Forget Cupid. Grab the whipped cream. It’s time to celebrate the real loves in your life: your friends, and a little bit of carbohydrates. Happy Galentine’s Day!!!
Let’s be honest for a moment. Valentine’s Day is stressful. There’s the hunt for a dinner reservation three months in advance, the window shopping for a seductive dress to wear before going to sleep 😉, and the pressure of finding a gift and flowers that are Instagrammable and not something you just bought from the corner store.
So if February 14 is like a brutal performance review for your romantic life, February 13 is like an office party where everyone gets drunk and eats too much cake.
Welcome to Galentine’s Day. The superior holiday?
The Origin Story (All Hail Queen Leslie)
We owe this glorious tradition to the patron saint of binders and waffles, Leslie Knope 1 from the TV sitcom Parks and Recreation.
Way back in 2010, in the episode Galentine’s Day, Leslie explained her perfect invention:
“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s 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.”
It started as a fictional sitcom plot that eventually evolved into a real-world cultural phenomenon. Why? Because Leslie Knope is actually right. We need a day off from preparing for Valentine’s Day so we can sit down, relax, and tell our friends how amazing they are.
By the way, if you didn’t know yet, “Galentine’s” is a portmanteau 2 of “gal” (a variation of “girl”) and “Valentine’s”.
So technically, it is an annual celebration of female friendships, whether you are single or taken. But it’s not strictly exclusive, because the main purpose is still to celebrate platonic love and friendship.
And honestly, I think we need that. Real talk: some friendships outlast relationships.
You have friends who saw you at your worst, helped you glow up, supported your career decisions, and reminded you that you deserve better.
Galentine's versus Valentine's
Dress Code
Valentine’s Day: Somewhat formal outfit. High heels. Fully shaved from the knees upward 😉
Galentine’s Day: Casual wear. Sweatpants are actually preferred.
Menu
Valentine’s Day: Tiny portions of fancy food from a French restaurant.
Galentine’s Day: Waffles. Waffles with whipped cream. Chocolate chips. Zero judgment.
Company
Valentine’s Day: Of course, your significant other.
Galentine’s Day: Your “girl” friends who know exactly which Instagram account you need to stalk when you’re sad.
Expectations
On Valentine’s Day: If you don’t cry from a handwritten poem, you are a monster.
On Galentine’s Day: If you bring alcohol, you will be treated like a hero.
How To Celebrate
In Leslie Knope’s original version, it requires elaborate hand-crafted gifts and a 5,000-word essay. But honestly, you don’t need to go that far.
The Waffle Mandate
Breakfast food is not optional. Even if you go to a diner at 11:00 AM on a Tuesday, or if you’re just at someone’s house at 8:00 PM eating toast drowned in syrup, you still need to eat waffles. Mimosas 3 are highly encouraged, whatever time you celebrate. Actually, the food doesn’t need to be fancy. Even tapsilog 4 + iced coffee is perfectly fine.
Aggressive Complimenting
You must channel your inner Leslie. Tell your friends how beautiful, talented, brilliant, and powerful they are. Attack them with compliments until they become uncomfortable. Write it on cards. Shout it across the brunch table.
The “Soft Lifestyle” Aesthetic
If you are wearing something with a zipper, burn it. This day is about comfort. We are embracing the “soft lifestyle.” Think pajamas, fuzzy socks, and blankets.
Bad Media Consumption
This is the perfect time to watch a movie that got 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. Watch Cats. Watch badly dubbed telenovelas. The goal is to laugh, not to think.
And That's The Bottomline
Romantic love is great. But platonic love? That’s what helps you survive bad haircuts, terrible jobs, and questionable 3:00 AM life decisions.
So this February 13, let’s raise a glass (of mimosa, or even just orange juice) to the people who know exactly how crazy you are but still chose to stay by your side. Whether your relationship status is single, taken, complicated, or “it’s none of your business,” celebrate the people who show up, listen, and stay.
Because at the end of the day, romance may come and go…
…but your best friend knows where the embarrassing screenshots are 🤪
Happy Galentine’s Day, you beautiful tropical fish. 5
- Played by Amy Poehler
- A blend word; a word formed by combining the meanings and parts of the sounds of two or more words.
- A cocktail consists of champagne (or other sparkling wine) and chilled citrus juice, usually orange juice.
- A popular Filipino breakfast meal consisting of tapa (cured beef), sinangag (garlic fried rice), and itlog (egg).
- A famous quote from the TV sitcom Parks and Recreation (Season 2, Episode 16).