By Amy Green

I was very excited about the December date involving going to look at Christmas lights, because that's so romantic, and some of my best memories involve Christmas lights.  Then they come up with this whole gaming themed issue, so I decided to go with the flow, so this month's date will have to do with gaming, and will have nothing to do with a chilly stroll through Christmas lights.  However, if you go on more than one date this month, consider the Christmas lights, that idea is golden.

Here's a little secret I'm going to share with you: As much as girls complain about guys and their video games, they like gaming too.  It's just that they like a different kind of gaming than you do.  They like ski ball, and shooting targets with water in order to make the horses race, or photo booths.  (I know you don't think of a photo booth as a game, but a girl does, she "wins" at the photo booth game when she gets a really cute photo!)

So this week, you're playing games, now if you have the money, feel free to go to a nice arcade where you can buy an unlimited play package, but if you don't have the money, or if you're just a super fun person, print this coupon , good until December 23rd, and go to chuck e. cheese.  All the games there cost just one token, and with the buy 50 tokens get 50 tokens free coupon, each game is going to cost you only 12.5 cents.  (Even their photo booth!)  If you don't get lured into buying pizza this entire date will cost you $12.50.  Now, if you have children, don't think that just because you're going to an arcade, you can bring the kids with you instead of getting a babysitter.  See, taking her to an arcade, just the two of you, will bring out her playful side.  Taking her to chuck e. cheese, with the kids, will bring out her frazzled, stressed out mother side.

This date is high on fun, but low on romance, so that's where you have to get a little bit creative.  First, this months love note will be a hint as to what you're doing.  Write her our a sweet note by filling in the blanks.

Fill-in-the-Blank Love Note

Snow on the ground again, and memories of you and I ______________
Keeping warm together, you always have a way of _______________
I love this time of year and the way you brighten the Holidays by___________
Boredom fades whenever we get to talking about ___________
All my hopes and dreams shared with you, and the little ones that have already come true like ____________
Laughing together about__________ is one of my very favorite things.
Let's make new memories together this winter, memories we will look back on fondly every time the air turns cold.

Now, if any of these lines don't fit your situation, (i.e. you live somewhere it never snows, or this is a first date and you have no "memories") or you just happen to be a great writer, feel free to change anything except for the first letter of each sentence (which, I'm sure you've noticed, spells out skiball.)  If possible, try to keep it to just one line per sentence, so the "SKIBALL" lines up on the left side of the page.  If you're a great writer and are going to write her a novel or something, then just make each paragraph start with the right letter.  Once you've filled in all the blanks, print out your letter, and leave it somewhere she will find it.  Let a few days pass. 

The Gift

Then it's on to step two.  Go buy your tokens with your coupon.  Bring them home and put them in a little box, or a tupperware dish, or any small container.  Wrap it up.  (It's practically Christmas, so I know there are wrapping supplies somewhere around your house.  Write out a little note that says:

Will you go out with me this Saturday?  (Or whatever day you're actually going out) Your first clue to what we're doing on our date was hidden in the note I gave you, your second clue is this gift.  You can shake it all you want, just don't open it, and be sure to bring it with you on our date.

Let her open the gift when you are a few blocks away from the arcade!

Play Time! 

Once you're at the arcade make silly wagers on the games you play, make sure to place a wager on who can make the funniest face in a photo booth photo, and dare each other to ride one of the kiddie rides! The only rule is that you can not ditch her to play some shooting or racing game, if you want to play, you have to convince her to play too!

If you try this date, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and let me know how it went.