Celebrate the Single Life!




 
Valentine's Day is coming, like it or not. Find yourself without a significant other (or even without an insignificant other)? Tired of relying on others to "fix you up?" Sick of all the lovey-dovey propaganda that you often think of Feb. 14th as the perfect time to schedule a trip to Botswana (where the Valentine's Day cheer won't find you)? Most people either live for Valentine's Day, or live to avoid it. If you've decided that it is finally time to take Valentine's Day into your own hands, then we've got some great ideas dedicated to celebrating and embracing single life with style (whether you're a willing participant or not). We will reveal how to set the mood, make the food, cheer your crowd, and leave your guests "wowed" with a V-Day celebration that no one will soon forget (all of the couples you know will want to break up just so they can attend your party)!

"Single on Valentine's Day" Party Themes Ideas
As Single as I Wanna Be - The tone of this one can be with matchmaker intent or to really celebrate the bliss of being single. Do you know a multitude of single people who are looking for love, or some who are happy being single but don't feel like tagging along with their favorite married couple on Valentine's Day? Have a singles party! Have your friends invite their friends, and so on, and so on! Next thing you know, you'll have a huge singles party! Set the mood with your favorite love songs, or better yet, with a tape of your favorite break-up songs. Play games like Broken Heart Bingo, Matchmaker, Matchmaker, and Name That Song (rules and descriptions listed below). For more about this theme, visit our Matchmaker Party!

I'd Rather be Single Than With My Ex! (Ex-orcising party) - Was your ex less than than desirable? Then get together with a bunch of friends who feel the same way, and have an Ex-orcism. Have friends bring old remembrances of their ex-mates such as stuffed animals, clothing, cards/letters, etc. to be "discarded" in the manner of your choice at the party. Play games like Bitter Arts & Crafts, and have a tape of the best "get on with your life" songs like, "I Will Survive," "What's Love Got to do With it," "It's My Party." You know which ones we mean.

I'd Rather be in Debt Than in Love (shopping party) - Gather your best single friends together and go to the closest mall. Shop 'til you drop, baby! Make sure that you avoid any stores with Valentines and or any Valentine's Day specials, if that will traumatize the group. If this proves to be too difficult, then take ADVANTAGE of the specials so that you at least benefit from something. Gorge on fast food and yummy junk from the candy store. (It's O.K. because it's only for one day). Buy anything that lets you be self-indulgent. Support each of your friends to do the same thing.

At the end of the trip, usually when you shut down the mall, continue your shopping spree at the video store and rent some mushy classics. Check out our list of romantic movies. If that doesn't work, rent the Terminator or Rambo and let your aggression fly. Take all of your purchases home and share what you bought with your buddies while watching movies and eating more junk food. After the movie, if you just can't bear to end the evening, invite your friends to make a sleep-over out of it and have a pajama party.

Valentine's Day Invitations
Start with a personalized Valentine's Day Invitation. Your guests will appreciate getting a "Valentine" in the mail. You can include a little valentine confetti in the envelope for an extra sparkly surprise for everyone.

A red or pink ticket invitation works for a single's Valentine's party. It will make your guests think this is a party not to be missed - and it won't be!

If you want to make your own invitation, just use red and pink construction paper to create an old-fashioned valentine. Add glitter and a little poem:
Roses are red,
violets are blue,
this invitation is only for you.
Do not bring a date,
to this little soiree,
come celebrate single life on Valentine's Day!
Everyone will feel like they are right back in grade school!

Red Valentine's Day Decorations and Party Supplies
Nothing says Valentine's Day like flowers and chocolate. But since your guests are single for this romantic holiday they will not be receiving any. So fill your party room with both! If you have the budget for it, red or pink roses around the room will be breath taking. If that is too pricey you can do bunches of white fluffy baby's breath instead.

Scatter votive candles everywhere; chocolate scented candles are perfect if you can find them, but vanilla is nice as well. Scatter foil wrapped chocolates on the tables as an edible decoration.
 
Love to see more?  Check out our Valentine's Day decorations section! 

celebrate being single food and menu
No matter which theme you choose, you will probably serve food to your guests. You can add a bit of fun and decoration

I would make life a little easier and do dessert only (make sure to mention this on your invite so people do not expect dinner). The perfect desert for groups is a chocolate fountain! Serve strawberries, pretzel rods, pound cake, pineapple chunks, marshmallows, graham crackers and animal crackers for dipping. Grab some of these Valentine's Day paper goods. Serve champagne as a refreshing drink.

For something fun, why not serve a shot that tastes just like chocolate cake?

Chocolate Cake Shots
  • 1/2 shot vodka
  • 1/2 shot Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
  • Lemon slices
  • Granulated sugar
Mix the liquor together in a shot glass. Before taking the shot, take a slice of lemon and drag it through the sugar. Lick the sugar off the lemon, take the shot, swallow, and bite the lemon slice.

You can serve these shots in red glowing shot glasses!

Valentine's Day Games and Activities
You can arrange to play a few fun games to get everyone comfortable and in the mood to party. Here are a few "anti-valentine's day" party games:

Broken Heart Bingo - This is a great game to use as an icebreaker. Before your guests arrive, create grids with boxes. Write a statement in each box. Some suggestions of statements you can use:
  • "I have never received a dozen roses."
  • "I own an engagement ring."
  • "I'm still friends with my ex."
  • "I have had 2 different dates on the same V-Day."
  • "I'm still sleeping with my ex."
  • "I have never had a date on Valentine's Day."
  • "I love Valentine's Day."
Etc. Put the same phrases in a different order on each grid. As guests arrive, put each person's name in a bag. Then tell everyone to wander around the party and find people to sign each square that holds true for the person signing. After everyone has quite a few signatures, start drawing names out of the bag. The first person to have 5 names in a row is the winner! (This game can also be tailored to a younger crowd using phrases like, "I have been kissed on V-Day," "I have received a Valentine on V-Day," "I have never received flowers on V-Day," "I think V-Day is a stupid holiday," "I like spending V-Day with my friends", etc.).

Name That Song - Gather a selection of lyrics together from tunes like, "What's Love Got To Do With it," "I Will Survive," Heartbreak Hotel," "Love on the Rocks," etc. Do a "dramatic reading," or a dramatic interpretation (also called "Charades") about the song and award prizes to the first person who guesses the correct title of each song.

Bitter Arts & Crafts - Make sure that everyone coming to the party brings pictures of an ex. (If not everyone has pictures, I'm sure that some people have more than one picture, and will be willing to share). Invest in some permanent markers (less destructive and dangerous than matches), and create "art" on your ex with the markers. Give the works of art titles like, "My ex without me," or "Without Make-up." Another fun activity is to write out your ex's full name, and create an acronym. For example:
  • Clown-like
  • Harry chest
  • Rude
  • Ignorant
  • Slovenly
There, now don't you feel better? Everyone can share their artwork with the rest of the guests! A prize should be awarded for the best work of art.

Matchmaker, Matchmaker - For a fun way to find your perfect match, at your huge singles party, have everyone write down 5 things that are true about them, and 5 things that are important to them in a mate. Everyone has to walk around the party and find a person who fits at least 3 of the criteria on their list, or whose criteria they fit. It should be fun to see how long the game lasts before people start talking and forget about finding their "perfect match". This game is just a great way of breaking the ice and meeting new people.

Valentine's Day Favors
Stuff Valentine goodie bags with candy, stickers, stamps, chocolate and other fun things. How about a copy of that Barry White's Greatest Hits that calls to romantics? A personalized valentines day candy bar wrapper with the option of milk or dark chocolate is perfect. (Everyone deserves chocolate on Valentine's Day!)