Prove Opposites Attract

• Hold an opposites attract Valentine party by asking couples to dress as opposites like an angel and devil or a cat and dog, for example. Use contrasting decorations such as place settings in black and white and serve foods that play off each other like hot and cold, sweet and sour, or crunchy and smooth. Organize opposite-themed activities like a trivia contest about famous television or historical enemies or a blindfolded obstacle course where you must state the opposite direction when telling your partner which way to turn.
  
  

Honor Historical Couples

• Host a Valentine's Day party with guests dressed as famous couples. Narrow the theme, however, by specifying a category such as couples from a certain decade, TV shows or literature. Buy decorations and food to play up the theme, like Greek foods and decorations featuring paper columns, gold coins and tendrils of ivy if you're asking guests to dress up as famous couples from Greek mythology, for example.
  
  

Let Singles Mingle

• Organize a matchmaker-themed valentine party to help single friends find dates with similar interests. Ask guests to complete a brief questionnaire about their background, education and career, hobbies and pet peeves that other party- goers can read if they're interested. Also ask friends to bring their favorite food as a potluck dish, along with a favorite movie, book or compact disc to use as conversation starters while mingling at the party.
  
  

Showcase Happy Hearts

• If you're organizing a valentine party for kids, consider a simple theme that puts the spotlight on heart shapes. Decorate with heart-shaped wall hangings and accents, use red and pink tableware, and cut finger foods like fruit and sandwiches into heart shapes with cookie cutters. Organize a heart treasure hunt by placing small heart stickers around the room and award a prize to the kids who find the most.
  
  

Express Family Appreciation

• Celebrate Valentine's Day with a family togetherness party that gives you the opportunity to express your feelings for one another. Enclose a recent photo of each family member in a wide cardboard frame and take turns writing phrases on each frame that describe what you love most about the person. Look at family scrapbooks and tell stories about the times you shared together. Cook your family's favorite meal and gather beloved games and movies to enjoy later in the evening.