1. Do one tiny thing together each day. Our recommended option: Shower together in the morning. Not only is it a sexy way to kick-start the morning, it gives you a few moments together that are guaranteed to be relaxed.
2. Help your shopping-challenged guy get it all done. Come to his rescue and you’ll not only have a grateful man on your hands, you’ll also score more couple time. Hit the mall super-early or late (when it’s less crowded) and steer him toward appropriate gifts — and away from the remote-control cars he thinks everyone likes as much as he does.
3. Make each other playlists of songs you love right now. Listen closely as you drive from one family obligation to another; one study found that a person’s playlist can tell you a lot about him.
4. Won’t be together on the 25th? Pick a day to have a “mini Christmas.” Make a delicious dinner, open a bottle of wine, and exchange gifts. The intimate celebration will feel even more special than if you celebrated with a room full of people.
5. Ask him to write an X-rated wish list for you. Then do the same for him. It’s a great way to confess naughty desires you might be uncomfortable telling each other face-to-face.
6. Shamelessly belt out holiday tunes. Doing something ridiculous and laughing together is a great way to bring you closer. Plus, it’ll force you to stifle your inner Scrooge.
7. Pull him aside at a party and make a private toast. Creating a quiet moment in the middle of a crowd can help you reconnect when you’ve both been making the rounds.
8. Drive around just to look at Christmas lights. Not only is it pretty, but guys tend to open up more when they don’t have to make eye contact. That makes sitting side by side in the car the perfect way to trigger a meaningful talk.
9. Stay connected in high-tech ways. Text random, funny pictures as you go about your days separately, Skype via iPhone, or, if you’re apart for multiple days, use your Xbox to stream Netflix and watch the same movie at the same time. Pick a grown-up Christmas flick like Love Actually and call each other whenever you feel like commenting.
10. Save money and stay in. Pick up a couple of blobs of frozen pizza dough at the grocery store and a variety of toppings and make your own gourmet pies. To really ramp up the fun, try doing it wearing nothing but a couple of aprons. Within minutes your bodies will be covered with flour handprints.