Valentine's Day - a celebration of love or daylong in-your-face reminder that you're single? If you believe the latter, here are some ways to weather the hoopla:

Remember that single life has its perks. You get to go out when you want, stay in when you want, spend time with whomever you want and leave the toilet seat however you want. And the remote control? All yours.

Consider the day a celebration of love, not just romance. Call or visit someone you love - a parent, grandparent or friend and tell them how much they mean to you.

Grab some close friends and celebrate. The folks at QuirkyAlone.net have declared Feb. 14 to be International QuirkyAlone Day, a do-it-yourself celebration of romance, friendship and independence.

"It's NOT a pity party for single people," declares the Web site. Rather, it is "a call to arms to celebrate the possibilities available to single people today" and "a vital reminder to value yourself and develop your individuality even when in a couple."

Make Valentine's Day magical for little ones. Some ideas:Teach them how to say "I love you" in sign language.Give them a Valentine's Day "heart attack." After they've gone to sleep, put lots of hearts cut from construction paper or sticky notes on a bedroom door, bathroom mirror or other noticeable area. On each heart, write something you love about them.For teens, decorate their car with window-cling hearts and car-paint messages (not too mushy, of course), or tie pink-and- red ribbon to the antenna.Have the "Valentine fairy" leave a trail of Hershey's kisses through the house. Have them follow the trail to find a special toy or treat.Help them write a letter or poem to mom, dad, a grandparent or anyone they love.Use leftover candy canes to make valentines. Invert two candy canes so the crooks touch, making a heart shape, and attach them to a piece of cardstock.Make heart-shaped cupcakes. To do this, make cupcakes as usual but drop a marble between the muffin tin and each paper cup. Decorate them with frosting and sprinkles or cinnamon candies.Serve red foods all day - red apples, red gelatin, toast with strawberry jam, tomato soup, strawberry milk, you name it. Chew sticks of red gum.Have a treasure hunt. Write clues in rhyme "Roses are red, violets are blue, look in the place where we hide the stinky shoes." Leave several small surprises throughout the house and a grand finale prize at the end.Play a family-friendly variation of Spin the Bottle: The spinner has to say one thing they love about the person the bottle lands on.Short on cash? Give a child a coupon book filled with tickets good for extra time on the computer, their favorite dessert, 30 minutes playing a board game, a day free of chores, etc. They can redeem them whenever they want (just be prepared to make good on the promises).

Celebrate the day with a snappy, sappy or timeless romance. Some suggestions from The Wichita Eagle's movie expert, Bob Curtright:IN THEATERS NOW"Phantom of the Opera""Sideways""A Very Long Engagement"CLASSIC ROMANCE"Gone With the Wind""Casablanca""Tom Jones"SNAPPY ROMANCEJust about any Meg Ryan flick ("When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," "You've Got Mail")"Bridget Jones's Diary""Pretty Woman"BRING A HANKY"The Notebook""Love Story""Before Sunset" and "Before Sunrise"A LITTLE KOOKY"Annie Hall""Cabaret""Chocolat"EQUAL TIME"La Cage aux Folles""Trick""Beautiful Thing"ROMANCES IN DISGUISE"Bull Durham""Armageddon""Jerry Maguire"

Send a Valentine's Day package to a soldier overseas with just a click of a mouse at www.treatsfortroops.com.A "Love, America" tote bag filled with decorated cookies, fudge, candy, a card and other goodies is $24.95. Other packages include phone cards, games and everyday necessities. You can select a soldier by home state, branch of service or one who's been waiting the longest to receive a package.No computer? Call 877-257-1487.

Whether you've been together 50 days or 50 years, rev up the romance with these tips:Write a love letter. If you're stumped, start with "I love you because...."Hold hands.Send short and sweet (or spicy) messages via e-mail or cell phone.If you're married, print out your wedding vows and display them prominently in your home. To jazz it up, display the vows alongside a wedding portrait or other photo, or make a shadow-box display using memorabilia from your wedding day.Reconnect after an absence. No matter how busy or harried you feel, always greet each other warmly.Say "I love you" at least once a day.Use lipstick to make hearts and love notes on the rear-view mirror, car windows, bathroom mirror or windows of the house.Compliment more, criticize less.

Interesting facts about those ever-popular conversation hearts, from CandyUSA.org:At one time conversation candies were made into many shapes, including horseshoes, baseballs and watches.About 8 billion hearts will be produced this year enough to stretch from Rome to Valentine, Ariz., and back again 20 times.The peak selling season for conversation hearts lasts only six weeks, but manufacturers produce the candy for nearly 11 months of the year.Walter Marshall, who is responsible for developing sayings on Necco candy hearts, gets suggestions from his nine grandchildren to reflect the attitude young people have toward love. Recent additions include "You Go Girl" and "Yeah, Right."

Trying to figure out what's inside that piece of boxed chocolate? Some manufacturers provide maps or color photos to help you identify what you're picking, but others don't.The only surefire way to find out is to take a bite, but here are some clues from the National Confectioners Association:A swirl with two loops on top usually means caramel or buttercream.Large, bumpy surfaces signal nuts.Small bumps on the surface means you'll find coconut.Hard caramels are typically square or rectangular, and soft caramels are flat and round (like a silver dollar).Chocolates wrapped in foil often have liquid or softer centers, such as cherry cordials.

Stoke the flames of romance with some luscious fruit and rich chocolate. Here's an easy fondue recipe from AllRecipes.com:Ingredients:32 oz. milk chocolate, grated1½ cups heavy cream1 tablespoon instant coffee powder1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon sugarcup hot waterDirections: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate with the heavy cream. Mix in the instant coffee, vanilla, sugar and water. Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth. Serve at once with sliced strawberries, bananas, Granny Smith apples, oranges, pineapple, angel food cake or even pretzels.By The Wichita Eagle