Christmastime is almost here, which means that there are tons of cliché dates about to happen.

That’s not a bad thing. Cliché dates are really fun, but I think it’s time we spice up holiday dating this year.

Whether you are planning a date for your girlfriend of one year or looking for an activity for that nerve-wracking, first date, think outside of the box and check out some of these ideas:

Charity

Find an Angel Tree or take part in a Sub for Santa together. Go Christmas shopping together and see who can wrap presents the best. You can also visit a soup kitchen, a hospital or a homeless shelter and volunteer for an hour or two. Giving back will be an awesome way to warm your hearts, as well as getting to know the softer side of each other.

Hot chocolate tasting party

There are so many different flavors of hot chocolate, along with an array of syrups, creamers, marshmallows and candies you can mix into this delicious Christmas drink. Have a little fun and experiment with lots of different flavors. Have a contest and see who can mix up the most delicious concoction.

Lip-sync

If both you and your date are super outgoing, make a silly lip-sync video to your favorite Christmas song. Deck yourselves out with some costumes and whip out that camera. You could make a group date out of this to see which couple can come up with the funniest video.

Although not everyone will love this idea, it can be a great way to learn just how outgoing your date is.

Pay Santa a little visit

I do realize that we are not 6 years old anymore, but it could still be really fun to go to a mall and sit on Santa’s lap. You could even take a picture with him. Some may find this humiliating, but perhaps it will be this very embarrassing moment that will make your date fall hopelessly in love with you.

Do a scavenger hunt

This is another great idea for a group date. Come up with a list of Christmas-esque things and go on a wild goose chase around town trying to find them. Some examples could be a house with pink Christmas lights, a store that has an elf in the window, a family Christmas caroling, you get the gist.

Decide on a place and time to meet up with the other couples and report on your progress. You could find some very interesting stories coming out of this scavenger hunt.

There is a Frank Sinatra song that says, “It’s that time of year when the world falls in love.” Perhaps you won’t fall in love on your Christmas date, but nonetheless, this time of year allows for some pretty awesome memories.