ROARING DATE GUIDE
W e l co m e R OA R I N G TO A
EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Date Night In Box Seekers, Welcome! We hope you’re ready for a rip roarin’ good time because tonight is all about your Great Love. If you are joining us for the first time, greetings! If you have joined us before, we’re so glad to have you back! We have some really spectacular activities and a close-to-life-changing snack for you to enjoy this month. There is something so nostalgic and glamourous about the Roaring Twenties that inspired our team to bring this era to your home for you and your significant other to enjoy. Each month, we give a FREE DATE to a couple who snaps a picture of themselves enjoying their date. To qualify, simply post your photo to Instagram or Facebook using the hashtags #DateNightInBox and #DNIGreatLove. Congratulations to last month’s winners! If you were given this date as a gift, we would LOVE for you to join us again. We offer a variety of plans to fit your needs, and we also have a Kids Night In Box subscription. Simply visit www.nightinboxes.com and use code 15OFFNIB for 15% off all subscription plans. Warmly, Megan Pruitt Founder of Date Night In Box
GOOD TIME DATE ACTIVITES SET THE MOOD COMPLIMENTARY DINNER MENU TABLE TALK MURDER MYSTERY GAME CHOCOLATE MOONSHINE CO. FUDGE TIME CAPSULE GREAT LOVE MEXICAN TRAIN REFLECTION WAYS TO CONTINUE YOUR DATE NIGHT
SET THE MOOD Take a moment to consider the space where your date will occur. Locate your included tealight candle and wine shade. This custom white wine shade can be placed around a white wine glass or narrow glass to elevate the ambiance. Light the tealight inside the glass, dim the lights and get cozy. Warning: do not use wine shade without a glass to protect it, as it is flammable. Don’t forget to access your custom Great Love playlist at datenightinbox.com/great-love.
optional dinner menu GRAB YOUR RECIPE CARD Each month we include custom recipes provided by Marina from (marinamakesblog.com). Our hope is that you will be inspired to use this recipe card again in the future. Enjoy!
BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO MARINA MAKES Hi, guys and gals! The Great Gatsby era has always intrigued me. I’ve always thought of it as spiffy, so much so that my husband and I used 1920s inspiration when planning our wedding. When I think Gatsby, I think swanky parties with lots of yummy cocktail bites. I had a swell time dreaming up this menu - it’s the bee’s knees! I hope you’ll imagine yourself dressed in 1920s garb while enjoying these treats. I’d love to see how your food turns out, so please share pictures of the results on social media; don’t forget to use the hashtag #marinamakeseats. Whoopee!
TABL E TAL K It’s time to sit back and enjoy a little bit of table talk with each other this evening. We hope this light-hearted discussion brings something new to the table in your relationship! A good mystery is hard to come by. Unless you serve as the neighborhood watchman, posted up on your front porch rocker all day, it’s safe to assume that the comings and goings of your neighbors don’t satisfy your quest for a good thrill like they did for Tom Hanks in The ‘Burbs. When you first met, your relationship was all about the mystery! Can she carry a tune? Does she think she can carry a tune?? Is he more like Richard Petty or grandma behind the wheel? What are his passions and dreams, her hopes and fears? As your relationship grew, the mysteries faded into a sweet familiarity – perhaps even too much familiarity in some cases (raise your hand if your bathroom schedule is now public knowledge)? Inviting a little bit of mystery into your relationship can be a fun way to revisit the thrill of those early days. It’s as simple as stepping out of your day-to-day routine and experiencing something new together, like tonight’s date! Challenging yourselves to experience new things will ignite new passions, uncover new fears and build new trust. You are actively giving your partner the opportunity to know you and love you more deeply and truly. However, as you open the door to mystery, what you’ll often find on the other side of the thrill is a beautiful reminder of the sweetness of familiarity.
TO G E T H E R , S C A N T H R O U G H T H I S L I ST A N D D I S C U S S O N E O R T WO M YST E R I E S TO E X P LO R E A S A CO U P L E . O R , F E E L F R E E TO CO M E U P W I T H YO U R OW N ! -- TRY YOUR HAND AT COOKING A NEW TYPE OF CUISINE THAT YOU WEREN’T DRAWN TO AT FIRST GLANCE. -- CONQUER A FEAR (HEIGHTS? SCARY MOVIES? KARAOKE?). -- GO TO A CONCERT, FESTIVAL OR PLAY THAT YOU WOULD NOT TYPICALLY GO TO. -- TAKE A CLASS ON AN UNFAMILIAR TOPIC (EX: DANCING, ART, EXERCISE). -- EXPLORE A NEARBY TOWN YOU DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT.
MURDE R M YST E RY G A ME The 1920s in the United States involved more than just jazz music, speakeasies and elaborate fashion. The booming decade also saw high crime rates and gangster activity. You’re now going to be transported back in time as you play detective and try to crack a cold case!
SETTING Prohibition just passed, forcing nightlife and other illegal activity underground and behind closed doors. A highly frequented speakeasy, The Whitmore, has been under the watchful eye of the police, but with corruption running deep, who knows what side they are on? Two nights ago, Mr. Whitmore, the owner of the speakeasy, was murdered. His body was dumped in the river, and now it’s up to you to figure out where the murder occurred, who dun’ it and how they dun’ it!
DIRECTIONS We drew inspiration from the classic board game Clue® and the classic card game Go Fish to create this Murder Mystery card game! Separate the included cards by category (each category is a separate color): suspect, location and weapon. Shuffle each pile and keep them face down. Without looking, one player should grab the top card from each category deck and place the three cards in the envelope. Now, keeping the cards face down, combine the cards from each stack into one stack and shuffle well. Deal three cards to each player and take turns guessing either the suspect, location or murder weapon that was placed in the envelope (e.g., Player 1: “I believe the suspect is BLANK”). If Player 2 has the suspect (or location or murder weapon) that Player 1 guessed, he or she must reveal it. If Player 2 does not, Player 1 draws from the remaining cards. Take turns guessing the suspect, location and murder weapon. Once one player thinks he or she knows the suspect, location and murder weapon sealed in the envelope, open it and see. If you get all three correct, you win the game! If you are incorrect, the other player guesses the suspect, location and murder weapon. If neither player gets all three correct, you lost the game and the murderer got away with it! Try playing again!
ITEMS NEEDED ◊ Murder mystery cards
◊ Clue sheet notecards
◊ Envelope
C H A RAC T E R L I ST VIRGINIA WHITMORE
FIONA FLAPPER
THE WHITMORE OWNER Since the passing of her husband, Richard, Virginia is now the owner of The Whitmore. Owning The Whitmore brings prosperity and power to Virginia. Some may be questioning if she’s truly mourning her husband’s death.
NOTORIOUS ROB’S GIRLFRIEND Fiona is well known around town and was having a secret affair with with Mr. Whitmore before his passing. Her distress after his murder sent her into the arms of the one and only Notorious Rob.
CHIEF CALLAHAN N OTO R I O U S R O B E RT RA M I R E Z NORTHSIDE MOB BOSS With the rise of organized crime, Rob’s business is booming. Rob’s main hustle has been through The Whitmore, but recently, he found out Mr. Whitmore had been meeting with Southside Sam...
POLICE CHIEF The only man Chief Callahan officially reports to is the mayor, but he’s been having an awful lot of meetings with Southside Sam lately. With corruption running deep, do people really expect him to expose every crime?
F RA N K RA M S E Y
B I L LY B O O Z E
THE WHITMORE BOUNCER Mrs. Whitmore’s nephew and a loyal member of Notorious Rob’s business. Frank has big ambitions, but at what price is he willing to accomplish them?
BOOTLEGGER Everything was running smoothly for Billy until Notorious Rob got served a bad drink and blamed him, even though it wasn’t his fault. Notorious Rob is not to be crossed, and this might be the end of Billy’s bootlegging business unless there’s someone more powerful he can team up with…
SOUTHSIDE SAM SOUTHSIDE MOB BOSS Sam isn’t letting Notorious Rob’s territory claim scare him. Southside Sam knows how profitable The Whitmore can be and is willing to do whatever it takes to run his operation there.
C HOCOL AT E MOON SH IN E co . F u d g e Speaking of the Prohibition era, for this month’s snack, we have fudge from Chocolate Moonshine Co., and it’s the cat’s pajamas! With no actual moonshine in it, the name Chocolate Moonshine came from “madly cooking fudge out of the basement… the pure aroma of chocolate liquor got the neighbors talking.” Enjoy your fudge while you move on to the next activity!
T I M E C A P S U L E
This Date Night In Box might be themed toward the Roaring Twenties, but this next activity is all about capturing the essence of right now. Together, you are going to create a miniature time capsule to remind yourselves of this moment in time. Locate the paper titled “Our Relationship Today” in the smaller box. Begin your time capsule by filling out the prompts on the included card! On the back of the prompt card, feel free to make lists from the ideas below. Additionally, you will find other suggestions for filling your relationship time capsule. LISTS:
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Favorite things Favorite interests Favorite activities enjoyed together Significant events of the year Dream vacation
ONCE YOU COMPLETE THE PROMPTS, GATHER ITEMS TO FILL THE CAPSULE, SUCH AS: -- F a m i l y p h o t o -- F a v o r i t e r e c i p e -- H a n d m a d e i t e m c r a f t e d b y a l o v e d o n e -- F a v o r i t e p o e m , s o n g o r p i e c e o f w r i t i n g -- R e c e n t t i c k e t s t u b s f r o m a n a m u s e m e n t p a r k , m o v i e ,
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concert, game or play Cover of a magazine or newspaper showing the time and trends Old love notes so they have a forever home
PLANNING THE FUTURE OPENING Plan when you’ll open your time capsule! Maybe wait 10 years? Or 20? Whatever you decide, make sure that you mark the date on your capsule box and stick to it. You could even go ahead and put a reminder in your electronic calendar! The more time that passes, the more rewarding it will be when you open it together. Lastly, once you’re happy with your time capsule, place it somewhere. Tuck it away in a corner of your basement or attic. Place it high in the rafters of your garage or at the top of your closet. Be sure to find a good location...just not so good that you lose it!
G REAT LOVE ME XIC AN T RA I N Next up, it’s time to play the dominoes game, Mexican Train! HEAD TO DATENIGHTINBOX.COM/GREAT-LOVE TO VIEW THE INSTRUCTIONS. If you’ve played before, be sure to watch, as our variation might be different than what you’re accustomed to. While many remember the Roaring Twenties for the restriction on alcohol, the United States also tightened laws on gambling, but that made it even more enticing for some! To make tonight’s game a bit more interesting, place a wager on who will win!
Re f l e c t ion Take a moment to reflect on your Great Love Date Night In Box.
DISCUSS THESE QUESTIONS TOGETHER
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What aspect of the date did you enjoy most?
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What did you learn about your relationship?
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How will you use this date to build on your relationship moving forward?
WAYS TO CONTINUE YOUR DATE NIGHT
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Play casino card games (Poker, Blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em, etc.)
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Discover more dominoes games
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Make up your own dance moves in your living room to songs on the included playlist
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Check out your local jazz club or find a local water hole with a jazz music night
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Try out a mixology class for couples
Learn how to dance like they did in the 1920s (view tutorials at datenightinbox.com/great-love)
MOVIES
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The Great Gatsby (2013) Midnight in Paris (2011) Water for Elephants (2011) Bright Young Things (2003) Chicago (2002)
Share t h e Lov e #DATENIGHTINBOX @DATENIGHTINBOX