Meet a Man in Wintertime

If your New Year's resolution was to get out and meet a mate, then what are you waiting for? It's winter -- when days are short and nights dark and cold -- and the perfect time to cuddle up to someone special. When there's a chill in the air, here are nine activities to help you find a new love.

1. Go skiing. Call the ski resorts in your state to find out about group tours, packages and singles weekends. Once you're in the lodge, offer to bring a hot toddy to the guy with a leg cast and crutches sitting near the fireplace.

2. Go ice skating. When a guy approaches, fake losing your balance. The biggest drawback: With gloves on, you can't tell if he's wearing a wedding ring. The solution: Tell him your hands are cold. Ask him to hold your hands in his bare ones to warm yours up.

3. Make a fun escape. Take a trip to a warmer climate -- try the Club Med in Tahiti.

4. Take dance lessons. Try ballroom dancing, where a variety of partners are guaranteed. Who knows? You might click and become someone's permanent partner.

5. Find a bookstore with comfortable chairs. If you see a man reading "Skiing for Novices," hint that you'd like a lesson.

6. Work around men. Consider taking a part-time job in an auto parts or hardware store, where customers are mostly men. Then, offer to help change his oil or hold his ladder.

7. Act puzzled in the wine section of a store. Men can't resist offering to help. If the guy looks good and eligible, ask, "May I borrow your corkscrew?"

8. Have dinner out on your own. If a gentleman asks if he can join you, make sure to ask him if he's married. If he isn't, take a chance. If he's a jerk, the women's restroom is a safe haven.

9. Ask around -- again. The holidays create new singles. The cute guy who was friendly but taken in November may now be on his own. So, don't forget to ask your friends if they know of anybody new on the dating scene.

Bottom line? Get out and about. Be friendly, creative and approachable. Break the ice by saying, "The weather's freezing. Want to share a latt