February is the official month of love. The world turns red. Valentine’s Day arrives with a predictable parade of red roses, candle lights, and grand romantic gestures. Nevertheless, this day is quickly being overshadowed. Valentine’s Day is no longer hoarding all the glory as the day of love. There is a new sheriff in town: Galentine’s Day.
So, What Is Galentine’s Day?
Basically, Galentine’s Day is the friendship version of Valentine’s Day. Marked on February 13, Galentine’s Day is a day dedicated to celebrating female friendships. It is a day for the girlies and besties.
What started as a joke scripted in the television show Parks and Recreation in 2010, Galentine’s Day has since taken the world by storm. In the season 2 episode 16 of the show, the character Leslie Knope gathers her female friends for brunch and declares February 13 a day to celebrate ‘ladies celebrating ladies’. It is also comically coined as the day of “Uteruses before duderuses” and “Ovaries before brovaries.”
What began as a fictional waffle-fueled friendship moment evolved into a real-world celebration. By the mid-2010s, brands and restaurants had accepted and integrated the term into their marketing strategies. Today, Galentine’s Day events range from curated brunches to spa days, pajama parties, women empowerment workshops, Sip & Paint, and other women-led networking events.
What Does Galentine’s Day Mean?
At its core, Galentine’s Day recognises that romantic love is not the only love worth celebrating. Valentine’s Day highlights romantic love. To put it plainly, ‘the day when a man professes his love to his woman.’ And so, women stay put and wait to be professed to. She demands and expects words of affirmation, gifts and thoughtful gestures on this day.
This then creates insurmountable pressure on both parties. Women expect their partners to remember the day and make it memorable. Men feel the financial pressure to outdo themselves and their peers in a bid to impress their women. And not forgetting the single ladies who are the subject of ridicule and degradation in this season. Single women spend the day feeling the pressure to be in a relationship or overwhelmed with sadness because they are currently not in one. Consequently, many will do nearly anything to have a Valentine’s date.
Therefore, Galentine’s Day is like a warm blanket on a cold night. For many women, female friendships are a life source. They provide emotional support, financial advice, therapy sessions, late-night voice notes, and brutal honesty. In short, all the heavy lifting that romantic love is credited for.
The rapid rise of Galentine’s Day is attributed to the major cultural shifts happening today. Women are marrying later, prioritising careers, building businesses, pursuing numerous hobbies, and forming intentional communities. These days, friendships have become a primary support system rather than a secondary one.
Galentine’s Day, therefore, challenges the exclusivity embedded in Valentine’s Day. Thus, you don’t need a partner to feel special. You don’t need to be chosen. You just need your girls.
How is it Celebrated?
It is simple, really, gather your girlfriends and go out for coffee. Brunch is the most popularised way to celebrate Galentine’s Day; however, you can take it a notch higher. With your girls, you can arrange a movie night, a themed pajama party, a staycation, or a group trip.
In addition, you can organise a dinner party where everyone contributes a dish. Or you can also attend a morning yoga class and later unwind at a spa.
The tone is usually playful but meaningful. You can exchange small tokens of appreciation, handwritten notes, and inside joke gifts. The idea is not to impress but to affirm. However, for the gram, you can jump on a trend, coordinate outfits, and take numerous pictures. This sends a clear message that romantic love is not the only storyline worth documenting.
Cyndi Lauper was right, girls just want to have fun, and Galentine’s Day is the perfect excuse. ♥
Mourine Warui is a media and communication expert and seasoned writer. Her goal is to empower and offer solutions to everyday girl’s problems while provoking candid and authentic conversations. Other goals are to provide inspiration and entertainment to readers through creative, thought-provoking and edgy stories.
