11 Dates Inspired By Holiday TV Episodes

You know when you're watching TV, and the characters do something cute, like go ice skating, and you turn excitedly to your partner and say, "We should go ice skating"? This list of holiday dates inspired by TV shows is exactly that.

Bake Cookies

Spend your date night shaping cookie dough into snowflakes, Hanukkah menorahs, Christmas trees — whatever strikes your fancy. Pop them in the oven, then check the bottoms to see if you got a "good bake," just like they do in The Great British Baking Show.

Go Zoom Caroling

Inspired by the classic episode of Girlfriends, where Joan tries to get her friends to go caroling, only this time it's via video chat.

Do A Gift Swap

Show your partner you love them "this many dollar's worth," to quote Michael Scott from The Office, and do a "Secret Santa" with just the two of you. Bonus points if you can get your Christmas tree lights to turn on.

Go On A Snow Walk

You know how Lorelai from Gilmore Girls says she can smell when it's about to snow? Go on a walk and see if you possess the same powers. (And don't forget to keep warm with hot toddies.)

Go Overboard With Decorations

Who could watch the holiday episodes of Black-ish and not immediately start decorating? Pull out all the stops with lights and ornaments. And if you haven't gotten a tree as a couple, just yet, why not make this your year?

Make Greeting Cards

Pose, 90s-greeting-card-style, near a mantle or by a frosted window, and take a few cheesy photos. Make sure you're wearing the ugliest holiday sweaters possible, like in Modern Family.

Start New Traditions

Spend date night coming up with your own holiday traditions as a couple. Because like Jess in the "LAXmas" episode of New Girl, you may find yourselves staying home this year. So make the most of it by decorating, mixing drinks — whatever feels most "you."

Tell Holiday Stories

Inspired by Ross's desperate attempts to tell the story of Hanukkah to Ben — while wearing a "holiday armadillo" costume — light some candles and spend an evening sharing your family's traditions.

Treat Yourselves

Make like the holiday episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and treat yourselves to a fancy night in. Kimmy and Dong go to an (abandoned) hotel in the Poconos, but you could stay home, order the best takeout, and eat a bunch of holiday candy.

Volunteer

Inspired by one of the many holiday episodes of 30 Rock, look for ways to give back to your community, whether it's by serving food, donating clothes, giving money to charity — whatever feels right.

Craft

Get in the spirit of the season, as Leslie Knope is known to do, by partaking in some holiday crafting. Gingerbread houses? Home-made ornaments? Rosemary holiday garland!? Go nuts. And enjoy spending the season together.