Valentine’s Day can be a very stressful time for people. Chocolates get eaten too fast, flowers die, and the dating drama… don’t even get us started. That’s why Galentine’s Day, celebrated every February 13th, was invented. Galentine’s Day is all about honoring friendships, especially the ones that survive group projects, shared notes, and borrowing clothes without asking.
The tradition started on the TV show “Parks and Recreation,” when the character Leslie Knope described the event as “ladies celebrating ladies.”
Since then, it has grown into a real-life tradition where friends gather to eat, exchange small gifts, and show appreciation for one another. Unlike Valentine’s Day, where people stress about gifts and relationship status, Galentine’s Day is a way to relax. There is no need to buy expensive gifts or write a poem that accidentally sounds like a ransom note.
Instead, people celebrate with things that truly matter. While the original idea focused on female friendships, many people now use Galentine’s Day as a way to celebrate all kinds of close friendships. The best part is that Galentine’s Day is truly for everyone. Whether you’re single, in a relationship, stuck in a talking stage, or tangled up in a situationship, there is still something for you to do and not bed rot during Valentine’s weekend.
How to Celebrate Galentine’s Day
If you’re wondering how to celebrate Galentine’s day without spending all your money or planning a three hour event… good news! Galentine’s Day is supposed to be fun and easy. Since Galentine’s Day is kind of new, there is no right or wrong way to celebrate.
Leslie Knope, the founder of Galentine’s Day, celebrated the day by gathering her friends and hosting a brunch at a favorite local restaurant for food and drinks. During the brunch, she handed out custom handmade gifts for each friend along with a 5,000 word essay on why each friend is so awesome.
One of the most popular ideas for Galentine’s Day is hosting a festive themed brunch while fun activities to do after.
Another popular idea is to do a “BYOB” (bring your own board) party, where each person brings a certain themed board full of food.
It’s a very efficient way to get all different types of food (personally my favorite). One especially fun idea is making everything heart-shaped. With a simple cookie cutter, you can turn totally normal food into something festive and Instagram-worthy.
High school students can do an “after school breakfast brunch.” Make waffles, pancakes, eggs or pastries and call it “brunch,” even if it’s after 4 p.m. You can set up a mini topping station with fruits, chocolate chips, syrups and whipped cream so everyone can customize their plate.
During the school day, you could pass out small candy or handwritten notes to your friends between classes. Even going to the city after school and finding a cute cafe or walking around can be fun. Even going to a fast food restaurant and hanging out can count as a Galentine’s Day hangout.
So skip the stress of Valentine’s Day and focus on the people who actually laugh at your bad jokes. This February 13th, grab your friends, eat some snacks, maybe take some ridiculous group selfies and celebrate the people you have fun with.
Galentine’s Day is proof that you don’t need a date to feel celebrated, you just need good friends and maybe a group chat that never sleeps. In the end, friendships are the real heart of high school and that’s definitely worth celebrating.
