Galentine’s Day, a term coined by Lesile Knope in Parks and Rec, is the day before Valentine’s Day. It’s dedicated to celebrating female friendships which provides the perfect excuse to get together with your best friends and show how much you appreciate them while dressing up, eating fun snacks, and crafting. Galentine’s is a way to celebrate more than just romantic love, and, of course, is an excuse for all things cute, girly, and pink! I love hosting gatherings with my friends for Galentine’s because there is something so special about the love of a friendship. This year as a freshman in college, I find myself with a much smaller budget and space, but I’ve compiled this list of affordable and dorm-friendly decor, activities, and food ideas to help you plan your own Galentine’s gathering!
Heart Paper Chains
If you’re like me you’ve probably seen paper chain decor all over your TikTok For You Page, but heart paper chains put a festive Valentine’s twist on the classic party craft. Paper chains are super affordable, but they can have a big impact on your space. All you need is a pack of construction paper, scissors, and a stapler. To make it even more festive, pick paper in hues of red and pink or for a little extra fun, get a pack of glitter paper, or one with floral patterns. The more colorful chains the better! You can hang them across the ceiling or walls to instantly make your space more festive. They are super easy to make, and it’s the perfect mindless activity you can do with a friend, or watching tv, in advance of the gathering.
Craft Paper Banners
Another easy decor piece is painting your own craft paper banner. You just need brushes, paint, and a roll of brown craft paper, which you can find at places like Michael’s. This craft provides a lot of creative freedom since you just cut the paper to the length of your wall and paint any designs or words on it you want. You can find really cute Galentine’s specific banner designs on Pinterest or just freestyle with hearts, a bow, or a Galentine’s-related saying. If your Galentine’s has a theme, you can put a cute pun or matching doodles, and, bonus, it makes a really cute backdrop for pictures!
Napkin Decoupage Vases
Decoupaging paper napkins is an inexpensive way to add designs to plain items, like mason jars, to use as vases for your party. During this time of year, you can find paper napkins in all sorts of Valentine’s patterns in the seasonal section of HomeGoods. Essentially, you just peel up the top layer of paper (with the design on it) and adhere it to the jar with Mod Podge, a water and glue-based sealant. You can paint the jars white before applying for an opaque finish, or leave them slightly translucent. You can use these for flowers in them as centerpieces or battery operated tea lights for ambient lighting!
Bouquet Making
Any good Galentine’s party needs an activity for you and your friends to do while gossiping or watching your favorite rom-com.You can buy bundles of flowers like roses, carnations, or peonies in shades of pink and red, along with fillers such as baby’s breath. Then, everyone can make their own mini bouquets that they can take home after the party! Bonus points if everyone makes their own decoupage jar to display their florals in!
Vintage-Inspired Card Making
One of the most special things about Valentine’s Day is addressing cards to your loved ones, and a Galentine’s party is a great opportunity to make them for each other and write sweet notes! I am personally obsessed with vintage Valentine’s cards — you know, like the cute ones with little animals and puns and lace detailing— so I think using a mix of ribbon, vintage designs, and stickers would make a super cute DIY activity! You can buy a pack of Valentine’s paper doilies from Target or Michael’s to use as a base, and then everyone can collage different elements and write notes on the back. There are tons of vintage Valentine’s card designs on Pinterest to print out, and you can also thrift things like ribbon to stay on budget!
Dessert Board
Every good gathering also needs a wide selection of snacks. For some people that means a savory or savory and sweet spread, but for me, something about Galentine’s screams sweet treats! I do love to bake, but in a dorm room I am limited on cooking tools and space; however, places like Trader Joe’s have super yummy year-round treats as well as some special Valentine’s ones. My personal favorites are the X’s and O’s gummies or the mini chocolate peanut butter cups! I recommend grabbing a mix of soft, crunchy, chocolate, sour, and maybe even some fruit, so there’s something for everyone. If you have access to a cooking space you can make some Valentine’s themed cookies, cupcakes, or chocolate-covered strawberries. Then you can arrange it on a plate or board charcuterie style and voila: a cute and yummy spread!
Festive Mocktails
Of course, with all the snacks you’ll get thirsty, but you don’t want just water or plain soda. Mocktails are a great way to elevate sodas with festive colors, garnishes, and flavors. There are so many possibilities of what you can mix up: you can refer to an online recipe list like this one, which all require simple ingredients, which you can make in bulk to serve at your party. If you really want to go all out, you can add edible glitter, heart-shaped ice cubes or fun straws. Cheers!
I am so excited to throw my own Galentine’s gathering this year and decorate, craft, and eat to celebrate the girls I love most in my life. I hope this list helps make Galentine’s special for you and all your friends. Happy hosting and happy Galentine’s! XOXO!