4 Ways to Shake Up Valentine's Day This Year (No Partner Required)

Photo: ThinkstockBy Donna Brazile

Say no to sugar
Our culture tells us to mourn being single or rejoice in our couplehood by gobbling half a pound of fudge. But while I'd love to find that special someone, I'm not going to drown my emotions in chocolate; instead I'll go out with my girlfriends and swap awkward-first-date stories.

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Donate to victims of domestic violence
There is a dark side to love, and it leaves too many women and children in dire straits. That's why I collect little shampoos when I stay in hotels and drop them off regularly at a shelter.

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Wear red
Usually I stick to grays, but come February I like to paint the town you-know-what. This power color makes me feel like a woman not to be messed with-and people interpret it as festive!

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Grow your own roses
Most flowers are sprayed with toxic pesticides, then flown thousands of miles, only to die in days. The rosebushes in my garden have no environmental footprint-and sprout buds well into November.

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