Holidates: 10 Holiday Date Ideas in CU

If you’re like me, the holiday season is something that you look forward to all year. The warm fuzzy feeling that I get is something that is simply unachievable any other time of the year. Being high schoolers, you may have a special someone that you’re spending your holiday season with. Planning dates can be super stressful, so I’m here to help you and share my top 10 holiday date ideas in Champaign-Urbana.

PJs, Christmas Cookie Baking, Hot Chocolate, and Holiday Film

If you’re like me, your TikTok page is filled with videos of cute couples baking cookies and watching holiday movies. Well, this is a pretty cheap and achievable holiday date. You can wear PJs you already own or buy matching ones with your significant other to jazz up the holiday spirit. If you want to be fancy, you could bake cookies from scratch or you can buy premade cookies to pop in the oven. Hot Chocolate is the perfect holiday drink to be paired with cookies! After all of this is done, you can plate up your cookies, grab your hot chocolate, and place yourselves in front of a screen to watch some holiday movies.

Dinner and Visit to Santa                        

You’re never too old to visit Santa Clause! While visiting Santa may seem like an activity for children, you can do it at any age! Go to dinner with your significant other and then visit Santa at one of the many locations in CU. December 19, you can visit Mr. Clause at the Virginia Theatre in downtown Champaign for free! Stop by the theatre anytime from 5-7, take some pictures, and then go have dinner at one of the wonderful restaurants in the downtown area. You can also visit Santa at Marketplace Mall every day until December 24. Reservations are required and prices start at $39.99 (printed pictures with Santa included.) There is no way to get in the Christmas spirit like seeing Santa! 

Holiday Shopping at Marketplace Mall

One of the special parts of Christmas time is going shopping. There are a plethora of shops in CU, a lot of which are at Marketplace Mall. It is filled with holiday decorations and most stores inside are currently playing Christmas music. Get your holiday shopping done while spending time with your loved one. 

Walk Through and Couple Photos at Winter Nights at Prarie Farm

Winter Nights is open Thursday-Sunday from 5-9 pm until December 31. Walk through Prarie Farm decorated with holiday lights and take some photos while you’re there. On Friday and Saturday nights, there is free hot chocolate for all. Prairie Farm is all outdoors, so make sure to dress warmly.

Hardy’s Reindeer Ranch 

The Reindeer Ranch in Rantoul is a local holiday favorite. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm until December 28. Reindeer Ranch offers reindeer tours for $8, a corn maze, a barn shop, Christmas tree browsing, and more. This is the perfect place to go on a date filled with different activities to get you in the holiday spirit.

Visit Local Cafes and Winter Walk

Cafes are great for getting in the holiday spirit and are also the perfect romantic atmosphere. Grab warm holiday drinks, bundle up, and walk around campus or downtown. A simple walk is great for getting a conversation going with your partner, and having a delicious drink while doing so is even better.

Building Gingerbread Houses

A super fun date that can be done from anywhere is building gingerbread houses! Go to any local store (I recommend Target) and get 2 gingerbread houses. You could see who is the most artistic and have a gingerbread house-making competition, or you can team up with your loved one and build a house together.

Listen to Christmas Music and Drive Through Candlestick Lane

For those who can drive, going for a romantic drive at night can be lots of fun. Collaborate with your significant other to make a playlist of your favorite Christmas songs and crank up the stereo. Candlestick Lane in Urbana is a 50-year tradition in CU, which is lots of fun to drive through. Check out this article from Chambanamoms to see where else to drive by lights.

Ice Skating at UI Ice Arena

Ice skating is a fun way to try new things with your significant other. While ice skating may seem scary, conquer your fears and go skating at the UI Ice Arena. It is open for public skating on certain days, so check out their calendar. It is chilly inside so make sure to bundle up before going. 

Sledding at Local Hills 

Last on this list is sledding. This winter is about to get super snowy, so why not use that to your advantage? Buy a sled big enough for two and hold on tight to your loved one as you experience the joy of the snow. Colbert Park in Savoy, Centennial Hill, and Orchard Downs are all great places to go sledding!

I hope this article was helpful to all couples out there that need some fun date ideas. Even if you are not in a relationship now, you can still have lots of fun doing these things with your friends! Leave a comment on this article if you have any more ideas to share!