Although the clocks have turned back and any remaining 5pm sunlight is disappearing fast, November is still included in our favourite orange-leafed, should-I-or-shouldn't-I-wear-a-coat season. Halloween was 16 degrees this year... And if October 31st is the temperature equivalent of a mild British summer's day, you'd be forgiven for thinking that winter is a long way off.
Having said that, it is only seven Fridays until Christmas...
BUT, instead of letting that incite gift-panic in our readers, we want to gift you with some date inspiration for the oncoming winter months so you can have something novel to plan and look forward to. And if you were worrying that all the eligible men/women are hibernating for the season, think again... This will actually give them all the more time to be perusing your HelloYou profile. So if there were ever a time to get out there... It's now!
Ice Skating
I apologise upfront if you're not a fan; ice-skating can be a bit of a marmite love-it-or-hate-it activity.
Ice Skating
I apologise upfront if you're not a fan; ice-skating can be a bit of a marmite love-it-or-hate-it activity.
We've all been there.
However, if you are someone capable of doing a hands free circuit of the rink, skating can be a very romantic date. Plus, you can always hold your partner's hand if you're a little unsteady on your feet and even hope that they'll catch you if you fall? Our top picks are the Natural History Museum for a pretty and cheerful date, the Tower of London for romantic and historical atmosphere (everyone's fave) and Somerset House for, let's be honest, the best of all worlds. If you need even more choice, there's a rink on the Southbank beneath the London Eye: Eyeskate (romantic and punny), as well as at East London's Winterville, which deserves its own entry in the date idea diary...
Winterville and Winter Wonderland
Winterville is a less clichéd version of Winter Wonderland, but the old Hyde Park favourite still deserves a mention. Despite being increasingly and unacceptably pricey, Winter Wonderland gives the German 'Weihnachtsmarkt' feeling that you just can't quite access anywhere else within the M25. Even if you simply go for a hot chocolate and a walk around, it'll imbue you with the spirit of Christmas like nothing else can.
Winterville is another pop up Christmas town in Victoria Park; more intimate, creative and arguably better than its more widely known Wonderland rival in West London. Expect Christmas market stalls (where you can actually purchase gifts), Street Food traders scattered all over the site, craft ales in the bars and a food market selling fresh produce you can take away. There are rides, games (crazy golf) and even a cinema showing both christmassy and non-festive films... What's not to love?
The outdoor cinema season might be over, but the dinner and a movie date is eternal, so why not head to the opposite end of the spectrum and watch a movie underground? The atmospheric tunnels under Waterloo have been transformed into a luxurious, velvet-seated cinema tailored to fit all your dating needs (by which I mean they serve cocktails). The programme is a mix of classics (‘Casablanca’, ‘Some Like it Hot’), recent hits (‘Amy’, ‘Jurassic World’), and shameless cheese (‘Spice World’, ‘Dirty Dancing’). Tickets are £15. What are you waiting for?
The deliciousness of mulled wine is a truth universally acknowledged, and Covent Garden's Mulled Wine Festival is taking this to the next level with its menu of mulled everything: cider, mead, ice cream, sweets, jelly shots and, naturally, a LOT of wine. It starts on November 12, the same night as Covent Garden switches on its new Christmas lights, so if you get your act together quickly you could combine it with a romantic stroll through the atmospheric side streets of Central London. The event's been organised by Yelp so you'll be required to check into their app to enter for free (or donate £10 to charity).
Indoor Skiing
All the fun with none of the hassle of trekking to somewhere where it actually snows. Indoor skiing transports you to the Swiss slopes for an afternoon of alpine frivolity with your sure to be impressed date.
Ice Bar
This may not be the best value for money but it's worth it for the experience and it certainly makes for a pretty chilled date. You're given a santa-inspired, fur-hooded cloak before entering the sub-zero environment of ice sculptures and ice glasses; the only thing that won't be icy is the atmosphere between you and your date.
Pretend You're Snowed In
If it actually snows this year, London's weak management of any unusual weather will probably ensure that you physically can't get to work through the 2mm of sludge that settles across the capital. But even if it doesn't snow, snuggling in by the fire is inevitably romantic and possibly the cosiest of all winter dates. Get a fire going if you have one, and follow a candlelit dinner with toasted marshmallows and mulled anything; your date will be smitten.
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