10 Sensational Single Valentine Celebrationsã

Phyllis Cambria

COCONUT CREEK, FL: Even if Cupid’s arrow missed you, there’s no reason to feel dateless and desperate this Valentine’s Day. Here are ten tips to help you to celebrate in singular style. Phyllis Cambria, a party/holiday expert, speaker and author of several entertaining guides, including "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Throwing a Great Party" (Macmillan, 2001) with co-author Patty Sachs, offers these tips:

1) BYOB

Host a party and ask each unattached guest to bring along a bachelor or bachelorette of the opposite sex. Just because your friend might not have found a love connection with this person, doesn’t mean he or she wouldn’t be right for you or another party guest.

2) Paper Your Workplace with Valentines

Remember when you were a kid and you gave a Valentine to everyone in your class so no one felt left out? Try it again and you’ll bring a smile to all your co-workers. Besides it’s a good excuse to approach that person you’ve been too shy to speak to.

3) Good Sport

Chances are the only men you’ll find at sporting events with their friends on Valentine’s Day are either single (or soon-to-be single.) So head on out to a stadium, field or arena to see if you can score a match.

4) Let’s Move On

Invite over your close, single female friends to bid a final farewell to a lost love. Ask each guest to write down any unresolved feelings regarding a former lover. Then, one-by-one, have each woman burn the paper and that person’s photo in a ceremonial fire. (Do this in a fireplace or outdoor barbecue for greatest safety.) Also encourage her to discuss how she is going to move on with her life, and agree to emotionally support each other to fulfill that goal. Then drink a toast to the past as you move on to the future.

5) Love Letters

Valentine’s Day is a good time to also remember all the friends and family members you love. So take out a pen and paper and write a love letter to all of the people who have touched your heart.

6) To Thine Ownself Be True

You can’t expect anyone else to love you if you don’t love yourself, so be your own Valentine. Think about the present you would have liked to receive from a sweetheart and give it to yourself. Buy yourself that necklace you’ve been admiring, splurge on the expensive perfume you’ve wanted, or treat yourself to dinner at the hot new restaurant in town -- whatever it is, indulge yourself. You deserve it.

7) Chick-Flick Festival

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to gather together your female friends to enjoy an evening of hopelessly romantic movies like “Sleepless in Seattle,” “An Affair to Remember,” “Gone with the Wind,” “Somewhere in Time,” or “Casablanca.” So dig out the tissues and the popcorn.

8) Do Unto Others

Share your time and heart by volunteering at a hospital, homeless shelter, orphanage, or nursing home. The love you share with others will return to you ten-fold.

9) Give Cupid Some Help

If you are looking to expand your mind and potential dating pool, sign up for activities where you will be more likely to find prospective partners. Stamp and coin collecting clubs, model train organizations, chess groups, and comic book shows are man-friendly hobbies. Feeling sporty? At the gym, men are more likely to be in the weight room than in step classes or aerobics. They also are more apt to be found playing billiards, darts, bowling, at target practice, on the driving range, and on the racquet court.

10) Unconditional Love

Want to come home every night to someone who will love you no matter what? Head to your local animal shelter or humane society to adopt a pet. By sharing your house with a fuzzy, furry or feathered friend, you will fill up your heart and home with love. Just remember, while some people may have trouble with long-term commitments, your pet will love and depend on you for life.