In February, love is all around. It is a time for people to show those they adore how much they care about them. When thinking of love, people often consider just romantic relationships, but there is another holiday that celebrates the friendships between women. Galantine’s Day is celebrated every year on Feb. 13. It originated from the sitcom “Parks and Recreation” and first appeared in the 16th episode of season two. Soon after its release, Galantine’s Day trended on Twitter and started to gain the interest of many women. After its popular debut, “Parks and Recreation” created two more episodes centered around the holiday in later seasons.
Leslie Knope is a fictional character in “Parks and Recreation,” who came up with the holiday and loves celebrating it with her friends and co-workers.
“Every February 13, 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’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus, frittatas,” Knope said in the series.
Even though it has been 14 years since it first gained attention, Galantine’s Day has continued to spread to women of all ages. Even though it is not an official holiday, searches for the holiday have increased up to 400% according to research from National Today. In addition, Hallmark has found that two out of three women on average buy cards for friends and family around Valentine’s Day. This data led Hallmark to release a line of cards specifically for Galantine’s Day.
There is no wrong way to celebrate Galantine’s Day. The main purpose is to have fun with friends. Some common activities to do include watching a movie, having a party and exchanging gifts. Some friend groups even make snacks to share for the occasion.
Lillie Henson (11) celebrated Galantine’s Day last year with her friends and enjoyed the holiday.
“Last year for Galantine’s Day my friends and I had a PowerPoint night, made charcuterie boards and gave gifts to each other. It was such a fun time hanging out together,” Henson said.
Something that many women like about Galantine’s Day is that it doesn’t matter whether they are in a romantic relationship or not. It’s a holiday for everyone. Whether celebrated with one person or many people, it is all about friendship and the love for each other that comes with that.
Maribel Washburn (12) loves the idea of Galantine’s Day and thinks it is a great opportunity to spend time with her friends.
“I like Galantine’s Day because I get to spend time with my girlfriends and eat good food,” Washburn said.
