Huron Expositor, 2014-12-31, Page 13WORST: HOLIDAY SHOPPING
Wednesday, December 31, 2014 • Huron Expositor 13
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I!
Best and worst ho iday date ides
SIMONE
PAGET
@by_simone
The lights. The music. Chilly
evenings spent cozied up by
the fire. There's no doubt that
the holiday season marks one
of the most romantic times
of the year. However, just
because love and joy are in
the air, doesn't mean you can
phone it in when it comes to
dating. Along with being one
of the most romantic times of
year, it's also one of the busi-
est. Whether you're in a long-
term relationship or hoping
to impress a new love interest,
the key to getting the most out
of this romantic time of year is
to plan ahead.
As my holiday present to
you, here are some of the best
and worst holiday date ideas.
Choose wisely my friends.
BEST: ROMANTIC
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
'Tis the season to get outside
and enjoy simple pleasures.
Go ice skating together. Enjoy
a sleigh or carriage ride while
huddled under a blanket. Grab
a few eggnog lattes and go
for an evening walk to look at
all the lights. Embrace all of
these cliches, after all, there's a
reason why these activities have
become that: They're sweet,
romantic and actually really
nice.
Have you been in a mall during
the holidays? No, really — have
you?! Every time I go to my
local multi-level mall during the
holidays and look at the masses
of shoppers being shuttled up
and down the escalators, I'm
reminded of how much the
place looks like an out of control
ant farm for humans. Add in the
pushing, the shoving and the
non-stop Christmas music and
it's enough to make even the
sanest shopper feel on edge.
This is where romance goes to
die. By resisting the urge to kill
two birds with one stone, you'll
save your relationship and your
sanity.
BEST: ENJOY A COZY DINNER
OR DRINKS AT A SECLUDED
BISTRO
Although it's fun and exciting to
indulge in everything the season
has to offer, getting away from
all of the festivities can also
be incredibly romantic. Plan a
romantic night out for just the
two of you at a quiet restaurant
or bar. Away from all of the
hubbub, you'll be able to relax
and focus on each other.
ORST: TURNING YOUR DATE
INTO AN ERRAND RUNNING
MISSION
There's nothing worse than
planning to spend time with
someone only to have them say,
"Before we go for dinner we just
need to do these three things."
Contrary to what you may think,
getting your date to accompany
you while you pick up parcels
from the post office or get your
winter tires changed is anything
but romantic. Even if you've
been together a really long time,
a successful date means setting
aside some time where you're
just focused on each other —
regardless of the time of year.
BEST: A QUIET NIGHT IN
Grab some wine, a cheese plate
and cue Love Actually on the
TV. When all else fails, you can't
Gwyneth Paltrow
discusses tantric
sex on website
Gwy Paltrow
has shocked fol-
lowers of her lifestyle web-
site Goop by posting an
introduction to 'tantric' sex.
The Iron Man star,
who split from her hus-
band Chris Martin earlier
this year, gave fans details
of the prolonged method
of intercourse, famously
go wrong with a quiet relaxing
night in — especially during the
holidays.
ORST: SURPRISING YOUR
DATE AT A FAMILY FUNCTION
Dealing with our families,
although enjoyable, can also
be a major source of stress
for some people. If the person
you're dating has set aside
time to spend with their
family without you — respect
that. Chances are they aren't
ready to introduce you to
their family's unique brand
of insanity. Showing up
somewhere uninvited is a first
class ticket to "Awkwardville."
I discovered this when a guy I
had gone on three dates with
decided to show up to one of
my family's gatherings out
of the blue. Don't let the first
impression you make on your
love interest's family be, "Who
the heck is this person?!"
favoured by singer Sting.
The post on the Goop
website, which is titled "An
Introduction To Tantra'
begins, "Mention tantra,
and you'll probably get the
response that having sex for
seven hours sounds really
unappealing — as mytholo-
gized by an off -hand Sting
quote from 1990 that still
dominates the entire con -
MEET THE
PARENTS
According to a recent
Match.com survey, 39% of
Canadian singles believe the
holidays are the best time to
bring a new partner home
to mom and dad. If you feel
you're ready to for your family
to meet the person you're
dating, Canadian relationship
expert Kimberly Moffit says
it's important to prepare your
partner. "Before heading home
for holiday dinner, give your
partner a crash course in your
family's dynamics. Teach your
partner your family members'
names and holiday traditions.
This can help prepare them for
what's ahead and ultimately
make them feel more
comfortable:'
versation about this ancient
practice. So, what exactly is
tantra? We were surprised
to find that it's not actually
about sex at all -or specifi-
cally, not at all about sex-
ual technique. It's really
about the bedrock of inti-
macy -and re-establishing
sexual polarity, or in lay-
men terms, sexual tension:'
— WENN