Date Night in a Box

You've probably seen ads for those date adventure books, the ones where you scratch off your date idea and take a photo for the book? Well, I was given another option by my targeted ads that I actually find much easier. Happily is a company that will send you a box each month, of supplies for a date night. It usually consists of some kind of treat you can make together, a fun activity and questions about each other based on the activity you're doing.

I always thought this was a fun idea, and helpful to not plan a date for once. But I was a bit skeptical, as I am about almost all ads, about the quality of the dates we'd be going on. It's hard to be sure you'll both be interested and willing to spend that amount of time together doing an activity you've never done. Difficult as it may be, it was really fun to sit down and try new things together.

Our first date box arrived just before Christmas, and I was immediately surprised by the thoughtfulness of the packaging. In each box you receive, upon opening the box, you find a list of any extra items you'll need for the date. Usually it's something you already have in the house, like oil or butter or some kind of topping. That way, you can prepare for your date and not see what you're doing. My husband and I are too impatient to wait that long, but it's something I hadn't thought about when we first bought it.

Happily also includes everything you need for each date, down to a personalized playlist for the specific date you were sent. The questions they include, are a little bit more surface level for those who have been married and know each other pretty well, but they were still fun to talk through for a few minutes before we began our date. Your dates are personalized based on a quiz you take about your relationship. For example, we usually have the most fun when we're competitive. So in these first few months, we've received boxes that have games or exciting competitions.

We thoroughly enjoy our box every month. However, there are several different options they have for enjoying each other's company. They have a book called You + Me that allows you to write down and create memories together. They're creating an app that allows you to plan a date night, get recommendations from other couples, and give you conversation starters for the ride. If you don't like the idea of an entire box, you can get a digital datebox that sends you an email with a fun planned date idea. Lastly, they've made a wedding planner, and love note cards to send to your partner.

Typically I wouldn't spend much on something like this, and for what it's worth, it's quite inexpensive. Happily costs $39.99 if you buy monthly, $36.99 for 3 months in advance, and $32.99 per month if you buy for 6 months in advance. I received an offer of $28.00 per month for our first three months through their ad on Instagram, and I will say, we will be continuing to pay at the full price soon.

Their dates are unique, and not boring in the slightest. Our most recent date box included a set of "World Records" that we had to compete to beat. We competed against each other, and against the record. It's something we would've never thought about doing on our own, but now we might continue to try to see how many M&Ms we can eat with chopsticks. Some of them are silly, but they bring you together more than eating at the same place for dinner every Friday night.

It's crazy to think that something as silly as an Instagram ad changed our relationship, but it did. We've learned so much about each other, and created the best memories using something we would've never thought to buy before. It feels like we're buying memories, instead of buying another dinner, another movie ticket, or another drink at the bar. Happily's motto is "Your Relationship Matters", and it truly does. Invest in it, and continue to laugh together.