A Gal’s Guide to Valentine’s Day – WITHOUT GUYS!

Ladies – you can celebrate Valentine’s Day just fine without menfolk.  Here’s how to do it.  And guys, pull your minds OUT OF THE GUTTER.  This is a FAMILY website.  I’ve always enjoyed Valentine’s Day, but not because of boyfriends.  (Here’s where I spill my guts. Enjoy.)  I didn’t have a first boyfriend until I was 18 years old.  (Yes, I was a dork way back then.)  HENCE, I didn’t have my first kiss until I was 18.  And, of course, that first boyfriend dumped me TWO DAYS before Valentine’s Day.  So, how can I still love Valentine’s Day?  Because I have always celebrated it first and foremost without dudes.  Sorry guys.  Ladies, here’s how to have fun on Valentine’s Day, without men.  It can be done.

Go See the Movie Valentine’s Day

This looks like it could very well be the next “Love Actually.”  You know what I’m talking about:  lots of dishy stars, witty dialogue, fun scenery *ahem*.  Plan a fun girl’s night out.  Dress to the nines, grab a fancy dinner (you’ll probably be laughing and chatting and having much more fun than the couples in the restaurant)  take in the movie, and then go to a fancy bar after.  You’ll have as much, if not more fun than most couples.

Have a Party

I love any occasion that warrants a party, and Valentine’s Day is certainly one of them.  You can be unabashedly fun and girly – with pink and red and white everything: flowers, candies, crepe paper, and confetti.  Here are some of my favorite Valentine decorating ideas:

• Crepe Paper:  Hang it from the ceiling, hang it from doorways, drape it from your chandelier to your kitchen cabinet.  It makes every party festive.
• Confetti on the table and confetti on cupcakes.  You can buy fun edible cake sprinkles with a Valentine theme at Amazon. (HINT their multi-packs of cake decorations are really fun.  I have their under-the-ocean cake sprinkles.)
• Cupcakes on stacked cake stands.  Cake stands are CHEAP.  You can get them almost anywhere.  Buy  larger and a smaller clear glass cake stands, and stack them.  Then, add cupcakes.  This is an edible centerpiece that you can do for every party, just change up the cupcake colors.
• Balloons.  I’m starting to sound like a balloon broken record, but I just think that balloons hanging from the ceiling with dangling ribbons make every single occasion instantly festive.
• Serve pink and red food: spaghetti and meatballs, cupcakes, red wine, a “candy bar,” and more.

No party is fun without games!  My favorite for a girl’s only would be the “Guess the Kiss” game that I describe in this other post.

You can also make passive-aggressive messages with those little Valentine heart candies.  There are a shocking number of options, there. You’d be surprised.

Make your Own Valentines and Deliver Them

My friend came over to my Super Bowl party last night, with an ADORABLE little Valentine for me.  She brought me a little pink sheer mesh bag with an assortment of teas in it (I LOVE TEA), and a music mix titled “Sweet Nothings,” of old ’40s big band tunes and mellow lovey dovey songs.  It was FANTASTIC!

When I was little, my friend and I would get together one Saturday, with lots of glue and tape and ribbons and magazines, and make Valentines for all of our friends and families.  My Grandma recently gave me back all of the Valentines I sent her so that I can keep them.  They are treasures.  EVERYONE loves a Valentine.  Make homemade cards and send them or hand-deliver them to your friends on Valentine’s Day.  You’ll have the best holiday, ever.