where someone actually said you could stay in and still have a romantic time together? Does the idea of that scare you? Or are you so used to the dinner and DVD routine that you haven’t given romance in your living room (or any room for that matter) a second thought?

Here are some tips for turning those days and nights at home into proverbial windows of opportunities.

Saving Romance at Home

First and foremost, turn off the television. Unless you’ve both agreed specifically to a “movie date,” hide the remote and unplug the DVD player. Yes it’s scary, but it has to be done.

Here are some more ideas to consider.
Sift through old photos together. Reminiscing can get you thinking about how you first met or memorable events that you shared together. Assemble a photo album. Make this an ongoing project.

Play a game. Really, play a game. Checkers or Candyland probably won’t cut it, but what about one of those great Gen X faves like Life or Careers? What the heck, how about a game of Battleship or Risk? You can cringe and laugh at the same time. Just don’t be a sore loser, unless that somehow adds to your fun.

Here’s something very Victorian but a never-miss. Read to each other. Preferably not someone’s blog or an op-ed in the New York Times. Read from your favorite novel, a book of poetry or even a movie or theatrical script. Take turns reading the characters. Yes it sounds corny, but once you get past the awkwardness, you’ll be a couple of hack actors having a blast in your living room.

Cook together. Try one of our Recipe Decks and see how things pan out in the kitchen. A little cooperation, a little seasoning, some aggressive chopping and just a bit of sizzling can go a long way. And, on top of that, you might just have a great meal.

Talk about something completely unrelated to your daily routines. Just for a little while abandon the following topics: work, money, children, and anything else that might make a vein pop out of your forehead. Instead, talk about what you really wanted to be when you grew up, or plans for the future. Fantasize together about dreams you may have.

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