s wedding and everyone has gathered at the temple for the big day.  Before he can go in, he sees his bride come running out of the temple for all she’s worth, throwing an “I’m sorry” over her shoulder.  He promptly goes into a blue funk and takes up his video games again, determined to never leave his chair again.  Dallen in the meantime is feeling lonely.  Most of the guys are married and have a bunch of children, but he’s all alone. He teaches a Mormon Mythology class at BYU, and a beautiful red-head named Christine has just moved in and wants to take his class. He asks her out, they start dating, and become engaged. The only difficulty-she wants a temple marriage and neither of her parents are members. They can’t understand why they can’t see their own daughter get married, and it causes a huge rift in the family. 
Buy It now from Amazon.com  OR   Rent It from Blockbuster.com

Beauty and The Beast: A Latter-Day Tale
Eric Landry is a cold-hearted man that people have nicknamed “the Beast.” Years of anger and bitterness have consumed him, turning him into a selfish man. But, Belle Watson is the exact opposite. She’s caring and kind. She works hard to help her family, often sacrificing her own wants and desires to satisfy the needs of others. When her father accidentally breaks a valuable work of art at the Landry mansion, Belle is thrust into the life of Eric Landry.  And she’s determined to not only prove her worth, but discover what it is that has caused Eric’s sour disposition.  The process is a journey of self discovery for her and Eric. 
Buy It now from Amazon.com  OR   Rent It from Blockbuster.com

Jack Weyland’s Charly
Sam Roberts thinks he has all the answers: the purpose of life, the meaning of love, the plan for a perfect future. Until Charly walks into his life. As different as Salt Lake City and New York City, Sam and Charly are thrown together by circumstance and repelled by differences. He’s scheduled and idealistic. She’s spontaneous and cynical. He’s guarded and practical. She’s open and mischevious. He’s a Mormon. She isn’t. Differences spark interest, though, as Charly finds depth in Sam’s idealism and Sam seeks the vibrance of Charly’s joie de vivre. But all is not smooth in the Rockies, as their relationship accelerates – cultural differences, family issues, former loves and life-altering challenges threaten to shake things up.
 Buy It now from Amazon.com  OR   Rent It from Blockbuster.com

Baptists at our Barbecue
Frustrated by his mother’s attempts to set him up with all the “nice” girls she knows, Tartan, a 29-year old single Mormon, decides to leave Utah for the very first time. He accepts a forest services position in Longwinded, a small town (pop. 558) located somewhere deep in the Southwestern mountains. Upon arriving, Tartan is accosted by the county sheriff regarding his religious affiliation, which he soon learns is the determining factor of his social circle. Longwinded is a town made up of 262 Mormons and 262 Baptists — both groups completely biased against the other — and Tartan is the tiebreaker. Tartan is determined to find a solution to end the hostility between the two groups — especially since Charity, the beautiful visiting niece of a Longwinded resident, is less than eager to make her stay in such a religiously-prejudiced town permanent. 
Buy It now from Amazon.com

Pride and Prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet is a hard-working, intelligent college student who won’t even think about marriage until she graduates. But when she meets Jack Wickham, a good-looking playboy, and Darcy, a sensible businessman, Elizabeth’s determination is put to the test. Will she see through their exteriors and discover their true intentions? Based on Jane Austen’s timeless tale Pride and Prejudice.
Buy It now from Amazon.com  OR   Rent It from Blockbuster.com

 

Remember: We’re LDS!  We’re Single!  And we’re all in this together!

P.S.  If you are looking for more creative date ideas be sure to check out 101 Creative Dates for LDS Singles and these posts:

Great Date Ideas: The Halloween Date
Great Date Ideas: The Veterans Day Date

Commonly Used Online Acronyms

When I was reviewing LDS Mingle, I played around in the chat rooms quite a bit to get a feel for how they worked.  One of the things that I quickly discovered during my initial days there is that there is an entire language that goes along with being in an online chat room.  Many phrases are shortened down into abbreviations and acronyms. For instance when entering a chat room from which you’ve been absent for a few days, you might see this potential greeting:

“Hey, Dad! LTNS! GTSY!  What’s been happening?  Give us the 411!”

Huh, say what?  Is that English?  The answer is yes, sort of.

Deciphered it says:

“Hey, Dad!  Long Time No See!  Great (or Good) to see you!  What’s been happening?  Give us all the details.”

These acronyms and abbrevations are not only used in chat rooms, you will see them on Twitter, in text messages and they are making their way into emails as well.  The LDS Singles in the chat rooms on LDS Mingle are very friendly and were very willing to decipher acronyms for anyone who didn’t quite understand what is being said.   However, it is a pain to have to constantly ask.  Some of the acronyms are going to be familiar.  There are those, however, who are going to feel like Tom Hanks’ character in “Sleepless in Seattle” who had no clue what his son was trying to say when the boy (or his friend) spoke in acronyms.  So, I thought in the spirit of helpfulness, I’d share with you a list of some commonly used acronyms to help as you make your foray into online chatting.  If you’d like to print this out to use as a reference when you are online, here is a pdf file of these commonly used online acronyms. 

AMBW!  HTH!

Remember: We’re LDS!  We’re single!  And, we’re all in this together!

 
List of Commonly Used Online Acronyms

411  – Information
AAOF – As a matter of fact
ADN – Any day now
AFK  – Away from keyboard
AISI  – As I see it
AMBW  – All my best wishes
ASL – Age, sex, location (also A/S/L)
ATST  – At the same time
B4    – Before
B4N  – Bye for now
BBIAF – Be back in a few
BBL  – Be back later
BBN  – Bye-bye now
B/C – because
BRB – Be right back
BS    – Big Smile
BTW  – By the way
CID  – Consider it done
CSL  – Can’t stop laughing
CTS – Changing the subject
CUL8R – See you later
CWYL  – Chat with you later
DGT  – Don’t go there
DHYB  – Don’t hold your breath
DIKU – Do I know you?
DKDC  – Don’t know, don’t care
EG    – Evil Grin
EOM  – End of message
F2F – Face to face
FCOL – For crying out loud
FOAF  – Friend of a friend
FTTB  – For the time being
FWIW  – For what it’s worth
FYEO – For your eyes only
FYI  – For your information
GAL  – Get a life
GBY – God Bless you
GL    – Good Luck
GMTA – Great minds think alike
GR8  – Great
GTG  – Got to go
GTSY  – Glad to see ya
HAGO  – Have a good one
HAK  – Hugs and Kisses
HB    – Hurry Back
HHOK  – Ha, ha only kidding
HTH  – Hope this helps
IAE  – In any event
IDC – I don’t care
IDGW – In a good way
IDK  – I don’t know
ILY  – I love you
IMHO – In my honest opinion
IMO  – In my opinion
IRL  – In real life
IYSS  – If you say so
J/W  – Just wondering
J/K  – Just Kidding
KIT  – Keep in touch
KWIM  – Know what I mean
L8R – Later
LD    – Long distance
LMBO  – Laughing my butt off
LMK  – Let me know
LOL  – Laughing out loud
LTIC  – Laughing ’til I cry
LTNS  – Long time no see
LYL  – Love ya lots
M8    – Mate
MRS  – Meet real soon
MWBRL – More will be revealed later
MYOB  – Mind your own business
N2M – Not too much
NBD  – No big deal
NOYB  – None of your business
NP    – No problem
OBTW – Oh, by the way
OIC  – Oh I see
ONNA  – Oh no, not again
OOC  – Out of Character
OT    – Off topic
OTOH  – On the other hand
PLZ – Please
POV  – Point of view
RBTL  – Read between the lines
RN    – Right now
ROFL  – Rolling on the floor, laughing
ROFLMBO – Rolling on the floor, laughing my butt off
ROTFL – Rolling on the floor laughing
SF    – Super friendly
STBY – Sucks to be your
STYS  – Speak to you soon
SWDYT – So what do you think
TAH  – Take a hike
THX – Thanks
TIAIL – Think I am in love
TIC  – Tongue in cheek
TM    – Trust me
TMI  – Too much information
TTFN – Ta ta for now
TTYL  – Talk to you later
TYVM  – Thank you very much
URAQT – You are a cutie!
VM    – Voice mail
WE    – Whatever
WG    – Wicked grin
WTG – Way to go
WYRN  – What’s your real name
WYSIWYG – What you see is what you get
YAFI  – You asked for it
YDKM  – You don’t know me
YNK  – You never know
? – huh?
*G* – grin
*H* – hug
*K* – kiss
*S* – smile
*W* – wink

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