What do waffles, crocheting and essays have in common? They’re all part of the original Galentine’s Day! Learn the history of the day & more!
Who would have though that an unofficial, made up, holiday would be so widely celebrated!
Below is our ultimate Galentine’s Day guide including the history of the day and how it came to be.
We also have a list of fun ways to observe the day. Have you celebrated Galentine’s day before? Let us know in the comments below.
What is Galentine’s Day?
Galentine’s Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the wonderful female friendships in your life! This special day is an unofficial holiday, but one that is fun to celebrate none the less.
It’s a day to gather with your friends, and celebrate the love all around you, not just the love of romantic relationships.
While it’s traditionally a day for gal-pals, we encourage inviting any of your friends that you’d love to shower with extra love! The more the merrier!
When is Galentine’s Day?
Galentine’s Day occurs annually on Feburary 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. If you’re interested in learning more about Valentine’s Day make sure you check out our guides to Valentine’s Day symbols and the colors of Valentine’s Day.
Sometimes people celebrate it on other days in February out of convenience, but the 13th of February is the official date of Galentine’s Day.
While the holiday falls on the 13th, its first appearance was in an episode of Parks and Recreation that aired on February 11, 2010.
Parks and Rec Galentine’s Day history
The writers of the show Parks and Recreation created an episode titled “Galentine’s Day” (season 2, episode 16). In this episode, the character Leslie Knopes threw a party celebrating her female friends.
The party was a brunch centered around Leslie’s love of friendship and breakfast food (especially waffles!).
She gave her friends an extravagant gift bag filled with all sorts of eccentric gifts including a handmade mosaic of their faces, a bouquet of crocheted flower pens, and a personalized 5,000 word essay of why they’re so awesome.
When the Parks and Rec Galentine’s Day episode aired in 2010, it was seen by 4.98 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. With those numbers, it’s not surprising that this holiday became so popular!
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How to celebrate Galentine’s Day
Welcome to your Galentine’s Day guide! Here are some creative ideas to help celebrate this special day.
- Host a waffle brunch, and make a gift bag for each of your friends who attend! We’re not suggesting you write them a 5,000 word essay like Leslie Knopes did, but we’re not discouraging it either. 😉
- Print out our free Valentine’s Day word search and word scramble and have your guests solve them. These word puzzles are filled with love!
- Have a Parks and Recreation marathon marathon! Make sure you watch episode 16 of season 2 to see the Galentine’s Day episode!
- Do you have some friends you’d love to shower with love, that are far away? Write them a letter to let them know how special they are to you!
- Gather your best gal pals and have a girl’s night in.
- Learn how to crochet. Maybe you can even crochet flower pens like Leslie Knopes did! Roses are a symbol of Valentine’s Day, so you could add a crocheted rose pen to your bouquet.
- Have a girls’ night in and give your gal pals a party favor like this s’more in a jar gift.
If you want to learn more about the symbols of Valentine’s Day, make sure you check out our posts about Cupid, including the story of Cupid and Psyche and the story Daphne and Apollo.
Don’t forget to tell your friends on Twitter about Galentine’s Day!
Use the hashtag #GalentinesDay to spread the word about the day on social media. Here is a tweet to get you started:
Today is Galentine's Day! Head over to Always the Holidays to see why today is the perfect day to throw a waffle brunch for all your friends! ❤️ 🥞 💐 Click To Tweet
What is a national day?
If you enjoyed reading this post about Galentine’s Day, you might be curious about other lesser known holidays, like national days.
National days of the year are a fun way to celebrate odd and unusual foods, animals and items that you come into contact with. Be sure to check out this national day’s guide for more fun days to celebrate.
There are almost 2000 national days in the year and more than 150 of them are celebrated in February. To see them all, check out the list of national days in February, and the February word search printable of national days.
Is food your thing? Each day of the month has a food or drink associated with it, too. You’ll find all the February food holidays here.
Be sure to also check out these other national days this month:
- National Cherry Pie Day – Looking for a delicious dessert to bring to your Galentine’s Day party? Head over to this post for a homemade cherry pie recipe and facts about National Cherry Pie Day.
- National Carrot Cake Day – Not a cherry pie fan? Check out this recipe for carrot cake and some fun facts to celebrate National Carrot Cake Day.
- Get Out Your Guitar Day – Looking for some music for your Galentine’s Day party? Maybe you can make your own! Head over to Get Out Your Guitar Day to get inspired!
- National Football Hangover Day – Are you one of the millions of Americans using National Football Hanover Day as an excuse to call out of work? Go to the post to learn more!
Pin this post on Galentine’s guide for later
Would you like a reminder of this post for Galentine’s Day? Just pin this image to one of your boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
If you need a co*cktail to serve at your Galentine’s Day party, make sure to check out this video showing how to make a Valentine’s Day themed love potion co*cktail.
About the author
Since graduating from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jess has been living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She is a freelance writer, specializing in content related to fashion, food and drink and film industry topics. Find out more about Jess here.
Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert and enthusiast, I have access to a wide range of information on various topics, including Galentine's Day. I can provide you with information about the history and significance of Galentine's Day, as well as ideas on how to celebrate it. Let's dive into the details!
History of Galentine's Day
Galentine's Day is a holiday dedicated to celebrating female friendships. It originated from an episode of the TV show "Parks and Recreation" titled "Galentine's Day," which aired on February 11, 2010 . In the episode, the character Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, throws a party to celebrate her female friends. The party is a brunch centered around Leslie's love for friendship and breakfast food, particularly waffles. She gives her friends extravagant gift bags filled with eccentric gifts, including a handmade mosaic of their faces, a bouquet of crocheted flower pens, and a personalized 5,000-word essay on why they're awesome.
The episode gained popularity, and since then, Galentine's Day has become a widely celebrated unofficial holiday. It is observed annually on February 13th, the day before Valentine's Day . While the holiday can be celebrated in various ways, it is typically a day to gather with friends and celebrate the love and appreciation for the wonderful female friendships in one's life .
How to Celebrate Galentine's Day
There are many creative ways to celebrate Galentine's Day. Here are some ideas:
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Host a waffle brunch: Just like Leslie Knope, you can organize a waffle brunch for your friends. Waffles can be a delicious and fun centerpiece for the celebration.
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Exchange gift bags: Consider making gift bags for each of your friends who attend the celebration. You can include small, thoughtful gifts that show your appreciation for their friendship.
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Print out Valentine's Day word puzzles: Add some fun to the celebration by printing out Valentine's Day-themed word search and word scramble puzzles. Your guests can solve them together.
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Have a Parks and Recreation marathon: If you and your friends are fans of the show, you can have a Parks and Recreation marathon and watch the Galentine's Day episode (Season 2, Episode 16).
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Write letters to faraway friends: If you have friends who are far away, take the opportunity to write them heartfelt letters expressing how special they are to you.
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Learn a new skill: Consider learning a new skill together, such as crocheting. You can even try making crocheted flower pens like Leslie Knope did.
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Have a girls' night in: Plan a cozy night in with your best gal pals. You can watch movies, have meaningful conversations, or engage in activities that you all enjoy.
Remember, Galentine's Day is about celebrating and appreciating the wonderful female friendships in your life. The most important thing is to spend quality time with your friends and show them how much they mean to you.
I hope these ideas inspire you to have a memorable Galentine's Day celebration with your friends!
