While the origins of Valentine’s Day date back centuries ago, the basis of Galentine’s Day became a much more recent tradition. Nevertheless, this day has captured the hearts of just as many women. The holiday started with a single episode of “Parks and Recreation,” when the main character, Leslie Knope, celebrates the holiday with a group of her girlfriends at a local diner. It’s here where she explains, “What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year.” The ohmage to the powerful bond of female friendship is celebrated on February 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day. Despite popular opinion, the holiday is not meant to reflect loneliness or mock the couples who will celebrate the following day; it is intended to celebrate pleuntic love. So, this year, we should all celebrate the amazing gals in our lives, and here are some ideas for doing it!
DIY Flower Arrangements: Host your friends over for a fun night of creativity and crafting! The set up is simple! All you need is decorative ribbon, mason jars or vases, your flowers of choice, accent flowers to add contrast, a pair of sharp scissors, and, of course, your favorite snacks! Here is a more detailed directive of how to organize your party.
Rom-Coms and Cookies: This Galentine’s day, invite your friends over, put on your favorite rom-com movie and bake cookies! Here are some ideas ranging anywhere from chocolate-covered Oreos to meringue hearts, satisfying the sweet tooth of all bakers, no matter your skill set.
Trivia Night: A simple yet exciting activity to get the girls together for is trivia! Gather the chocolates, the treats, and the trivia questions. You can even make them themed by relating them to Valentine’s Day, pop culture, cinema, literature, or even a mix.
Breakfast or Brunch: In the true Galentine’s spirit, go to brunch or breakfast to celebrate. Not only are women celebrating women one of Leslie Knope’s key pillars of the day, but breakfast food is as well. Either grab a bite to eat at your favorite diner or cafe or stay in and have each of your friends bring their favorite breakfast dishes.
Regardless of how you celebrate, Galentine’s is a day to uplift the important women in your life and remind us of the power of friendship. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.”
This blog was written by NeW Communications Intern, Natalie Price.
