The scene is clearly painted. All of us endless romantics hope to meet a special someone just before the holidays so we can enjoy magical dates under the Christmas lights and snowfall.

While living in Utah, we are treated with several opportunities for holiday dating and winter fun.

Although I do believe there are a few men and women who possess endless dating expertise, I know that the vast majority of us are always looking for clever ideas for fun dates and experiences that we can use to woo our significant others or love interests. We are all different in our values and ideas of fun, but it can never hurt to receive some ideas just before the holiday season.

Arguably, the most universal idea of a good time for the holidays is going to see the Christmas lights with your significant other. This is always a great time because we get to enjoy the presence of the one we value most while seeing the extravagant lights and decorations and enjoying delicious hot chocolate.

There’s the annual Christmas Village in Ogden, which lights up in late November and lasts until after Christmas. At the village, small houses are set up along the sidewalks of downtown Ogden, featuring holiday themes and supporting local businesses in the process.

Christmas Village is also nestled right next to the Ogden Amphitheater, which will host many holiday events and concerts. The kickoff parade for Christmas Village will take place on Nov. 30.

For the fitness freaks who love to work out, I would suggest participating in the annual Santa Fun Run 5k. You and your date, who may share a love of working out, can run in this event while dressed up in Santa Claus attire. In past years, participants all received milk and cookies following the race. It is a unique and healthy dating experience and will allow you to catch your date off guard (in a good way). The 5k will take place in downtown Ogden on Nov. 30 at 4:30 p.m.

Another fun idea for the fitness lovers would be hitting the slopes of Utah to enjoy “the greatest snow on Earth.” We are very lucky to have several resorts in the Ogden area, and what better way to have fun with your significant other than taking your snowboards/skis up to Snowbasin or Powder Mountain and enjoying some runs on the mountain and a romantic shared cup of hot chocolate in the lodge between runs? Both resorts usually open up around the start of December, and host both day riding and night riding. Snowbasin is aiming to open on Thanksgiving day.

For the lovebirds who like to stay at home and enjoy each other’s company, I would suggest watching Christmas movies such as “The Polar Express” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” It creates a very cozy feel when you watch Christmas movies around the holidays while sitting by the fire or being lit by only the lights on the Christmas tree.

This is a very inexpensive date idea, as it only takes a dollar to rent a movie currently, and you will only spend a few bucks stocking up on hot chocolate and Christmas candy to snack on.

Lastly, for the nightlife enthusiasts, I would suggest grabbing a bite to eat with your date at local pizza shop The Lucky Slice before heading across the street to comedy club Wiseguys to enjoy some comedic entertainment. The Lucky Slice has some amazing pizza and gives the vibe of a small pizza shop in New York City. Wiseguys always has up-and-coming comedians perform standup on Fridays and Saturdays, and they never disappoint. Make sure that you pick a day when the snowflakes are falling heavily so that, after Wiseguys, you can head to a park and make a snowman together while enjoying the snowfall.

To all of the men out there, it shows confidence if you can prepare an entire date without asking the woman, “Well, what do you want to do?” or proclaiming, “I don’t care. It is up to you.” To all of the women out there, I’m sure you would enjoy being surprised with a planned day/night of fun.

The holidays are undoubtedly a romantic and magical time of year. It is very enjoyable to include a significant other in the holiday festivities.

I wish all of you the best of luck in your holiday dating endeavors.