Who says you can’t still have a romantic night?
Every year, you may look forward to the magical moment on New Year's Eve when you get to kiss your partner as the clock strikes midnight. But going into 2022, your romantic comedy-esque plans might look a bit different: think dressing up, pouring a drink, and having a virtual date with your love instead. These virtual date ideas for New Year's Eve will ensure the night is still a total blast, despite having to say "Cheers!" through a screen.
Although you may not get the adrenaline rush of spending a night out on the town, a virtual date could be the safest option for both you and your partner. As new strains of the virus put pressure on people to play it safe, stay indoors, and hold off on travel this holiday season, there are plenty of virtual date ideas that will still make for a memorable NYE inside the house.
Regardless of physical proximity, you can still put on your favorite party dress, play games, and have the most romantic and memorable New Years with your boyfriend or girlfriend. Before calling your SO on FaceTime or Zoom, you'll just want to gather up some card games, hang up disco balls in your camera's view, and even pull out any kazoos you have laying around. A karaoke machine or microphone is not totally required, but it could also spice up these virtual New Year's Eve date ideas.
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You and your partner may be ringing in 2022, but that doesn't mean you can't jam out to tracks like "Beautiful" by Akon and "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé. In fact, you should bond over the hits of the 2000s by grabbing a karaoke microphone ($34, Walmart), putting on a playlist from Spotify, and sharing the lyrics to each song on your screen. At the end, rate your top artists from the era.
What's sweeter than taste-testing ice cream with your partner over FaceTime or Zoom? Few date ideas are likely this cute and easy to plan. To prepare, tell your partner to pick up five pints of ice cream, in different flavors and from different brands. Make sure you do the same, and then share your true feelings about each one.
In the depths of your camera roll, you have so many memories and inside jokes documented. On New Year's Eve, revisit all of the good times you've had with your love by going on a photo hunt. Prior to your date, make a list of things to "hunt" for, like a picture of the pizza you ate on your first date, a selfie from a trip you went on together, or a screenshot of a text you sent to each other. When on FaceTime or Zoom, see who can track down a picture for that category the fastest. Then, reminisce.
No holiday celebration is complete without good food. If you and your partner are self-proclaimed foodies who love going out to new restaurants, then learn how to make sushi on New Year's Eve. Shop for supplies in advance like a bamboo rolling mat ($4, Amazon), a pack of seaweed, and imitation crab. Take photos of the final results to commemorate your date night.
A feel-good show like Friends can add some immaculate vibes to your virtual date. So, waste no time streaming the episodes where Ross and Monica do "The Routine," or the crew gathers for a Thanksgiving feast. If you're feeling a little adventurous, see if you can guess the lines coming up, or try learning "The Routine" with your partner over FaceTime or Zoom.
Thanks to TikTok's "duet" feature, you and your partner don't have to be in the same room to film a trendy dance. Together, you can simply learn the moves and film your individual videos. Then, you can put the videos together using the app, and share your in-sync moves with the world.
If your partner's love language is getting and receiving gifts, it's a no-brainer that you need to paint watercolor postcards ($49, Etsy) during your date on New Year's Eve. This activity is a romantic one because you get to send the cards afterwards, along with a heartfelt message and your homemade design. Your SO also gets to look forward to receiving your card and keeping it for years to come.
When you were kids, you and your partner may have played video games like Temple Run and Club Penguin. Take a note out of Emma Chamberlain's playbook — and one of her vlogs where she plays nostalgic games — and see what those games are like now that you're an adult. See if you remember all the trick moves and secret codes for a New Year's Eve that is both nostalgic and exciting.
Are you curious about what's in store for you and your partner in the new year? During your New Year's Eve virtual date, do a tarot card reading via Airbnb's Online Experiences. For $60 per person, you and your partner can tune into a session with Mak, who is a witch and intuitive consultant.
To play this game, it’s up to you and your SO to make your way through the alphabet, each coming up with something from the past year that begins with each letter — everything from memes to major events to hit songs and more.
As an example, for the letter B you might write “Bennifer,” as the iconic couple of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reunited this year. Or you could go for “Olivia Rodrigo takes over the world” for the letter O, because let’s be honest, she really did. This game is a fun and creative way to get your memories flowing about all that happened in the past year. You might be surprised to find out what stuck in your SO’s mind as momentous in 2021.
You may not be wandering around the streets of New York City this year, but you and your partner can still host your own ball drop. To do so, you'll need a disco ball, a bunch of confetti, and a decided-upon song to listen to at midnight. When the clock strikes 12, make a plan to drop the disco ball, while your partner makes noise with kazoos and clinks a champagne glass to the camera lens.
Being apart doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate together by popping a bottle of champagne — or maybe even a few. You can pick up your favorite bottles of bubbly ($22, Drizly), everything from classics to splurges and bottles to cans. Put all of the champagnes head to head to find out which one reigns supreme as the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration drink. By the end of the flight, you both should be in quite the giddy mood.
Reminisce on all of the music that came out and filled your ears in the past year with a game of name that tune with your partner. Simply put together (or find) a playlist of songs from 2021 on Spotify and shuffle through. Whoever can name the songs and artists quickest gets to take the title of music aficionado going into the new year — but there’s always next year for a rematch.
What better way to enter a new year than by learning something new? Whether it’s learning how to cook a meal, how to be a comedian, or how to mix a great cocktail, you and your SO can learn a new skill taught by an incredibly knowledgeable professional through a MasterClass yearly subscription ($180, MasterClass). Starting off the new year with a new hobby will definitely give you both a positive outlook going into 2022.
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