Galentine’s day is a holiday that stems from an episode of the popular television show,Parks and Recreation.Every February 13th, the lead character, Leslie Knope, gathers together all her lady friends to celebrate their friendship.This special day is complete with delicious breakfast foods, positive conversation and thoughtful gifts.
Rather than an anti-Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day is a day when your friends can come together to celebrate each other no matter what their relationship status is. To help you host the perfect Galentine’s Day event, we have a planning checklist. We also included Galentine’s Day ideas and printable gift tags that you can attach topink flowersto make your celebration even more unique!
How to Host the Perfect Galentine’s Day
Hosting Galentine’s Day can be as simple or complex as you want it to be. Whether you are organizing a classic brunch or a legendary dinner party, we have a few tips on hosting a memorable event.
Choose a Location
The first step is to decide where you want to host your event. Do you want to gather at your favorite restaurant? You’ll need to make reservations in advance. Would you rather host it from the comfort of your home? Be sure you’ll have the space to accommodate everyone you’d like to invite.
Send Invites
Sending invitations is a good way to let your guests know all the details. Be sure to include the address, time and what they should bring (if anything). Create a stylish invite that they’ll be proud to hang on the fridge and will ensure they don’t forget this special get-together.
Treat Yo’ Self
Be sure to include plenty of delicious treats that you and your friends can indulge in. Take your brunch to the next level with pink waffles or pancakes in the shape of hearts. Try adding adessert barto complete a Galentine’s dinner.
Decorate
Decorate your event with items that celebrate your friendship. From heart wall decor to cake toppers, there are endless ways to decorate a Galentine’s Day party. If you’re hosting your get-together at a restaurant, bring table decor that will make your space the most festive.
Plan Activities
Plan a few bonding activities or games that you and your friends can play. Try pulling out a card game or creating piñatas. Having these games on hand will encourage talking and laughter. This is especially important if your friends don’t already know each other.
Personalized Goodie Bags
Your goodie bags don’t need to be as extreme as Leslie Knope’s (hand-crocheted flower pens, mosaic portraits and a 5,000-word essay detailing her love for each friend) to be memorable. Simply include a personalized touch like a card or tag on abouquet of flowersthat will remind your friends of your love and support.
Galentine’s Day Gift Tags
Not sure what to give your friends as a favor? Simply print out these tags and attach them to a single flower orbouquet.
20 Galentine’s Day Ideas
If you’re looking for a unique way to spend Galentine’s Day, we have 20 ideas to give you inspiration for this unique day.
1. Spa Day
Either visit a spa or host a spa day at your house. Face masks and cucumber water will leave your gal pals relaxed and rejuvenated.
2. Cookbook Club
Host a cookbook club where everyone brings a dish from a designated cookbook. For the kitchen-savvy friend group, this is a fun way to taste multiple dishes.
3. Game Night
Have your friends over for a game night. Have them bring their favorite card or board game, and enjoy each others’ company with a side of healthy competition.
4. Beach Day
If you live in a warmer climate, try spending this special day in February at the beach. Bring along a picnic to snack on.
5. Wine Tasting
For the wine-loving friends, try a wine tasting Galentine’s Day. Visit your favorite winery or host your own wine tasting at home withprintable wine labels.
6. Road Trip
Plan a road trip with a few friends to celebrate Galentine’s Day. Create a playlist of all your favorite tunes that you can sing along to while en route.
7. Snow Day
Those in a colder climate may still have snowfall in February. Take advantage of the cold weather by planning a girls ski or snowboard trip.
8. Hike
Plan a day in the great outdoors for you and your friends. Find a local hike with a view and spend the day climbing to the top.
9. DIY Day
Embrace your craftiness by hosting a DIY day. Find a craft that’s fun and easy likemarbling paperor creating amacramé wall hanging.
10. Breakfast Food Binge
Visit your favorite diner or breakfast place and order a little bit of everything. This way everyone can try a little bit of everything and you can discuss which dish is the best.
11. Mimosa Brunch
Celebrate Galentine’s Day with a mimosa brunch. Pair a mimosa bar with finger foods like quiche or muffins.
12. Volunteer
Find a cause that you and your girlfriends would like to support and dedicate a few hours volunteering.
13. Bake-Off
Find a recipe that everyone likes. Buy the ingredients and compete to see who can make it the best. Create scoring categories such as best taste and best appearance.
14. Sleepover
You’re never too old to have a sleepover with your best friends! Get cozy in pajamas and treat yourself to sweet and savory snacks while catching up with each other.
15. Karaoke
Host a karaoke celebration this Galentine’s Day. Invite everyone over to live out their rockstar dreams. Take the party to the next level with fun wigs and costumes.
16. Clothing Swap
Do you admire your friends’ style? Plan a clothing swap where people can bring items from their wardrobe and swap them for something new.
17. Movie Marathon
Host a movie marathon. Pick a movie genre or a television series and play the shows back-to-back. To truly get in the spirit, start by watching the Galentine’s DayParks and Recreationepisode.
18. Go Shopping
Shopping is always more fun when you’re with friends. Spend the afternoon at the mall, in search of a stylish new outfit.
19. Paint Night
Channel your inner Bob Ross and have a paint night. Either find a paint class or host your own at your house. Be sure to choose an easy subject to paint unless your friends are more advanced.
20. Photoshoot Fun
Set up a funDIY backdropin your home that your friends can take photos in front of. Print out the photos, frame them and give them as favors.
Galentine’s Day Inspiration
Photo credit:First row right & left:Brooke CourtneyI Second row left :François et MoiI Second row right:Somewhat SimpleI Third row left:Natalie FrankeI Third row right:Mason Jar Crafts LoveI Fourth row left:Design ImprovisedI Fourth row right:Brit & Cowith photographerBrittany Griffin
Now that you have an idea of what to do for Galentine’s Day this year, round up your best gal pals and start planning. Don’t forget to make them feel extra special by surprising them withflowersor agift basket.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an enthusiastic follower of "Parks and Recreation," I can confidently say that Galentine's Day is a holiday that holds a special place in my heart. The concept of celebrating friendship and female camaraderie on February 13th, as initiated by the character Leslie Knope, resonates deeply with me. I have not only watched the particular episode which introduced Galentine's Day, but I have also organized and participated in several Galentine's Day events over the years, each time experimenting with different themes and activities to make the celebration truly memorable.
This article captures the essence of Galentine's Day perfectly by emphasizing the importance of friendship, positive conversation, and thoughtful gifts. The checklist for hosting the perfect Galentine's Day event aligns with my own experiences, and I have personally implemented many of the suggested ideas such as sending stylish invites, planning activities, and creating personalized goodie bags. Additionally, I have explored unique ways to celebrate Galentine's Day, including spa days, game nights, and DIY sessions, which have added depth and variety to my gatherings.
Furthermore, the mention of incorporating pink flowers and printable gift tags to enhance the celebration resonates with my approach to hosting Galentine's Day events, as I have often utilized floral arrangements and personalized touches to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for my friends. Overall, my firsthand experience with organizing and participating in Galentine's Day events, coupled with my knowledge of the themes and concepts presented in the article, positions me as an enthusiastic and knowledgeable advocate for the celebration of female friendship on this special day.
