Galentines

While Thanksgiving and Christmas are fantastic, one of my favorite holidays has to be Valentine’s Day. I love the concept, color scheme, and the overwhelming influx of heart-shaped chocolate- though I do realize this is a widely successful attempt at commercializing relationships. However, I know the holiday can be less fun for those who are coming out of or longing for a relationship. While I get excited for the pink and red hearts, it may be a colorful commercialized nightmare for others. May I introduce Saint Valentine’s far prettier and down-to-Earth sister Galentine’s Day: the unofficial holiday that celebrates the best friends in your life.

Galentine’s Day was popularized by the TV show Parks and Recreation in 2010. In the show, the chipper main character Leslie Knope throws a party on the evening of February 13 “breakfast style” with her friends. This tradition continued throughout the show and was all about “ladies celebrating ladies”. Soon, people started celebrating this unofficial holiday themselves, and even retailers caught on providing decorations and Pinterest party ideas.

I have been so fortunate in Florida to have met wonderful women whether it is through work, church, book club, and even a stint on Bumble BFF. I can’t believe in the short nine months in Florida I have a dozen or so women I can invite over for a themed brunch. If you are like me and love a themed party, I have been planning this for over a month and would love to share with you some details in case you ever wish to host your own Galentine’s Day celebration.

Decor

While I wish my house could look like it’s out of a magazine, we are still on a budget. I am adding cute touches around the house that are a nod to Valentine’s, but I am by no means going overboard. For the table, I found this adorable runner at Target and these Martha Stewart placemats at TJ Maxx.  I already had candles that fit the theme and have placed those around the house as well. I also made these cutesy candy jars with glass mason jars I already had in the cabinets. To add to the celebration, I thought it would be super fun to have an area set up for photos. I am going simple with hanging a pink background and felt heart garland. You could also get some Valentine’s balloons as props or make a balloon arch.

Food

While you could go with self-serve style dishes like tacos or pasta, I am personally sticking to the traditional Leslie Knope theme of breakfast. Who doesn’t love a good brunch!? We are having a waffle bar set up with all of the toppings including fresh berries, chocolate chips, and plenty of whipped cream. I found this heart shaped mini waffle maker on Amazon that continues the theme with our food. This could also be a fun activity if you want to set out the batter and have your friends make as many waffles as they please. I was also able to secure some Gluten Free waffle mix for my allergy girls. Some other ladies are adding to the festivities by bringing dishes such as a quiche, maple glazed bacon, macaroons, and ingredients for mimosas. I am also planning to have my amazing husband, Drew, be the barista and make lattes at our coffee bar.

Activities 

While I am planning for our Galentine’s to be a bit more relaxed and centered on enjoying each other’s company, there are plenty of activities that your Galentine’s can try. At parties, I personally like to always have a little game station set up if the natural flow of the party is heading in that direction. One game that is very on brand for Galentine’s could be the Red Flags card game. Think Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity but for dating. You could also go a more personal route and have a card game that sparks intentional conversations. This style of game has become popular amongst my friends lately. The Hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) card game seems like the perfect thing to play in your jammies, fuzzy socks, and warm drink in hand.

Other fun ideas could be a wine swap or mixology party. I have seen several video trends lately with friends having a party where they make mixed drinks based on a theme. A bunch of pink and red drinks while blaring Taylor Swift sounds like a great time to me! You could also throwback to the elementary school days where everyone received a valentine. Have your friends make Valentine’s boxes and everyone bring a little treat to exchange. My graduate school class did this for several years, and it was a blast. Valentine’s Day truly did reach its peak in grade school.

I hope these ideas make Galentine’s/Valentine’s Day more exciting for you regardless of your relationship status. May you feel loved, worthy, and celebrated this February!