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Catholic Date Ideas: November's Eucharist and Gratitude Challenge
- Stacy Halbach
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Healthy Catholic Marriages have frequent dates!
Research shows, married couples who regularly date, are less likely to consider divorce, more likely to have more romance and report better sex lives, communicate better, and enjoy marriage more! So we have decided to challenge you to AT LEAST one date a month! Need some ideas? Keep reading!
November's Date Night Ideas that focus on Eucharist and Gratitude
I'm not sure about you, but I believe most of life's problems can be solved with one little virtue: Gratitude.
Marriage is so hard and can be very demanding! I have heard from hundreds of married couples who are struggling in their marriage. I'm not saying that saying "thank you" more will fix some of the deeper issues of marriage, but I am saying gratitude always makes things better. Always.
What is gratitude and why is it important in my marriage?
But what is gratitude exactly? And how does one practice this virtue? Especially in marriage?
According to this, "The virtue by which a person acknowledges, interiorly and exteriorly, gifts received and seeks to make at least some return for the gift conferred. Essentially gratitude consists of an interior disposition, a grateful heart, but when genuine it tries somehow to express itself in words and deeds. Consequently it includes three elements: acknowledgment that a gift has been received, appreciation expressed in thankfulness, and as far as possible some return for what has been freely given with no obligation on the donor's part."
Basically, gratitude is when you think about the good things in your life, both in yourself and around you, thank the source of those blessings (God), and let the happiness of reception motivate you to act on behalf of the other.
Steps for gratitude within marriage
Step one is to acknowledge all the good things.
What is going well?
What do you love about yourself?
What do you enjoy about married life?
What do you love about your spouse?
Step two is to thank God for your spouse and for your marriage.
Consider offering up your Eucharist in thanksgiving for your spouse.
Consider attending a holy hour each week for your marriage.
Pray a rosary for your spouse. Consider this guide.
Step three is to let those feelings of gratitude flood your heart and propel you toward service of other.
What's your spouse's love language? Consider doing something for them at least daily in their love language.
Think about a gift or talent God has blessed you with, and use it at the service of your spouse.
Do something sacrificial for your spouse and EXPECT NOTHING IN RETURN.
Date Night Ideas about Gratitude
Choose one of the following ideas and schedule a date night for November!
1. Grateful Hearts Dinner
Theme: Giving thanks for God’s blessings in your marriage.
Plan:
Share a candlelit dinner (either out or at home).
Each spouse brings a short written list of 10 things they’re grateful for about the other.
Take turns reading them aloud.
End the evening by praying together the Litany of Gratitude in Marriage
Optional Touch: Have a small “gratitude jar” where you each write one blessing from the night to revisit later in the year.
2. Eucharistic Gratitude Night
Theme: Gratitude flowing from the Eucharist (which means “thanksgiving”).
Plan:
Attend Mass or Adoration together in the evening.
Afterward, go for coffee, dessert, or a quiet walk.
Discuss: “Where have we most experienced God’s grace as a couple this year? or "What's your favorite thing about being married to me?"
Optional Touch: Bring a small journal to record your reflections as a couple — you can revisit it monthly or yearly.
3. Memory Lane Gratitude Walk
Theme: Remembering God’s faithfulness through your shared story.
Plan:
Visit meaningful places from your relationship (first date spot, wedding church, etc.).
At each stop, share one thing you’re grateful for from that season of life.
End with a prayer of thanksgiving, asking God to continue to bless your journey.
Optional Touch: Take a photo at each stop and create a “Gratitude Map” afterward.
Open Date with Monthly Check In Questions
Whatever you decide to do, try and discuss the following things as ice breakers at dinner, at home after kids fall asleep, during a walk, in the car after you’ve grabbed hot cocoa, or in front of the fireplace with a bottle of wine or a cup of tea!
Have you felt loved by me over this last month? Why or why not?
What can I do to love you better? (See another month's challenge about Love Languages!)
Do you have any prayer intentions I could pray for over the next month?
What has been your favorite memory or thing that happened over the last month?
What was the worst thing?
What is one thing you are looking forward to in the coming month?
Before the date ends, be sure to schedule your next date night together!
We pray you fall deeper in love with your spouse this month and enjoy this intentional time together!
Want more Support for Catholic Marriage?
Wondering How to pray with your spouse? Check out this eBook, How to Create a Prayer Routine as Husband and Wife to help you and your spouse either refresh your current prayer life or to jump start a customized prayer routine together!
How to Pray for Your Marriage using the Luminous Mysteries : this free eBook download is great for husband and wife to reflect on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary and how they relate to Marriage, guiding you to pray for your marriage as you pray them!
We challenge you to a date each month with our date night challenge! Looking for a date night in? Check out the Catholic Family Movie Night discussion prompts for the movie Groundhog Day!