Valentine’s Day is coming up, and along with it comes my personal favorite unofficial holiday, Galentine’s day! Galentine’s Day is a day devoted to celebrating friendship and is typically celebrated on the day before Valentine’s Day. So, if you do have any pals with significant others, they can still celebrate with them on Valentine’s Day. I know a lot of us are on a tight budget, especially as college students, so I wanted to provide some ideas for you to have a fun, yet frugal, night in with your friends. Here are some ideas for your stay-at-home Galentine’s parties!
1. Rom-Com Movie Night
One of the most classic ways you can celebrate Galentine’s day is by gathering all your friends and having a cozy movie night. Specifically, with rom-coms. Everyone loves a good romantic comedy, but my personal favorites are The Notebook, 50 First Dates and Valentine’s Day. This type of night would go along perfectly with some homemade chocolate-covered strawberries or any of your favorite snacks.
2. DIY Photo Booth
Another fun stay-at-home idea is to create a DIY photo booth. You can use a cute sheet as a backdrop or if DIY projects aren’t your style, you can find a cute one on Amazon. Props are also always a fun edition and are an easy craft to make out of construction paper, or if you aren’t too artsy, you can always purchase some. Have all your friends dress their best and take some photos! You could even purchase matching PJ sets and have a comfy, coordinated photoshoot!
3. Paint- and-Sip
Paint nights are one of my personal favorite activities. It’s super easy to grab some canvases and paint from your local craft store, and host a “Paint-and-Sip” night! If you’re not 21 or older, or you’re not into alcohol, you can still have fun with this by making mocktails! Blake Lively has a wonderful brand called Betty Buzz that consists of nonalcoholic mixers that can “fly solo.” I would definitely recommend implementing these fun mixers at your Paint-and-Sip party!
4. Game Night
Another favorite of mine is a game night! Playing games is a fun way to take some time away from your phone, grab a speaker, blast your favorite music, hang out with friends and have some mental stimulation. Some of my personal favorite games to recommend for game night are, For The Girls which is perfect for Galentine’s, and the Cards Against Humanity Everything Box. If you’re into more strategic games, Target has checkers sets that are themed for many different universities. You can find the Mizzou edition here!
5. Romantic Book Swap
If you and your friends like to read, a fun idea for your stay-at-home Galentine’s celebration would be a romantic book swap! “The Love Hypothesis” and “Love on the Brain” are a duo that would be perfect to swap for this occasion.
6. Fondue Night
Who doesn’t like chocolate? I believe a fondue night would be perfect for Galentine’s day! Target has a cute fondue kit that would be perfect for this theme. I recommend selecting some strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels or any fruits you want to add under your chocolate fountain. If you’re in the mood for something more savory, you can opt for cheese fondue and pair it with bread, veggies or anything else you like!
7. DIY Tote Bags
If you don’t want to paint on canvas, making tote bags with your friends is a fun and creative idea! You can grab some tote bags from your local craft store and any paint or decorations you want to add to them. I recommend sketching with a pencil first and then painting your design. Another fun idea is to have all your friends put their handprints on your bag and add their names. It’s a fun keepsake and a sweet way to have your friends with you everywhere you go!
8. Bake Night
Bake nights with your besties are always a good idea! Specifically, Valentine-themed treats are best for this occasion. Aesthetic cakes are popular right now, so you could have a bake-off and see who could come up with the best cake. Just have fun with it and see where your ideas take you! Another fun idea would be macaroons, brownies with pink and red frosting or even Valentine’s Day sugar cookies that you can throw in the oven! These heart-designed cookies from Target are my favorite!
9. Bachelor Marathon
This one is self-explanatory but is perfect for a stay-at-home Galentine’s party. Gather all your friends and put on the Bachelor! You can find the Bachelor and the Bachelorette on Hulu! This is a perfect addition to your fondue or bake night as well!
10. Brunch
Every perfect sleepover ends with brunch the next morning! Since we’re trying to save money, an at-home brunch is the move! You can make french toast, hashbrowns, bacon, omelets and anything else you’d like to add to your brunch menu! This is a fun way to cook with your friends while spending quality time together!
I hope you will use some of these fun stay-in ideas for your Galentine’s parties! Even though nights out are fun, it’s always good to save a little money and have a night in!