I wanted to display dates for certain models in my views like “15 minutes ago.” I tried at first extending the HTML Helper, but I found it easier to just create a template.

@model DateTime
@{ 
    TimeSpan timeSince = DateTime.Now.Subtract(Model); 
}
@if (timeSince.TotalMilliseconds < 1) 
  { <text>not yet</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalMinutes < 1) 
  { <text>just now</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalMinutes < 2) 
  { <text>1 minute ago</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalMinutes < 60) 
  { <text>@string.Format("{0} minutes ago", timeSince.Minutes)</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalMinutes < 120) 
  { <text>1 hour ago</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalHours < 24) 
  { <text>@string.Format("{0} hours ago", timeSince.Hours)</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 2) 
  { <text>yesterday</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 7) 
  { <text>@string.Format("{0} days ago", timeSince.Days)</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 14)
   { <text>"last week</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 21)
   { <text>2 weeks ago</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 28)
   { <text>3 weeks ago</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 60)
   { <text>last month</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 365)
   { <text>@string.Format("{0} months ago", Math.Round(timeSince.TotalDays / 30))</text> }
else if (timeSince.TotalDays < 730)
   { <text>last year</text> }
else
   { <text>@string.Format("{0} years ago", Math.Round(timeSince.TotalDays / 365))</text> }

Then I specified the UIHint for the field.

        [UIHint("RelativeDateTime")]
        public DateTime? DateCreated { get; set; }

Then my dates are formated as expected in my views.

  @Html.DisplayFor(modelItem => item.Brand.Name)

Screen shot