February 14th has traditionally been a day dedicated to lovers, but in recent years a new holiday has surfaced, taking the shine away from romantic relationships. We call it, Galentine’s.
No one seems to care as much about the heart-shaped pillows and teddy bears with “I love you” embroidered into their stomachs.
As people increasingly recognise the value of self-love, we are becoming less reliant on romantic love dependent on someone else.
This has led to a fluctuation in Galentine’s celebrations, and if you don’t quite know what this term means, you’ve come to the right place.
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What is Galentine’s Day?
The purpose of Galentine’s Day is to celebrate the platonic love shared between friends, the people intrinsic in our support systems who are there for us between the sticky breakups.
The day is set aside for honouring friendship in all its various and wonderful forms.
Galentine’s isn’t an official holiday per se, but has become increasingly popular over recent years via the internet.
It includes every demographic of people, not just singletons. According to the Urban Dictionary, the Galentine’s takes place on February 13th, meaning those lucky in love can celebrate both.
Seven ways to get on board
Themed party nights. Get your gals and non-binary pals together for a party inspired by your favourite film or TV show. Everyone’s outfit should appropriately reflect the theme, whether that means dressing as particular characters or sharing a certain colour palette. You can make decorations and party snacks together. Some theme suggestions include, Mean Girls, Euphoria, Clueless. Anything that portrays friendship to its core.
Galentine’s brunch. Get the group together and visit your favourite local brunch spot.
Romantic book club. Prepare ahead of time and have friends all read the same romantic novel. This idea is great for friends who live far away, as they can still join in the conversation via FaceTime or Zoom.
Spa day. A full day dedicated to rest and relaxation. Lots of spas will be offering Valentine’s day deals you and your pals can make use of.
Retail therapy. Grab a couple of friends and go shopping. They will be the best people to give advice on what looks good and what doesn’t.
Staycation. Plan a weekend away for your closest buddies somewhere not too far away. You can spend the time embroiled in conversation, trying new activities, cooking good food, and drinking nice wine.
Floral Arrangements. You can see if any local classes are available or host yourself. Floral arranging is not only visually pleasing but it’s good for the mind and soul.
The internet react to 2022 Galentines
As Galentine’s well and truly takes hold, people are flocking online to share their reactions to the unofficial official holiday and show friends what they got up too.
Galentine's Day is a play on Valentine's Day dedicated to celebrating a different kind of love - friendship. The unofficial holiday falls on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine's, and specifically encourages women to get together with their female friends and honor the power of female friendship.
The good news is that because Galentine's Day is so new, there's no right or wrong way to celebrate. Without centuries of tradition, you sort of get to make your own rules here. Many people choose to pay tribute to Leslie Knope—the foremother of Galentine's Day, if you will—by hosting a waffle and co*cktail brunch.
Fun Fact: Galentine's Day was created by Leslie Knope, the Parks and Recreation fictional main character. She invented the holiday as a tribute to her close girlfriends.
Amy Poehler's character Leslie Knope coined the unofficial holiday in the second season of the series during episode 16, which was written by the show's co-creator Michael Schur and aptly titled 'Galentine's Day. '
Malentine's day is a day for men to meet up and celebrate their amazing friendship. It is a happy, celebratory day, the male equivalent of Galentine's day.
Galentine's is not just a holiday, it's a way to empower a woman in your life or to celebrate your cherished friendships. The holiday is a symbol for women empowerment and celebrating those we love.
Whether you have a sweetheart or not, Galentine's Day is a great occasion to celebrate the female friendships in your life. The best Galentine's Day gifts will show how much you care and make each of your friends feel appreciated. Best of all, you don't have to spend big to treat your gals to something sweet.
The word—a blend of Valentine's Day and gal—was introduced to the world by the chipper and dedicated Leslie Knope, the fictional Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department of the also-fictional city of Pawnee, Indiana, in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation, which ran from 2009 to 2015.
Vinegar valentines were a type of cheeky postcard decorated with a caricature and insulting poem. A lampoon of Valentine's Day cards, the unflattering novelty items enjoyed a century of popularity beginning in the 1840s during the Victorian era.
Palentine's Day is a global holiday celebrating friendships and every other form of platonic love. It is celebrated annually on February 13, but can be observed on February 14 as well, and complements Valentine's Day, which celebrates romantic love.
Galentine's Day is definitely NOT for just the singles and girls. While the name has gal in it, anyone and everyone can celebrate Galentine's Day. Whether you're single, coupled-up, stuck in a talking stage, or languishing away in a confusing set-up, Galentine's Day is a chance to celebrate meaningful relationships.
It's one of those things that has just embedded itself in popular culture, and it actually goes back to the Feb. 11, 2010, episode of "Parks and Rec" where Leslie Nope, Amy Poehler's character, is introducing Galentine's Day. It's this wonderful day where, you know, women celebrate women. They go out to brunch.
Before we dive deeper, a brief Galentine's Day primer: the day was created as a fictional holiday on the American sitcom Parks and Recreation in 2010, in an episode in which the show's leading character, the earnest and endearing Leslie Knope, (played by Amy Poehler) created a reason to celebrate her best friends.
Coined in 2010 by an episode of the sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” Galentine's Day falls on Feb.13 and is all about “ladies celebrating ladies,” according to Leslie Knope, the show's main protagonist.
Introduction: My name is Arline Emard IV, I am a cheerful, gorgeous, colorful, joyous, excited, super, inquisitive person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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