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Creating Memories and Traditions As A Couple #Marriage

When you find your perfect match, doing things together can help bring you closer together. Whether you believe that the couple that prays together stays together, plays together stays together, or any variation thereof, the truth is that couples who enjoy doing things together are more likely to last. Developing comfortable routines, making great memories, and creating traditions you share and enjoy together can be just what you need to always stay both friends and in love.

One of the biggest problems in marriage is either or both partners develop outside interests that separate them for large amounts of time. Having separate interests is absolutely fine, but there should also be things you enjoy doing together, whether daily, weekly, or annually- ideally all three. From eating dinner together each night while chatting about your day, to hosting an annual New Year bash with all your friends and family, the things you do together and look forward to as your play time can be the glue that keeps you from growing apart over the years.

What are some ideas for fun and bonding routines that can help bring you closer to your husband or wife, and at the same time create memories that you will always look back on as “the fun times”?

Making Memories For A Happy Marriage

1. Weekly date night- relaxing together and looking forward to a date all week (and seeing your spouse as the source of that relaxation and enjoyment) is a terrific way for couples to keep going strong. Getting away from the children at least one night a week allows you to be a couple, and not just parents.

2. Exercise together- exercising can be boring or difficult when doing it alone, but taking walks with your husband can be a great way to motivate each other and get healthy at the same time. Having a partner can make exercise seem like less work, and you may get turned on by each other’s fitter shapes too *wink*.

3. Join an activity group together- do you both like to read? Bowl? Ski? There are groups, leagues, events for pretty much every hobby, and you can have a blast together while doing things you both really love. This is a way to grow closer together over the years, instead of each of you getting lost in your own hobbies.

4. Spend time together in a more meaningful way each week- whether it be to go to church together, volunteer together, etc, an activity that boosts your spirits and makes you feel good about yourself can also remind you of the value of your marital bond when the going gets tough, and inspire you to respect your spouse as a human being more as well.

5. Eat together for at least one meal a day- whether you start your days together at the breakfast table, or end them together in the evening, there is nothing that brings anyone closer (friends, family, couples) than breaking bread together. Eating at the same table is actually a very intimate act, and having this time together daily is a way to reconnect, no matter how busy the rest of your day is. Making holidays meal special with a little thought and creativity is another great tradition that you can look forward to year after year to show your spouse how important creating a warm and happy home together is to you.

6. Connect throughout the day, whether by phone, text, or email, and keep each other part of important events you both couldn’t be at by videotaping it for your spouse. In general, making sure you both communicate and share on a regular basis and aren’t missing out on important things together is a way to make sure a spouse that works a lot or travels for work always feels close.

7. Each year for your anniversary, rewatch your wedding video together, peruse your wedding albums, reminisce about how you met, how he proposed. Taking a walk down memory lane together to look fondly on happy times in the past will make you both feel great about each other in the present too.

8. Travel together- whether you take weekend trips to the mountains or an annual family vacation, exploring the world together and experiencing new things together can be invigorating for your relationship, and the fact you are doing it together is another tie you share. It can actually hurt a marriage for one spouse to constantly travel and experience the world while the other is at home. Unless it’s work-related business trips, don’t make a habit of taking fun, relaxing trips without each other. Having a tradition of an annual trip is a very fun adventure to look forward to.

9. A before bed routine- showering together, snuggling up together to watch a favorite show, doing a crossword together after dinner, basically relaxing and decompressing together before bedtime, is another great way to reconnect, and a great habit to establish as a couple.

10. Have a game night- whether together or with a group of other couples joining in, a weekly or monthly game night is a terrific way to blow off some steam and have fun. Many couples have a lot of fun playing various board games or video games together, and strengthen their bond by having a social network of couples who join in on game nights. Competing together against other couples also makes you feel like more of a team.

If you have any other activities or traditions you share with your spouse, feel free to share them with us!

Here are the Happy Marriage meme rules:
1. You can not be mean to your spouse, speak harshly to or criticize your spouse, neglect your spouse, roll your eyes at your spouse, or in any way interact negatively with your spouse, from sun up ’til sun down.
2. You must greet your spouse sweetly, with a smile and kisses hello and goodbye, and ask about his or her day. You must listen to their answer before interrupting or talking about yourself.
3. Don’t badmouth your spouse today, to anyone, at any time, for any reason.




  • We do a lot of these. We exercise together, we go to church together, we eat together at least once a day, we constantly stay in contact throughout the day, etc.

  • Kelly

    My husband and I try to do a lot of these too. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone, but I would never want to vacation separately from my spouse. Being with my husband makes everything more enjoyable and I just can’t imagine it working. I love playing games but other than computer games, my husband doesn’t like to play so that’s an area to work on for us. And when the weather cools down some, hopefully we’ll get back into our nightly routine of taking walks together as a family!

  • You are awesome Penelope! I wish I could have a date night weekly we do try once a month though, so that is good. We talk nightly after the kids go to bed about thoughts, if anything is bothering us and so on. We do a shower once in a while as well;)

  • Shop with Me Mama (Kim)

    We do a lot of these things too. But, it is tricky too. My hubby works 2pm to 1:30am, so being together and having US time, is REALLY hard to do, but we manage believe it or not 🙂

  • Pam

    We don’t have a date night weekly but we do a lot of these things together. We talk a lot during the day and we eat, exercise, and go to church together whenever our work schedules don’t conflict. We met when I was 18 so we have had lots of time together. 🙂

  • HilLesha

    Great post! Your posts are always inspiring. 🙂

  • Karen of 3G2S

    What great tips! All good things to shoot for, especially for those who have such busy and hectic lives.

  • How fun would taking dance lessons together be?

  • Jenn

    Thanks for the great tips! I’m going on year 10 of my marriage and I have used most – if not all – of the tips you suggested. Marriage is hard work, but the payoff is worth it!

  • Jessica

    Penelope, I love these!! It’s amazing when you see couples that do things like this and you can think, “oh they just have a better relationship,” when in reality it really is about making a conscious decision to invest in yourselves. Love the Monday memes (even if I didn’t get to read it until Wednesday!)