One of the most common struggles I hear from couples is that they find themselves in a dating rut. They’ve done the same combination of dates hundreds of times: movies, dining in or out, concerts, sporting events, outdoor recreational activities, Netflix binges. Admittedly, finding new and interesting date ideas can be a challenge. As adults, we often get caught up in societally imposed ideas about age-appropriate behavior. What if we set down that baggage and instead were willing to say “yes” to exploring seemingly common ideas in new ways?
Here are some cannabis-specific date ideas you can try with your partner. Before you embark on these adventures, remember to keep safety in mind first — don’t consume and drive!
Get Relaxed at a Cannabis-Friendly Yoga Class
The benefits of yoga cannot be overstated. Toking up before getting bendy can help you relax into your body and feel more present. Additionally, doing this as a couple gives you a shared skill set from which to draw in the future if one of you notices that the other is tense or upset. Imagine saying something like, “It seems like there’s a lot going on for you right now. Can we take a few belly breaths together like we learned in yoga class?” If you live in a major city in a medical or recreational state, you’re likely to find a cannabis-friendly yoga studio on Meetup.
Take a Cannabis Cooking Class Together
These classes are a great way to sharpen your kitchen skills in real time (versus watching the Food Network for hours on end) and to incorporate multiple senses into your date night: touching the ingredients, hearing and smelling the food cooking, watching the instructor’s techniques, and tasting the results. Plus, you can go home and practice in your own kitchen, taking turns as the chef and the cleanup person. Puff, Pass, and Paint offers both cooking and painting classes in Denver, Seattle, and Portland.
Get a Couple’s Massage
The idea of a couples’ massage is nothing new, but incorporating THC-infused lotion is a novel idea. A Denver massage studio, Mile High Massage, offers solo and couples’ massage packages. The recipient can choose from three lotions: two unmedicated, one medicated. According to its website, Mile High offers Apothecanna’s Pain Crème, which is “infused with THC and CBD, as well as Arnica, Peppermint and Juniper. As a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, this lotion is the perfect tool for deep, therapeutic work. As the THC does not enter the bloodstream, there are no psychoactive effects- just soothing, cooling sensations and immediate relief from pain. This is a great way to experience marijuana’s healing properties!”
Mile High also offers solo or couples’ booking options, which is helpful because some people vocalize loudly during massages while others fall immediately asleep and snore.
Go to Your Local Planetarium Show
Growing up, my school district had a planetarium at one of the high schools. I have fond memories of sitting back in the cozy seats and staring up at the ceiling in wonder as the stars and planets shifted above me. One of the oft-repeated stoner tropes is the idea of getting high and contemplating the universe–this gives you the chance to do it while observing the cosmos. Afterwards, you and your sweetie can share your profound observations.
Go Fly a Kite
No, seriously. I mean, get high first, but then go fly a kite. This is an activity that you can do anywhere there’s open space and a bit of wind. Pick up a kite at the dollar store, take a drive out into nature, medicate, and have a blast together. You can compete to see who’s better at doing tricks, who keeps their kite in the air the longest, who crashes the hardest, really anything.
Cultivating a playful attitude with one’s partner is a great way to deepen intimacy and reduce stress. In 2011, a student at the University of Illinois completed their Master’s thesis on playfulness and stress, and found “that playful individuals reported lower levels of perceived stress than their less playful counterparts. Furthermore, playful individuals more frequently utilized adaptive, stressor-focused coping strategies and were less likely to employ negative, avoidant, and escape-oriented strategies.”
What are some cannabis-friendly or focused date options in your city? Share your fun ideas in the comments?
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Image Source:Eugenides Foundation via Wikimedia Commons
