During the holidays there are a million and one things that serve as constant, nagging reminders that we single girls are, well, still single. To really drive the point home, the season culminates with New Years, a holiday practically built around a special kiss as soon as the clock strikes twelve. Yet here we are: 60 percent of the 60 girls HC polled, dateless on New Years, looking to nab a smooch from someone special. Mom and Dad, we love you, but a kiss atop our heads from you two just isn’t going to cut it this year.
Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of a few of the best ways for you to find a guy to kiss this New Years with expert advice from matchmaker Marla Martenson. So get your sparkliest dress, highest heels, and flirtiest smile ready to welcome the new year with these awesome options.
Challenge: Create a Facebook Group
Face it: we all spend a lot of time on Facebook, whether we admit to it or not, so we might as well benefit from it, right? Create a group ASAP so everyone can begin making arrangements, invite all your single friends with (soon-to-change) dateless New Years plans, and let the matchmaking ensue! Can you imagine how fun it will be when all of the cyber flirting leads to the chance for in-person flirting come New Years? The anticipation and nerves will no doubt end in an amazing night topped off with an equally amazing kiss.
Marla Says: To keep the amount of girls and guys equal, have each person invite a friend of the opposite sex to join the Facebook group.
Challenge: Call Up Your High School Fling
Most of us will be home for the New Year so if you ended things with your ex on good terms and he’s still single, why not give him a call? The great part about going out with a guy you’ve previously dated is that you already know the two of you will have a blast together. Just because you aren’t a couple though doesn’t mean you have no excuse to get all gussied up. Show him the same respect you would any other date, spend some time getting ready, and watch his jaw drop when he picks you up. Relive the fun times you spent together breaking curfew and IM-ing until 2 a.m. and create some new ones as you welcome the new year! As midnight rolls around pucker up and let the night lead to an exciting conclusion.
Marla Says: Keep in mind that you are both different people than you were in high school, so don’t feel bad if the date doesn’t turn into a long-term thing. Just enjoy the moment and ring in the new year with a bang!
[pagebreak]
Challenge: Host a Singles Party
While bitterness and spite should not be your sole reasons for holding a party like this, we won’t tell anyone if twinges of jealousy caused you to send out the invitations. Knowing everyone is single and ready to mingle will make flirting and nabbing a midnight kiss easier and a whole lot more fun. Come up with a cute name for the party (Seal the Deal Celebration, Smoochin’ Singles Shindig, Kiss in the New Year Extravaganza, etc.) and entice your guests with an exciting line-up of old school games like Spin the Bottle, Seven Minutes in Heaven, and Kissing Tag. Who will be able to resist a night full of opportunities for fun, no-strings-attached kisses?
Marla Says: Don’t retire the mistletoe just yet! In keeping with the kissing theme, put some up or serve some virgin mistletoe martinis with crème-de-menthe to make them green.
Challenge: Join an Online Dating Website
Dating sites aren’t just for middle-aged singles looking to get married. Head over to a secure and free one geared towards younger generations (like OkCupid), make a profile, and search for someone to take out on New Years. Sure, it may be intimidating to spend an entire night with a guy you’ve never met, but is there a better way to begin the new year than with a brand new adventure? Enlist another one of your single friends to join in on the fun and let your minds run wild as you create your personal profiles and dream up the night, and kiss, ahead.
Marla Says: It’s fun and exciting to meet someone new and see if there is a spark, but be safe and bring him to a party, not a one-on-one celebration.
Challenge: Go to a Party Where You Know Fewer Than Five People
Maybe it’s the party of a friend from college who lives near your hometown or maybe it’s your bestie’s older sibling’s bash. The idea is if you know fewer than five people at the party, you’re bound to meet some new ones. Remember though, big groups of girls can scare away the hottie who’s been checking you out all night so don’t immediately migrate to the other ladies, comforting as it may be! Turn your flirt on, flash those pearly whites, and start scanning the room for which guy you want to smooch at midnight. While your New Years might start off without a date, that sure doesn’t mean it has to end the same.
Marla Says: This is the time to push your shyness aside, and let the chemistry decide. Go for the hottest single guy in the room; you have nothing to lose!
New Years is one night when it is completely acceptable to verbalize the fact that you really just want to make out with someone. Take advantage of that and master one of the above challenges to end your night with a big, ol’ lip-smacker. Don’t worry about coming off too forward because, ladies, everyone else (trust us, everyone else) will be hoping for the same thing. So close your eyes, take a risk, and lean in. No matter who ends up by your side come December 31st, be sure to send 2010 off with a bang. May your night be filled with confetti, resolutions, and a knock-your-socks-off kiss at midnight!