Decor ranged from pink and red streamers, garlands, and banners to flower arrangements displayed on tables- accompanied by a variety of snacks-cookies, fruit, charcuterie boards, popcorn, chips, treats, you name it. This only offers a slight glimpse into the greatness of Galentine’s Day, a widely popularized and celebrated holiday that reflects girlhood.

While February 14th is celebrated for Valentine’s Day, centered on romantic relationships, the nontraditional yet widely celebrated holiday of Galentine’s Day redirects students’ attention towards love outside of romantic relationships. The celebration of Galentine’s Day has become increasingly popular in female friendships, often publicized on social media and commercialized in America. However, the term ‘Galentine’s Day’ was actually derived from the American sitcom “Parks and Recreation” in 2010, premiering as a fictional celebration before gaining widespread popularity and evolving into an annual celebration for friend groups. 

By emphasizing collective gatherings among friends rather than being romantically focused, Galentine’s Day encourages women to celebrate love in a platonic way. This nontraditional holiday demonstrates that love exists in a multitude of ways, and female friendships can be just as valued and prioritized. On February 9th, a group of junior girls hosted a Galentine’s Day celebration to honor their friendships. 

“I think we celebrate for the meaning of love in general; it doesn’t have to be romantic love,” McKenna Rose (‘27) said. 

According to female students who participate in Galentine’s Day, the celebration consists of more than just gathering. Activities such as painting, DIY crafts, baking, and playing games are popular. 

“My favorite moment from Galentine’s was painting; we all painted whatever we wanted. It was really fun seeing everybody’s personalities with their paintings,” Lucy Gibson (‘27) said.

One of the most important aspects of Galentine’s Day is the food and snacks displayed for everyone to taste. Some food trends include friends bringing a dish to the Galentine’s celebration, ranging from savory snacks, such as chips and pretzels, to charcuterie boards, to sweets like cookies, Rice Krispies treats, and fruits.

“We all brought our own dish of food to Galentine’s Day, and put them all together on the table so we can all try each thing we all brought,” Negin Akhavan (27’) said. 

Galentine’s Day serves as a reminder for young women that love doesn’t always have to be romantically focused, and female friendships can actually provide different support than intimate ones. 

“I can connect with my friendships on a different level than my relationship because friends can provide a broader and unbiased perspective that an emotionally invested partner may not be able to. For me, I’m able to relate to my girlfriends differently because of similar interests and experiences rather than my boyfriend,” Riley McLellan (27’) said.

Friendships improve an individual’s health, from enhancing happiness and lowering stress to improving feelings of self-worth (Mayo Clinic). 

“I feel like people spend a lot of time trying to find a [relationship] due to societal expectations, when I think it’s just as important to focus on pure friendships. Surrounding myself with the friendships I love is very important to my well-being, ” Gibson (‘27) said. 

Valentine’s Day often leaves single people out, creating societal pressure that young women need to pursue romantic relationships when they may not be ready. Galentine’s Day offers a unique narrative to the idea of celebrating love, centering on friendship.

“I think it’s important to celebrate non-romantic relationships because, considering that some people like myself are single, Galentine’s Day makes me feel more noticed and understood.” Gibson (‘27) said. 

While young women are taught that romantic relationships are the most valued, the emerging popularity of celebrating with girl friends combats this gender-based stereotype.  

“You want to prioritize your romantic relationship and close friendships equally, and Galentine’s is a great way to do that. It’s important to celebrate the close relationships you have with your friends and continue to spend quality time with them.” Rose (‘27) said, who is in a long-term romantic relationship.

What began as small gatherings of female friend groups has noticeably transformed into a social media-driven, seasonal sales opportunity for businesses and social media platforms. Just on Instagram alone, the hashtag “#galentinesday” has 1.8M posts. TikTok has 633.9 K posts under the same hashtag. Over the years, a rising number of companies marketed Galentine’s Day-themed decor, gifts, and products. Retailers and brands use social media campaigns in order to popularize their sales, turning what started as a pure celebration of friendship into a commercial event during February, much like Valentine’s Day. 

Although commercialization is a major outcome of the popularity of Galentine’s Day, this doesn’t mean the holiday lost its meaning for young women. Female students report feelings of comfort, community, and connection in the gathering of their girl friends. Yes, many companies make huge profits from Galentine’s Day-themed products, but this doesn’t result in emotional aspects being diminished or forgotten about. The simplicity of gathering with girlfriends creates a community for young women filled with comfort and platonic love, not characterized by the relationship status of  “single or taken.”