This time of year is when everyone starts to think about ways that they can serve their community and those in need. I love to see all of the ways that people around me are giving back to those less fortunate. I've also seen quite a few couples incorporating service into a date night or two throughout the year and think it's a fantastic idea! So if you're looking for a new date night idea during the holiday season or the winter months following, this post is for you!
Service Ideas for Date Night
Sharing Soup
A Bountiful Kitchen posted their Sharing Soup recipe along with a fantastic service idea that they do with their family every year. I've been obsessed with it ever since! You'll have to check out the post here for all of the details, but I'll give you a brief idea of what it is here. Cook up a big batch of the Sharing Soup, package it in individual servings along with a roll (great ideas for doing this in the ABK post), bring along a few pallets of water bottles and distribute them to those in need.
I've seen a similar concept done on a smaller scale by a group of high school students for a class project. They collected money, coats and mittens then distributed a pair of mittens and water to those in need as they found them driving around town. They'd also offer them a coat if they didn't have one and a couple of times they went to buy a meal for someone in need.
Image Credit: A Bountiful Kitchen
Purchase Food for Those in Need
Take your date night budget for the night or even for the month and use it to purchase food items that can be donated to the local food pantry. The Bountiful Food Pantry is a great resource and is where my family has always gone to donate a Thanksgiving meal or groceries for those in need. You could also purchase items needed to fill Pantry Packs, which are used to help end childhood hunger in Utah and are sent home with school children each weekend.
This is a great activity to turn into a family date. My family's tradition growing up was to go out together on a Saturday morning and shop for food. Each of us kids would use our own money to contribute a few items to the meal. After we'd done our shopping, we'd drive directly to the food pantry to drop off our donation. It was a great tradition and a great example to us as kids.
Volunteer
Visit justserve.org for opportunities to volunteer in your area. You will find a wide variety of organizations and projects, beyond what you might have thought of yourself!
Share Your Talents
My grandpa spent the last few year's of his life in an Alzheimer's unit. Every Christmas (and often throughout the year), we'd bring our music and instruments with us for a visit. In many common areas around the home, there were pianos. We'd gather there and start to play. As we played, more residents would join our group and the caregivers would wheel other residents down as well.
Nothing brightens the day of senior citizens in an assisted living center more than visitors. Call your local assisted living centers and find out how you can best serve their residents. Stop by just the two of you for an hour of singing songs from their era or popular holiday music. Grab a few other talented couples and turn it into a group date or make a family date of it and involve your kids as well. You don't have to have a lot of musical skill for this activity, even a simple sing-a-long would be a great way to serve!
Random Acts of Kindness
I love seeing people share the little random acts of kindness that people do for them throughout the day. And it's even more fun to see couples going out and looking for little ways to make someone's day as part of date night. A few ideas to get you started.... Put $2 and some candy or a bag of popcorn in a plastic bag and attach them to Redbox machines in your area. Pick another couple out on a date and pay for their meal at the restaurant. There are a lot of ideas on Pinterest as well, just search "random acts of kindness", you'll find quite a few lists and are bound to find one or two things that will work for you.
Serving together is not only a great way to give back but it can also be a great way to change up your regular date night routine and experience something new together. Add a night of service to your calendar during the next month, you won't regret it.
