Who says Valentine’s Day is only for romantic love? Since 2010, celebrating “Galentine’s Day” has become more and more popular every February. The concept began when Parks and Recreation’s character Leslie Knope hosted a waffle-filled brunch for her girlfriends. To sum up the tradition, Leslie describes the holiday as: “Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies.”
Put simply, Galentine’s Day is celebrated on February 13th (the day before Valentine’s Day) and is meant to celebrate the female friendships in your life. Although it’s not an “official” holiday, the day is no less important; in fact, I wrote it down on my calendar in pink marker yesterday. We should all shower our besties with love and affection every once in a while. They are the ones who have been there for you through everything. I mean, who else would you FaceTime for outfit advice or have full-on text threads about your favourite TV shows?
While it’s fun to get dressed up, get flowers, and have a romantic night with your partner, it’s equally as fun to put on a cute outfit, grab a drink, and have a night out with your girls. Besides, who doesn’t love an excuse to have a girls’ night, right? Here are 6 Galentine’s Day ideas to help get you and your girlfriends started!
1. Go out to Brunch
One way to celebrate is to pay tribute to the Galentine’s Day founder, Leslie Knope, and host a waffle brunch. This can be done in many different settings, you could have a casual picnic, make a reservation at a fancy restaurant, or with current COVID times, you could host a simple wine night at your place. At the root of it, the important part is surrounding yourself with the people you care about.
2. Secret Cupid
What better way to show your love for your friends than a gift exchange? After all, gift giving is one of the main love languages. This Secret Santa with a Valentine’s Day twist allows everyone to receive the gift that they deserve. Here are some Galentine’s Day gift ideas if you’re stumped:
3. Host a Spa Day
Girls just wanna have their nails done. Getting mani-pedis can be a great way to wind down after a long day. Plus, this way you can wear sweatpants when you meet up. A spa day could include hitting up your favourite spa or simply having a chill night painting each other’s nails and doing face masks. Either way, self-love is just as important this time of year, and taking care of yourself is essential for both your physical and mental health.
4. Rom-Com Movie Night
Since love is in the air, why not get together for a romantic movie marathon night? With so many great options and only one night, a way to narrow down your choices is to have everyone write down their favourite and choose from a draw. But if you’re stuck on ideas, here are some of my personal favourites:
5. Romantic Book Club
If your girlfriends are book lovers like mine, hosting a book club party can be endless fun! You have two options: either everyone reads a new book before the party, or everyone brings their favourite romance books to swap with one another. Throughout the night, you can all share what you loved about the various books and gush over the – let’s be real – unattainable standards you now have. If you’re looking for ideas, here are some of my top romance novel reads:
- The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
- Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
6. Group Fitness Class
Channel the good old days of summer camp with a group exercise activity! Working out as a group can really bring everyone together. You could follow a virtual workout at someone’s place, or sign up for an in-person class together. You could even get on the Galentine’s Day theme and do a heels or pole dancing class. Here are some options that are currently available in London:
Whether you decide to host a big event or simply catch up over a long FaceTime call, celebrating your girlfriends is important, and Galentine’s Day is definitely worth adding to your calendar. Despite its name, Galentine’s Day can be celebrated by anyone! The spirit of the holiday is to celebrate the friendships in your life and show love to those who have supported you throughout your various romantic relationships. So, although it’s extremely corny, don’t be afraid to show your love to those you care about most.