Valentines’ Day is almost here. For many, it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate to a loved one how much they mean to you. For others, it’s just a pointless holiday celebration that cons people into buying unnecessary gifts. There is another celebration, however, that takes the best of both worlds – Galentine’s Day.
What is Galentine’s Day?
Now, the first question to answer is, what is Galentine’s Day? It was Parks and Recreation‘s brilliant Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, who first coined the phrase. As she once put it, the day is ‘only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies.’ To put it simply, Galentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your friendships instead of your relationship. Galentine’s Day is to Valentine’s Day what Friendsgiving to Thanksgiving.
Media portrayal
As just mentioned, it seems that the day was created by the show Parks and Recreation. The original Galentine’s Day episode aired in 2010 and was frequently mentioned afterwards. The phrase ‘Galentine’s Day’ was featured in episodes that aired in 2012 and 2014. By this point, the appeal was starting to appear both nationally and internationally. Business and companies capitalised on the idea. It seemed everyone wanted to embrace the idea of a holiday that celebrated friendships. This is something that can often be overlooked.
True meaning
The supposed meaning of Galentine’s Day is a day for women to celebrate their friendships with other women. It’s basically Valentine’s Day but with your favourite gals. Although some have remarked that Galentine’s Day isn’t very inclusive, the day isn’t just for ‘women’. Anyone can support and take part in Galentine’s Day. This day is a great opportunity to celebrate any friendship and to spend time with that friend.
How to spend your Galentine’s Day
Now, the big question is, how to spend Galentine’s Day? There’s no real pressure to do anything on the day, just like there isn’t for Valentine’s Day. But why wouldn’t you want to spend some quality time with friends?
Some ideas include:
- Themed party nights
- Galentine’s brunch
- Book club
- Spa day
- Staycation
However, it really is up to you. If you would prefer to have a chilled evening watching films and eating takeaway food, then go for it!
And there you have it. Whether you choose to celebrate Galentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day or even both, make sure it’s a good one!
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