When you hear the words “Valentine’s Day,” you typically picture date nights, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, love letters, and various other things shared by couples in celebration of their relationships. With half of us spending the day sharing romantic moments with a partner, and the other half feeling a sense of unease for not being able to partake, Valentine’s Day can be, for lack of a better term, polarizing. While there is nothing wrong with falling on either end of the spectrum, it does beg an interesting question: Should the celebration of partnership and love (the very foundation of the holiday) be reserved solely for those of us in relationships?Â
In recent years, a new trend has challenged this idea, making Valentine’s Day more inclusive by bringing friendship, rather than just romance, into the picture. “Galentine’s,” funnily enough, comes from the popular sitcom Parks and Recreation, in which protagonist Leslie Knope would collect all her female friends and exchange gifts, banter, and food to commemorate their friendship. The quirky tradition portrayed on television quickly gained attention, inspiring women of all ages to get together in celebration of the women in their lives who show up consistently and unconditionally. The success of Galentine’s has since reframed mid-February, broadening the scope of appreciation and recognizing the importance of valuable relationships and support systems rather than simply romantic partnerships. The beauty of Galentine’s is that it allows all women, not just those in relationships, to express love and gratitude for those with whom they’ve shared the late-night conversations, inside jokes, milestones, heartbreaks, and everyday moments that shape their lives. And the best part? There are so many fun ways to celebrate.
Powerpoint Night
The concept of a PowerPoint night is fairly recent, but since gaining popularity, has become a staple. In essence, friends get together, each with a pre-made slide deck on a topic of their choosing. The goal is simple: pick something funny, oddly specific, or deeply personal and present it with complete seriousness, all for the sake of making the room laugh. While any topic is fair game, the best are ultra-niche and slightly unhinged (think ranking past relationships or listing everyone’s most embarrassing moment). These lighthearted, playful slideshowsare a great way to beat your favorite dead horses, reminisce, and appreciate all that you have been through as a group.
Board Night
Maybe even more common than a PowerPoint Night is a “Board Night,” which gained popularity on TikTok. This one is pretty straightforward. Essentially, everyone shows up to the gathering with their spin on the classic charcuterie board. One friend might now up with a board filled with candy, another may craft theirs with exclusively Trader Joe’s Snacks. While the whole gathering is by no means centered around these boards, they add a bit of excitement to whatever else you and your friends have planned.
Gift Exchange
Gift giving is one of the many ways that love is shared on Valentine’s Day, and, once again, this should by no means be reserved for couples. Gift exchanges that mirror common traditions like “Secret Santa” or “White Elephant” can be a great way to express gratitude for close female friendships. Thoughtful, playful, or even humorous gifts allow friends to celebrate each other’s unique personalities and the ways in which they show up for one another day after day. Setting a price limit and sharing these tokens of appreciation is another way to bridge the gap between traditional Valentine’s Day expectations and the inclusion of all forms of love within the parameters.
With the rise of Galentine’s, a holiday dreaded by so many has evolved into a celebration of all the meaningful relationships in our lives. Regardless of how you choose to commemorate it, there are countless ways to honor female friendships without which we couldn’t function. By widening the focus, Valentine’s Day becomes less about who you’re partnered with and more about recognizing who consistently shows up, supports, and encourages you. Ultimately, Galentine’s reminds us that love is expansive, inclusive, and worth celebrating in every form.