50 simple things all couples should do before their 50th anniversary

Cheese alert. What’s wrong with long walks on the beach? There’s no problem with getting romantic once in a while to really feel the love, show the love and breathe it all in. You don’t have to be bursting at the seems with lovey-dovey moves, but spurts of romance have never hurt anyone, which leads me to 50 totally simple tasks every couple should experience together. Worst case, you get some giggles out of it. Best case, you grow from it as a couple.

Let’s begin:

1. Cuddle without sex
2. Have sex without kissing
3. Write a love letter on paper
4. Write poetry for each other (no one said it has to be PG poetry)
5. Actually take long walks while holding hands — today’s busy-bee lifestyle requires it
6. Turn your phones off for a weekend
7. Make up without make-up sex
8. Eat a meal in silence
9. Say “I love you” without expecting to hear it in return
10. Have a naked day in bed
11. Cook a full meal for each other
12. Tell each other what you really think of each other’s family (tread lightly with this one)
13. Get a couples massage (or mud bath, whatever you fancy more)
14. Skinny-dip, even if it’s in your own backyard
15. Make a mixtape of songs that remind you of each other (OK, a Spotify playlist)
16. Have a pizza cook-off. Who creates the best topping concoction?
17. Take a cooking class together
18. Camping weekend! No phones allowed. Go into total tech detox mode.
19. Binge watch an entire show in one weekend together. Get snacks first.
20. Pay a visit to a sex toy shop, if only to talk about what interests you and what doesn’t
21. Talk about what your greatest fear is — really talk about it
22. Try drawing each other (clothing optional)
23. Take a road trip on a Saturday without any prior plans
24. Play “never have I ever”
25. Get a little too drunk at someone else’s wedding
26. Reflect on a piece of marriage advice you wish you never tried to follow (save this one for later in life)
27. Get tattoos together
28. Eat breakfast at the table together before work for a week
29. Swim in secluded waters (a safe location — read: The world’s best secret beaches)
30. Go to couples therapy just for a checkup.
31. Leave a secret Post-it love note somewhere they wont find it right away
32. Buy a small gift just because
33. Confess something you we’re afraid to early on in your relationship
34. Travel abroad to where each of your ancestors were born
35. Hot-air balloon ride
36. Get on the kiss cam — pay someone if you have to (just kidding?)
37. Switch chores for a week (or a month?)
38. Sing karaoke together and switch off picking songs
39. Sneak into a second movie after paying to see one
40. Volunteer together
41. Go star gazing
42. Build a fort and sleep in it
43. Go on a picnic and pack games
44. Take a dance class that’s out of your comfort zone
45. Get a Polaroid camera and create a collage of how adorable you are for your bedroom
46. Spend a day doing all of the other person’s favorite things, and then switch
47. Build something from Pinterest together (challenge yourselves)
48. Swing in a park together
49. Plan two vacations. Each partner gets total reign over planning one trip.
50. Go wine/beer/whisky/vodka tasting together