How to host an anti-Valentine's Day party

By Roberta Pescow

Single teens can get very cynical about Valentine’s Day, whether they’ve just experienced a painful breakup or have never even had a romantic relationship. That’s why Anti-Valentine’s Day parties are all the rage. Find out how you can host an unforgettable Anti-Valentine’s Day party for your teens and their friends.
 

1. Invite Friends And Set Some Ground Rules

Get started by choosing a group of your teen’s friends to invite:

- Design or purchase invitations with Anti-Valentine’s day themes such as broken and/or bleeding hearts.

- Send out invitations by e-mail or regular mail two to three weeks in advance.

- Anti-Valentine’s Day parties are traditionally all boys or all girls, however you should feel free to invite your teen’s close single friends of both sexes as long as no romantic interest exists between anyone involved.

To help guests get into the Anti-Valentine’s Day spirit, include a few ground rules on your invitations:

- No one should mention his or her ex all evening.

- No pink or lacy attire. Black and red are great but not required. Wear super-comfortable clothing that isn’t designed to impress anyone.

- Don’t say the “L” word (love) all night. Let guests know if they slip, they’ll have to put a quarter in an “Anti-Valentine’s jar” and that at the end of party someone will win the jar and its contents.
 

2. Decorate Unromantically

These decoration ideas will help you create the perfect Anti-Valentine’s Day atmosphere for your party:

- Black roses or dead flowers

- Black, jagged broken hearts

- Hearts with dripping blood

- Decapitated cupids

- Black lace tablecloth and red place settings with black trim

- Shiny black and red balloons or streamers

- Black and red candles

3. Serve Unromantic Party Fare

Serve your guests the most delicious, messy and unromantic dishes you can think of. Here are a few food ideas that are perfect for an Anti-Valentine’s Day event:

- Broken heart cake or cookies with black frosting

- Garlicky dishes such as shrimp scampi or garlic knots

- Onion or blue cheese dip

- Onion rings

- Ribs or chicken in drippy barbeque sauce

- Extra long spaghetti in garlic tomato sauce

- Onion chutney with papadums

- Any skewered dish

- Blood red or black “mocktails.”

4. Select Your Soundtrack

Create a playlist of songs that take a cynical look at love and romance and have them playing in the background at your party. If you have the space and budget, expand on this idea and hire a live, local band to play a few Anti-Valentine’s Day sets.

5. Keep Things Moving With Great Activities

Rather than just let your teens sit around and express their angst about romantic holidays, plan some activities they’ll really enjoy:

- Let teens decorate their own Anti-Valentine’s commemorative tee shirts with puff paint, fabric paint, glitter paint and markers.

- Get a heart shaped piñata and let teens whack it with a stick.

- Have teens compose funny, unromantic sonnets or Haikou.

- Have a lip sync contest to “I Will Survive” or “Love Stinks.”

- Play an Anti-Valentine’s Day movie such as “My Bloody Valentine” or “Fatal Attraction” and serve popcorn.

- If your party is all girls (or your male guests are open to this) have a spa hour with manicures, pedicures or even massages.

- If your party is all boys (or your female guests are open to this) have a burping contest and put on a football game on TV.

At the end of the party, award the contents of the “Anti-Valentine’s Jar” to a guest and send everyone home with a goodie-bag. You might want to include a CD copy of your Anti-Valentine’s Day music or a bag of black jellybeans. Most importantly, teens will leave your party with the knowledge that they don’t need a significant other in order to love themselves and have a great time with friends.

This article was originally posted on IdealHomeGarden.com

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