Galentine's Day Or How To Celebrate Valentine's Day With Girlfriends

In recent years, it's no longer essential to be in a relationship to celebrate as February 14th approaches. If you haven't found a Valentine to spend a romantic evening with, you can always celebrate Galentine's Day! We're going to explain what this alternative celebration entails, which is organized among girlfriends on February 13th.

Where does Galentine's Day come from?

If you've never heard of Galentine's Day, it's probably because you weren't following the American series Parks and Recreation in 2010. It was the creators of this TV show who came up with the concept in one of the episodes.

In the show, the main character Leslie Knope swears by Galentine's Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the friendship between girlfriends on the eve of Valentine's Day. She explains that friendship deserves to be celebrated just as much as love.

The name "Galentine's Day" is, of course, a play on Valentine's Day. This neologism is based on the colloquial word "gal," which means girl in English. This entirely invented concept has so charmed viewers that now, girls' nights are being organized all over the world on the eve of Valentine's Day.

Hotels, restaurants, and brands are getting in on the action and are increasingly offering events around this concept. Industry professionals have understood that this celebration of sisterhood is gaining more and more followers, in the United States and around the world.

What is Galentine's Day all about?

Galentine's Day adopts the main concepts of Valentine's Day with the organization of a meal and the exchange of gifts. The significant difference is that the evening celebrates friendship among women rather than romantic love. There's no requirement to be in a relationship to partake in the festivities.

This alternative holiday targets a broader audience since it's not limited to couples and provides an excellent excuse for organizing a girls' night out. To allow friends who are in relationships to also celebrate Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day is officially celebrated on February 13th.

How to celebrate Galentine's Day?

There are no strict rules for throwing a successful Galentine's Day party. Simply invite one or more friends, single or not, and spend the evening together relaxing and having fun.

Depending on your preferences and budget, you could:
• Book a beauty treatment or massage at a spa.
• Go out to a restaurant with girlfriends.
• Have a brunch or cocktail dinner party.
• Host a karaoke night at home or in a bar.
• Organize a slumber party or a nostalgic evening with board games and candy.

Whatever option you choose, take this opportunity to celebrate your friendship by giving gifts to your friends, such as a pretty girly-colored card, a friendship bracelet, or a Japanese kokeshi doll.

When it comes to activities and gifts, the conventions are less strict than for Valentine's Day. So don't hesitate to let your imagination run wild! All ideas are good as long as they highlight friendship and solidarity among women.

This celebration of friendship is designed to be fun above all and to free oneself from the social pressure to be in a relationship. For singles who dread February 14th, this holiday is a nice snub to the clichés of traditional Valentine's Day. The goal is to have a relaxing time among girls, and never mind any potential partners... They're not invited!

For now, this exclusively feminine concept has no male equivalent. With many singles around the world, perhaps men will soon invent their own anti-Valentine's Day?