*This post is done in partnership with Date Night In Box (DNIB), but all thoughts and opinions are 2LWithIt’s*
Date Night In Box (DNIB) is a monthly subscription that sends couples a curated box, complete with a soundtrack, recipes, games, crafts, and thoughtful conversation starters.
Last month I talked about this, but I’ll probably do it every month because it’s worth mentioning: DNIB partners with an organization called Tri-Development Center of Aiken County (TDC). TDC helps individuals with autism, head and spinal cord injuries, and intellectual disabilities, find employment in Aiken, South Carolina. They’re the helpful hands that put together each and every DNIB (and Kids Night In Boxes, too). I love to support companies that give back to their communities, and DNIB is a great example of doing so in their own community.
This month’s theme is “Fall In Love,” which pairs well with all this sweater-weather; that is, if you live in a place that actually gets weather you can wear a sweater with. DNIB’s founder, Megan Pruitt, remarks in her editor’s note included in the box, that her and her team “tried to capture all of the staples of fall and translate them into a date night experience The crispness in the air, the changing seasonal colors, and the delicious fall foods and aromas”…and that they do.
Each month DNIB includes a candle to set the mood, but instead of one that’s already made (Northern Lights has been the brand featured in recent boxes), this box invites couples to make their own! As soon as you open the box, you’ll get a waft of the oatmeal cookie crunch wax melts included in the box. Inside, you’ll also find the wick and amber glass container you will need to make a the candle.
To make the candle, you have melt the wax pieces in a microwave-safe container, then pour it into the glass container with the wick in the middle. Once everything is put together, you then place it in the refrigerator to cool and set.
The only issue we encountered making the candle was when we heated up the container to melt the wax, it was sooo hot we had to use an oven mitt to hold it. When we went to pour the hot wax from the container to the glass container, a good amount of the wax ended up on both the oven mitt and the kitchen counter (oops). We also had to construct a little toothpick contraption to keep the wick centered while it cooled in the fridge (there wasn’t anything in the instructions about how to keep the wick centered). I’m still partial to pre-made candles, but this was still a pretty fun activity to do together!
We were able to make the candle with minimal difficult, but a good amount of the wax ended up on the oven mitt we used to hold the container we melted the wax in (it was sooo hot), and some on the kitchen counter (oops). Also, in order to keep the candle wick centered when it cooled, we had to construct a contraption out of toothpicks and tape to keep it upright. It was a fun experience, but I definitely prefer the pre-made candles from previous DNIB boxes.
Included in this box, you’ll also find some recipes, snacks, (another) crafty activity, and discussion topics.
The optional dinner entree is a Cheddar & Thyme Biscuit Pot Pie, which was a HIT at my house! It’s pretty straight-forward to make, has lots of flavor, and makes for great leftovers. There are also additional recipes included that you can pair with the pot pie if you go to the link included in the monthly pamphlet.
In addition to the candle making activity, this box also has a “wood circle craft,” wherein you and your partner can decorate this piece of wood however you’d like. There is a stamp provided if you’d like to decorate it with thumbprints (we made a heart on the back of ours using each of our thumbs), of you can just write a quote, meaningful dates, or something else on it!
Pair this with the monthly curated DNIB Spotify playlist and the SuperSeedz snack, and your date night in will be on its way! Last, but certainly not least, there’s a bunco dice game included in the box. Personally, I’m not really a fan of games like this, but the way DNIB tweaks it to tie in with the box’s theme is really cute (and I actually enjoyed playing it).
Overall, I’d say that this box definitely delivers cozy fall vibes. The recipes and included snack are well-themed and the discussions dovetail nicely with the activities to encourage couples to explore how they “fell in love.” It’s the little details that made this month’s DNIB such a memorable date night. We can’t wait for next month…a little elf told us it’ll be aptly themed for the upcoming wintry holidays.
There might even be a surprise giveaway to win a DNIB of your own! Details coming soon!
For pricing and more details about the boxes, check out Date Night In’s pages here:
Use code “15OFFNIB” for 15% off all plans (up to a $75 value).