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I don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day.

And you know what? I’m not sad about it. There’s nothing wrong with being single.

I repeat: there is nothing wrong with being single.

And while I may not have a date for the big day, I’m still going to celebrate. Why not? I think of Valentine’s Day as a celebration of love. And I love myself.

So, this year, I’m my own Valentine.

In the spirit of the holiday, I’ve built up a list of ideas of things to do on Valentine’s Day when you’re single. Enjoy!

50 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day When You Are Single

1. Give yourself a pedicure. Scrub at your calluses, moisturize and paint your toes. Really pamper those tootsies.
2. Put on a fancy dress. You don’t need an excuse like having a date in order to wear something adorable.
3. Hang out with your single friends. Get together and watch romantic movies.
4. Have an anti-Valentine’s Day party. No couples allowed!
5. Have a romantic movie marathon from the comfort of your home. Keep the Kleenex handy when you watch The Notebook—you’re gonna cry!
6. Cook yourself a fancy, homemade dinner.
7. Eat that dinner by candlelight.
8. Buy yourself something nice. Been eyeing that new romance novel? Go get it!
9. Take a luxurious bath. I’m talking candles, bath salts, music—the works!
10. Go to the movies by yourself. Watch an action flick for some carnage if you don’t want to sit amidst the happy couples at a romance movie.
11. Go for a hike at a park. Since it’s probably cold and snowy, bundle up.
12. Take a camera with you so you can document your day.
13. Do your makeup in pinks and reds to match the lovey-dovey day.
14. Wear the brightest, reddest lipstick you can find. Valentine’s Day is the best day of the whole year for some red lipstick.
15. Attend a local music concert. Jam out to your favorite bands or learn the songs to a group you never would have heard if you hadn’t gotten out there.
16. Attend a single’s mixer. There are probably at least a few going on in your town. Who knows, you may not be single by the end of the night.
17. Veg out and read women’s magazines.
18. Give yourself a French manicure.
19. Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Give out Valentine’s dinners to those in need.
20. Visit an old folk’s home and hand out Valentine’s cards.
21. Take your child/nephew/niece/grandkid to a kid’s movie. Give them some heart shaped candies and a Valentine.
22. Take your parents out to eat. They may already have plans for dinner, but you can still treat them to lunch.
23. Call an old friend. Time to catch up!
24. Blog about it. Tell your blogging friends what you’re up to and how you’re feeling about being single on this romantic holiday.
25. Take a no-Internet day. Stay away from the computer and your mobile Internet devices. Spend the time reading or going for a walk instead.
26. Bake some cookies. Coat them in pink frosting and red decorative sugar. Promptly eat half.
27. Give some Valentine’s cookies to your neighbors.
28. Exercise. It gets your endorphins going almost as much as it would if you had a date.
29. For that matter, eat some chocolate as well. It’ll also give you good feelings.
30. Write up a list of things you love about yourself.
31. Give yourself some flowers. After all, you’re your own Valentine.
32. Do an arts and crafts project related to love. Paint some red and pink hearts or make a collage of your favorite things.
33. Buy your best friend a Valentine, even if she isn’t single.
34. Dye your food pink or red today with food coloring. Red milk. Pink eggs. Red Mac and Cheese. You name it.
35. Put on some high heels. Even if you’re spending the night in, they’ll make you feel pretty.
36. Bake a heart-shaped cake. Share it with your single friends.
37. Ask out the boy you like. You may be single today, but you don’t have to be single tomorrow.
38. Give your eyebrows some much-needed grooming.
39. Do a face mask!
40. Homemade pore strips, to the rescue.
41. Start the 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover.
42. Bust out some yoga for relaxation.
43. Say you’re sorry to anyone you’ve wronged recently.
44. Smile. Smile all day long. Who care’s if you’re single? You can still be happy.
45. Write a love poem to yourself.
46. Send flowers to your crush. Sign it “From Your Secret Admirer.”
47. Watch Secret Admirer with C. Thomas Howell. Very good movie! It also stars Rebecca from Full House when she was just a teen. And John Travolta’s wife.
48. Attend a karate class and work out some of that tension.
49. Pour yourself some pink champagne.
50. Pour yourself some pink Sprite, if you’re alcohol-free.

I think I’ll definitely do some of these this year, including 1, 2, 5, 6, 44 and 50.

What are you doing for Valentine’s Day?

Photo credit: Kate Ter Haar