Here are 10 ways to have great weekends and holidays without a partner. Ideas range from traditional activities with a twist to the unusual and unique.
Note: This article is an adaptation of my article “14 Ways to Have a Great Valentine’s Day With or Without a Partner.” It was reworked and expanded to fit any holiday, weekend, or situation.
To get the most out of the activities presented, I recommend that you follow these rules: Do not talk or think about negative issues such as past bad relationships, the current lack of a partner, or pessimistic projections of the future. Instead, stay in the present and keep your thoughts on the advantages of being single and your vision of being with your perfect partner at the appropriate time in the future.
Let’s get to it.
1. Organize a theme or holiday party, potluck, or dinner party with some single friends. Here are some ideas. Create games or conversation starters that focus on the benefits of being single; develop mixing activities that facilitate friendship and/or romantic connections; have attendees talk about their best dating experience (the activity, NOT the person) or other “singles” topic, or have attendees bring their favorite poems or music that aligns with your theme. No sad stuff allowed! If you need some topic ideas, check out these articles.
Some of the most enjoyable holiday and weekend dinner parties I’ve attended or hosted were spent with a group of unattached single friends. When you’re single, it’s sometimes not too much fun to go to family gatherings where all of the adults are married. This is especially true if there are relatives or in-laws in attendance whom you don’t like.
When you attend or host a theme or dinner party for singles, you’re bringing together people who share a major commonality: their singleness.
For more holiday party ideas, read this article entitled “Holiday Parties for Singles.”
2. Go away for the weekend to a resort or even a nice hotel in your hometown alone or with a single friend. Really pamper and enjoy yourself. Although my article about romantic getaways was written for couples, it has some good ideas for unusual weekend trips that you could easily adapt to your situation.
Another option is to use your weekend getaway to do some soul-searching and future planning. This article, “Soulful Vacations,” may be helpful for this purpose.
Going away for the weekend is a particularly good choice for holidays. It takes you out of your familiar environment and puts you into unfamiliar surroundings, which can encourage you to enjoy the holiday in a new and exciting way.
3. Go out to a nice restaurant or make a special dinner at home alone or with a single friend. If you are alone, discover within yourself how to truly enjoy the evening. For some thoughts on how to do this, read this article entitled “Being Alone and Content To Be Strong Together.”
I discovered how to enjoy a holiday meal at a restaurant alone when I was working as a district manager in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company I worked for had space at a trade show in San Francisco that took place over the Thanksgiving weekend each year. The job of the district managers was to organize, manage, and host the space. Being the only unmarried person in the group of district managers, I volunteered each year to operate our space on Thanksgiving Day.
The company I worked for was very generous about expenses, so I splurged a little. I got an upgraded room at the Fairmont Hotel and made reservations for Thanksgiving dinner at their fine-dining restaurant after my duties were completed at the trade show. It was by far the best Thanksgiving dinner I’ve ever had. The food—OMG, the food—was exquisite! It was so peaceful and relaxing. I loved it. It was quite a contrast from having a noisy Thanksgiving dinner with 50 people and eating from a paper plate on my lap.
4. Start building your own singles club. Invite a few single friends over to join in the launch of your new singles club! You might begin by planning your first dance. If you need some help on how to go about creating a singles organization, read about how I did it here: “How to Start a Successful Singles Club.“
Building a singles organization was one of the most exciting, fulfilling, and fun things I’ve ever done. I was always wary of singles groups, so I set out to build one that was completely different from the stereotypical lonely hearts club. It worked, and the club grew quickly. We produced many highly successful events, including our extremely popular theme dances. It was great fun.
5. Start building your own income-generating website. Starting an online business is the perfect match for many singles. An internet business gives you the freedom to live anywhere, work anywhere, and travel anywhere you want!
If you’re new to e-business or you’ve tried and failed in the past, there’s an outstanding company I’ve used that may work for you! I provide a simple outline about it here. If you’re a seasoned veteran or a beginner who wants to learn, I share my experience and recommendations on key aspects of online business here.
6. Start a fitness and/or personal development program to improve the quality of your life and relationships.
Check out this article category for information on healthy eating, supplements, losing weight, building a home gym, power walking, and more.
A good place to start on personal development is by reading the articles in this category.
I started working out after a particularly painful breakup. Although the breakup was mutual and amicable, it was still hard to move on. I redirected the energy created by the pain toward making positive changes in my life. One of the things I did was join a health club and start working out. I had never been inside a gym, and I had no clue how to use the machines or the free weights. I joined a well-known fitness club, got some instructions on how to use the equipment, and was off and running. It was pretty intimidating at first, but after a few weeks, I felt like I was a part of the club. And it did the trick because I’m still working out to this day. The only difference is that I now work out using a home gym that I built.
7. Join a tennis or pickleball club, softball league, or volleyball group. I particularly like tennis clubs because you only need one other person to play, and their facilities tend to be nice and include space for social activities.
I have found that these groups seem to attract more single adults than couples. This presents an opportunity for those who are seeking an athletic partner.
8. Sign up for weekend classes at your local college or city parks and recreation department. Many community colleges offer weekend courses that are typically designed to fit all academic levels.
Many cities offer an array of activities through their parks and recreation departments. Where I live, there are hundreds of classes, workshops, and sports. The fees for these activities are very reasonable, and a good number of them are free!
If you pick a subject that you are passionate about, these classes can be one of the best places to meet someone special. Finding someone who shares your passion provides a solid foundation for building a lasting relationship.
9. Begin a home remodeling or landscaping project. This is a very constructive and fun way to utilize your time on weekends. You could begin by designing your project using one of the great software programs that are available today.
I’ve started a huge number of home, garage, and landscape projects after a breakup and between relationships. Looking back on how much I accomplished and how much they increased the value of my home, I’m sure glad that I didn’t just sit around and mope.
With my father’s help, I turned my standard garage into the ultimate garage. We installed storage cabinets, a workbench, electrical outlets, recessed overhead lighting, and a sound system. It was very cool. Everyone who saw it wanted it at their house.
We also redid the landscaping in my front and back yards. When it was done, the backyard had two covered patios that extended over part of the planters, misters, a tropical garden room, a desert feature in the full-sun area between the patios, and a sprinkler system that operated a bit like a miniature version of the water fountain show in front of the Bellagio Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. It was nice.
I am telling you all this to get you excited about what you can accomplish at your home while you’re in between relationships. Get busy!
10. Start the process of finding the love of your life. Get yourself motivated by envisioning yourself with a magnificent partner. Considering how much joy or pain a relationship can bring, giving this project a 100 percent effort is a smart choice. An excellent starting point is to learn as much as you can about the best ways to go about it. Here are some resources that can help you.
Articles
- Self Evaluation & Preparation for Relationship Success
- How to Create Relentless Motivation to Find the Right Partner for You!
- How to Find Love with a Person Who’s Right for You!
- Best Places & Situations to Find the Love of Your Life!
Books
- Finding the One Who’s Right
- Review a list of recommended books under the category “Perfect Partner.”
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The more productive you are on weekends and holidays, the happier you’ll be, the more you’ll appreciate being single, and the better equipped you’ll be for a new relationship.
Create great weekends or holidays for yourself and your single friends.