Every February 14th candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones all in the name of St. Valentine. There is a lot of mystery around this saint and this celebrated day. For example, there are at least three different saints named Valentine/Valentinus that the Catholic Church recognizes all of which were martyred. One of the legends that I like surrounding Valentine is that while he was in prison he sent the first valentine greeting after falling in love with his jailor's daughter who would visit during his imprisonment. Before his death, he wrote her a letter and signed it "from your Valentine" just as cards are signed today. Actually, there are about 150 million Valentine Day's cards exchanged annually which makes it the second most popular card-sending holiday (Christmas being the first).
However, this isn't an article about ideas for your date with your boo for this arbitrary day. It's about date ideas to spend with your friends because the day before Valentines Day is Galentine's Day.
What is Galentine's Day, you may be asking if you don't watch Parks and Recreation- which is where it originates. Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) created the holiday and described it as, "Oh it's only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, 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" (Season 2, episode 6 of Parks and Recreation).
Still wondering? It's like Valentine's Day but you spend it with your best girlfriends and celebrate your love for each other.
Want to celebrate but not sure how? Here are some ideas!
1.) Watch your favorite movie
Nothing is better than watching Clueless or A Cinderella Story with your besties. Make some homemade popcorn, grab a bottle of wine, and snuggle up!
2.) Dinner out
Grab all your girlfriends and head out to a new place! There's a new pizza place near me that I'm sure we will hit up.
3.) Dinner in
It's second semester and we all didn't make as much money as we wanted to over break. Making dinner for yourself is always cheaper than going out. If everyone pitched in $5 or $10 you could make anything!
4.) Sledding!
Galentine's Day is on a Monday this year so this could always be done the weekend before. It has been snowing a lot near me so try getting everyone to go sledding. It's free and fun! You could also make hot chocolate after to warm you up.
5.) Ice Skating
Don't have any snow outside your house but still want to partake in winter shenanigans? Get a group together and go to the nearby ice rink (this is great because they have indoor ones everywhere). Even if you can barely stand up on ice skates it is always fun going with friends so they can help pick you up while they laugh at how graciously/non-graciously you fell on your ass.
Remember, Galentine's Days is a day to celebrate your friendships so do things you ladies like to do! Go for a cruise, blast music, and sing all the words. Or have a Mario Kart competition. Whatever you like to do with each other, do it! Have fun with your friends while celebrating them this week, next week, and always!
