Valentine’s Day isn’t just for couples. For all the single folk out there, this holiday of love is the perfect opportunity to celebrate independence, friendship or the spirit of charity.
Love yourself
You can make Valentine’s a day for guilty indulgences, says Ali de Bold, founder of the popular women’s resource ChickAdvisor.com. Put on your pajamas, pour a glass of your favourite wine and watch movies you’re embarrassed to admit you love.
“Have a quiet day at home and be thankful for the time that the phones stop ringing,” she says.
Another way to treat yourself: Go on vacation. Single Horizons, a Greater Toronto Area-based social club for singles, organized a Caribbean cruise this year for 112 singles in the week leading up to Feb. 14.
“We get incredible group prices, as you can imagine with so many people going,” says LeeAnn Jensen, owner of Single Horizons, “but more importantly we match people up so they avoid the single supplement and can meet other people in a fun atmosphere.”
Love your friends
Get all your single friends together and have a fun girls’ (or guys’) night in. For a twist on the traditional dinner party, de Bold suggests Chef Revolution. This Toronto-based service provides a personal chef who will come to your home to cook a gourmet meal, or teach you and your friends how to cook one.
If a night out is what you’re looking for, put on your best threads for some good food and dancing. On Feb. 13, Ottawa’s Single Gourmet will hold a Valentine’s Day gala at the Chateau Laurier that features dinner, music and even old-fashioned dance cards to break the ice.
Romance may bloom, but it’s not the main goal of the evening, says Carol Gordon, who runs the social/dining club. “I’m trying to make it light and fun…who knows what might happen, but if it doesn’t you had a nice dinner and you met some neat people.”
Love others
The No. 1 positive about being single on V-Day: “You don’t have the expectations that all the girls do who are in a relationship,” says de Bold. Why not think of it as a chance to turn the focus from yourself to others? De Bold suggests volunteering for a charity, dropping in at a soup kitchen or bringing flowers to a nursing home. “What you’ll get out of that will be so much more than just doing something for yourself.”
You can also combine charity with a fun day out through events like the Victoria Tea Festival, which runs Feb. 13 and 14 at the Crystal Garden in B.C. Aficionados can taste, shop and experience all things tea, while all proceeds from the event will benefit Camosun College Child Care Services.
