So it kinda goes without saying that at the moment we’re not really having the best date nights. No restaurants, no trips out, no daytime activities – nothing that involves leaving the house!

However, just because we can’t go out right now, it doesn’t mean that we can’t have date nights. After being on lockdown for what feels like forever, I can imagine fellow couples might be feeling pretty cooped up (and possibly wanting to throttle the other half).

Last week I was pretty stressed. I was missing my friends and family, had holidays cancelled and all-round was just feeling bleurgh. I know that there’s more important things going on and we are staying inside to keep ourselves and others safe, but we’re allowed to have down days. So after feeling a bit rubbish, I decided to have a little date afternoon in the house!

I ordered afternoon tea which got delivered to my house on Sunday afternoon and we got a blanket out, sat in the sunshine and ate some delicious food in gorgeous weather! It made me feel SO much better and for just a moment, everything was all good in the world again. So put your phone away, get a little dressed up, and have a lovely little date at home…

Day dates

Date’s don’t have to be in the evening. The weather is a bit on and off at the moment, but when it’s ‘on’ it’s blooming lovely. The sun shines AND it’s warm! So how about a little day date in the garden?

One of the things taking lockdown by storm is an afternoon tea delivery. You can set it all out, get a bottle of your favourite fizz and treat yourself to some tasty delights. From fruit scones, handmade cakes and tasty sandwiches, it’s a choice that is sure to not disappoint.

If you’re based in Northampton I’d highly recommend The Copper Kitchen, Sorina Jeffs Cakes and Bakes, or Wheatsheaf Cakes & Bakes. If you’re not in Northampton, just have a google of companies that are delivering afternoon tea or treat boxes in your area, you’ll probably find most of them on Instagram and Facebook. There’s so many businesses offering this option now – it’s fab!

Cocktail making

Lots of businesses are now delivering everything that you need to make your own at-home cocktails! The boxes are dropped straight on your doorstep and they include spirits, mixers, garnish, a shaker and some even include cocktail glasses. This is such a fantastic idea and I really love the thought of staying at home whilst making cocktails. I recently had a delivery from Jelley’s Organic Vodka – we were sent their ‘Lockdown Local’ bundle which included vodka, pomegranate juice, tonic water, soda water and garnish. It’s also great because you can add as much alcohol as you like! Plus, if you fancy it, you can even get a bit dressed up and pretend you’re out out!

If you’re based in Northamptonshire I would recommend trying Jelley’s, The Occasion Bar, Warners Gin or Black Ducks Bar. If you’re in Milton Keynes Pro Cocktails are fab – I’ve just ordered from them and I’m looking forward to making a couple of cocktails this weekend.

Date evenings

This lockdown has been great for lots of us from a cooking aspect. We’ve learnt new recipes, made new bakes and even cooked up tasty dishes by just lobbing some ingredients together and hoping for the best (I am the latter). But, for date night, why not get a takeaway and let someone else do the hard work instead?

Just because we’re in lockdown, it doesn’t mean we can’t still eat our favourite food! Lot’s of businesses are offering takeaways and home deliveries, so why don’t you pick your fave dish and place an order? If you support local, you’re also helping to keep a business alive, which is so important in these unprecedented times.

Again, if you’re in Northamptonshire, check out this article on Northampton Life which shares some takeaway and delivery services that are happening around the area. I’d highly recommend Wythmails, June Plum and Nuovo. You can set up your tables with some candles, get out your best wine and maybe even put a bit of lippy on!

If you’re outside of this area, then simply have a look around your local community and check out which restaurants are cooking up takeaway food. Try to support local rather than looking for a Dominos.

Don’t forget there’s also lots of apps that are offering free trials for you to watch movies and binge watch series. So once you’ve got your takeaway and chosen glass of fizz, why not snuggle up and watch something on the TV? Netflix, Prime and Disney are all offering 7 day free trials, so if you don’t have these then you can download them for free. I recently downloaded the Disney app and just watched Marvel films all week – man I love those films!

If you fancy staying away from the TV (if you’re a bit sick of it) then how about doing something a bit different instead? Get out a board game, a puzzle of some cards and do something that you don’t usually do. Amazon are selling lots of games at the moment, so it’s great