Book of Dates and Outings
Romantic Christmas Gifts for Men

by Linda Jensen
(USA)

I wanted to do create a very special romantic Christmas gift for my husband to show my love and appreciation for him. I decided to make a little book filled with pre-planned, pre-paid dates for a year! I think this would also make an excellent valentines gift.

At the first of each month, he'll open the envelope to see what fun date I have planned. The babysitters have been booked and the date will have been planned and paid for, so all he has to do is get up and go! I wrote a little poem for each month to correspond with the date. To give you a year of ideas, I thought I'd share what I planned. (For those who are having trouble thinking up romantic Christmas gifts for men maybe this can serve as inspiration :-)

January- The hustle and bustle of the holidays are over, now it's time to relax and kick up your feet! A couples massage should do the trick an afterward we'll share a delicious treat!
(Gift- Massage gift certificate and gift card to the ice cream shop)

February- A romantic Valentine's dinner for two...that's right, just me and you! Sweet Grandma will take the kids for the night so we can enjoy a Valentine's delight!
(Gift- Romantic dinner at home)

March- (This is his birthday month) It's your birthday and you've earned your wings! Indoor skydiving- up so high, you'll feel like a king!
(Gift- Gift certificate to indoor skydiving)

April- Homemade pizza, movies too. A snuggly night at home with a couple of brews.
(Gift- Homemade pizza and his favorite movie)

May- An afternoon hike to welcome spring and on to the BBQ pit for some yummy chicken wings!
(Gift- Hiking on a beautiful trail in the mountains and dinner at a BBQ restaurant afterwards)

June- A stroll through farmer's market and lunch out of doors, a perfect way to bask in summer's warm decor.
(Gift- A day at the farmer's market and lunch al fresco)

July- Toes in the sand, warm sun on our backs, splashing in the water and a delicious summertime snack!
(Gift- A day at the beach for just the two of you and a picnic lunch)

August- A symphony under the stars, cuddles and wine while listening to a classical guitar.
( Gift- Our city offers free outdoor concerts in the summer so all I'll have to do is bring a blanket, wine and cheese!)

September- A picnic in an apple orchard to welcome the first signs of fall. We get to pick our own, hope we get a nice haul!
(Gift- Day at an apple orchard picking your own apples and a little picnic lunch, complete with apple pie!)

October- As the nights turn chilly, how about a cup of coffee and a great new book? We'll sip our cuppa and read a story in our own little nook.
(Gift- A gift card to a bookstore and coffee shop)

November- An at home spa and a foot rub too. A nice hot shave and a bubble bath for two!
(Gift- bubble bath and mint lotion for a foot rub)

December- As the snow falls, how about a day of sledding, snowman building and hot chocolate? We can feel like kids again...we could even build a snow rocket!



Who did you make it for?
I made it for my husband because he works so hard for our family and rarely does anything for himself. I wanted a gift that he'd love but that we could also enjoy together as a couple.



What materials did you use?
The materials I used were supplies I already had in my craft stash. I used scrapbook paper, stickers, adhesive, ribbon and envelopes.



How did you make it?

1. Measure the envelope and cut out pattern paper to fit the envelope. Using adhesive, glue on the pattern paper to the envelope.

2. Using a Cricut machine, cut out all the letters for each month and stick them to the front of each envelope using adhesive. You could also use stickers for the letters or just hand write them yourself!

3. For each month, I either printed out pictures of the activities we will be doing or placed the gift card inside of the envelope along with the little poem I wrote.

4. Punch holes to the top of each envelope and thread two rings through them so it makes a flip book. Tie ribbon to each ring.



Anything else you'd like to share about your project?

Most of the activities I chose were pretty inexpensive (ex: hiking, pizza and movie night, at home spa) but you could go all out or keep it simple. The main trick is to plan early and pay for gift cards and events throughout the year so you're not having to buy several gifts all at once. No matter if you chose to go extravagant or keep it sweet and simple, all that matters is that you're together.