It's always fun to celebrate Valentine's Day with candy, pretty flowers and thoughtful gifts, but it's also the perfect excuse to host an event for the special people in your life. From decking out your home in pink and red decorations to binge-watching romantic comedies with family and friends, you can commemorate the day with Valentine's Day party ideas and entertaining Valentine's Day party games. These exciting activities are creative and cute ways to say "I love you."
With this roundup of ideas, we highlight all the reasons why Valentine's Day parties are the way to go. You can host an epic soirée with delicious cocktails and sugary treats or gather your pals to DIY Valentine's Day crafts or bake sweet homemade desserts (pecan berry bursts are the best!). Guests may even appreciate a wine and chocolate party or a DIY photo booth.
Take a look below for all of our best ideas to plan an unforgettable Valentine's Day party (or Galentine's Day celebration with your besties!). You'll never look at Valentine's Day the same way again!
1 . Candy-Covered Popcorn Bar
No matter what flavor you love, popcorn is a tasty treat that's perfect for Valentine's Day. Transform one section of the room into a popcorn bar and sprinkle candy in each of the bowls. From strawberry champagne to cookies and cream, feature a mix of flavors for everyone to try.
2. Guess the Filling Game
When purchasing a box of chocolate, sometimes you never know what filling awaits with each bite. That's why creating a game where everyone guesses the flavor is a unique idea for the party. Ask each person to write their guesses, then trade sheets to see who was right. The fun part: the winner gets a delicious box of their own!
3. High Tea
Teacakes, pies and tarts are a few delectable picks when brainstorming your menu for high tea. Since this holiday is all about love, give your overall decor a festive look with floral napkin rings and pink teacups.
4. Hot Chocolate Bar
A hot chocolate bar is such a creative setup — and incredibly easy and fun to make. Whip out all the essentials for the table — the marshmallows, whipped cream, milk, cocoa powder and Baileys (if you want a boozy vibe) — then invite guests to mix their own concoctions to drink and bring home.
Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
5. Flower Arranging
Have everyone bring a mix of real and faux flowers, then spend time creating your own lively bouquets and arrangements. They can even bring their own vases and accessories, like ribbons or rhinestone pins for the finishing touch.
6. Valentine's Day Temporary Tattoos
Let's flashback to your childhood with temporary tattoos, but this time they're red, cute, and on-theme for Valentine's Day. Since they're easy to wash off, let guests choose their favorites to wear during the celebration. Save some for the kids, too!
7. DIY Heart Shirts
Here's a DIY project they can wear even after the party is over! Using fabric paint to design hearts on white shirts is a cheap craft that only requires two supplies (unless you want to get extra crafty with glitter, rhinestones and more!).
8. DIY Donut Bar and Display
Create an eye-catching donut display using a pegboard. Categorize one section of the room as the donut bar, where guests can pick their favorite cake-styled or jelly-filled donuts — zeppoles, glazed and beignets included. Hang some on the pegboard and frame it like a work of art.
9. Heart-Shaped Portraits
Purchase heart-shaped balloons and hand them out to guests. Throughout the night, have everyone pose individually with the balloons in front of their faces to take silly snapshots they'll keep and cherish forever.
10. Game Night
Break the ice with fun games for newly acquainted guests. Adding a V-Day twist will make them a go-to for your event. If you can't think of any on your own, purchased ones (such as this Valentine's Day Party Emoji Game) might be a favorite to keep the conversations rolling.
11. Romantic Comedy Movie Night
Who doesn't love a good rom-com? Gather your closest friends and family members together to binge-watch your favorite movies about love. From Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds to Last Holiday with Queen Latifah, expect a night of heartwarming tear-jerkers and the occasional "aww" moments. Set up a romantic movie room — and don't forget the popcorn and cotton candy. P.S. check out our roundup of the best rom-coms that are sure to entertain!
12. Spa Party
When was the last time you and your friends had a spa day? Host a V-Day-themed spa day to relax. While Valentine's Day is for expressing love for others, it's also about showing love for yourself. For inspiration, you can explore these expert tips for an at-home spa facial.
13. Wine and Chocolate Party
Have your guests unwind with a wine and chocolate party. Purchasing pink wine glasses and heart-shaped chocolate will add a festive touch to the occasion.
14. Make DIY Valentine’s Day Cards
Add a crafty aspect to your V-Day party by having guests make their own Valentine's Day cards. Our DIY Valentine's Day card ideas can help if you're on the hunt for unique options.
15. Set Up a DIY Photo Booth
For your V-Day party, adding a photo booth is a creative way to keep your guests entertained (and for them to have memories of your event). While you can create one before the event starts, you can also invite guests to help you with this DIY project. Make sure to have a colorful backdrop (pink and red are ideal for this holiday, of course!) and include balloons and props.
16. Baking Party
While you can serve V-Day-themed treats at your party, hosting a baking party is another engaging idea. There are so many to make, from red velvet cookies and pecan pie bars to shortbread squares and cookie shooters. Here's a list of Valentine's Day cookies your guests will love making.
17. Wear Valentine’s Day Costumes
An easy way to spice up your party is to have guests come in red, pink and white attire. Think giant heart costumes or Cupid suits (don't forget his arrows!).
18. Smash a Heart Piñata
What's a better way to celebrate love than by hitting a piñata? Especially when it's pink and shaped like a heart. Stuff the piñata with heart-shaped candy and let your guests have a go. You might like this small yet shiny heart-shaped one for your event.
19. Set Up a Kissing Booth
Is love in the air for your guests? Find out by setting up a kissing booth at your party. DIY your ideal kissing booth in your space where guests can take pictures and celebrate their love.
20. Guess the Song
Music can make or break an event. So at your V-Day celebration, have a mix of romantic tunes about love that'll have everyone up and dancing. Turn it into a game, where friends take turns guessing the songs.
21. DIY Valentine’s Wreath Making
Here's another project to keep everyone engaged. Check out our DIY Valentine's Day wreath ideas — a conversation heart wreath being one of them — for inspiration and have your guests create their own to take home.
22. Heart Wall Art
If you're unsure how to decorate your space for the event, wall art is a good way to start. Decorate your walls with red, pink and white paper hearts. You can even print out small-sized pictures of your family and friends and stick them to your wall to make a large heart.
23. V-Day Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie boards are a cute way for guests to snack throughout the day. You can have different boards with a range of tasty options — like a candy board — where you add pink and red M&M's, heart-shaped chocolate pretzels and xoxo gummies.
24. V-Day Cocktails
Spruce up your party menu with seasonal pink or red drinks. Get inspired with our list of easy and romantic cocktails, perfect for Valentine's Day. From spiked hot chocolate to berry rhubarb punch, there are plenty of visually appealing (and delicious) cocktails for your occasion.
25. Decorate With Heart Balloons
When it comes to hosting a party, there's no such thing as too many balloons. Balloons make merry and easy party decorations, and your gathering will be a colorful and romantic escape with the right color and shape.
26. Valentine’s Heart Pizza
You can order heart-shaped pizza for your guests or have loved ones enjoy making their own.
27. V-Day Themed Brunch
Weekend mornings are a great time for brunch, which is the perfect opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Host a Valentine's Day-themed brunch with an array of delicious meals (check out our easy V-Day breakfast ideas) and add some colorful cocktails (strawberry shortcake mimosas, anyone?).
28. Paint and Sip Party
Paint and sips are especially fun when done in a relaxing environment. Stock up on painting essentials and have your friends and family over for a night of drinks, painting and laughter.
29. Karaoke Party
Put everyone's voice to the test with a karaoke party. Sing over your favorite romantic tunes (which hopefully includes John Legend's "All of Me") and have a day full of fun.
30. Fondue Night
Fondue is a tasty Valentine's Day idea everyone would enjoy. You can serve cheese fondue for dinner and chocolate fondue for dessert (deliciously complete with assorted marshmallows or fresh fruit).
31. Personalized Goodie Bags
Give out personalized goodie bags after your party or have guests create their own. Show love for others you may not know by donating extra bags to children in need.
32. Wine Swap
Wine lovers will appreciate the idea of a wine swap party. Allow everyone to bring their favorite drink to pair with flavorful hors d'oeuvres for a festive celebration.
33. Favorite Things Party
Favorite things parties are incredibly entertaining. If you're new to them, here's how it works: you decide the number of gifts (and price range) for your guests to bring. Then, everyone explains what they brought and why it's one of their favorite things. Afterward, guests can choose the present they want, or you can select a name randomly from a bowl for each gift.
34. Take Polaroid Photos
Polaroids are great to have for any occasion. They print your photos on the spot and give you the chance to remember the special moments in your life. Take pictures of your guests, then stick them to your wall for everyone to see (you can even make heart-shaped wall art of your images at the end).
35. Secret Cupid Gift Swap
With this tradition, once you have the names of everyone who plans to attend, scramble their names together and assign someone to each person to offer a gift. Have your guests share a brief virtual or email-friendly introduction. When they meet for the first time at your party, let the presents and conversation begin.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
