When I think back to grade school, Valentine’s Day was one of the best days of the year. I looked forward to it the second the post-Christmas buzz wore off.
Now that I’m in college (and single), my feelings have completely changed. For a while, I was confused why my opinion toward this holiday of love had shifted. If the purpose is to celebrate your significant other, why do children enjoy it so much?
Then it clicked.
In elementary school, Valentine’s Day wasn’t about boyfriends or girlfriends, it was about celebrating with all your friends. I spent hours personally filling out Hannah Montana Valentine’s, sealing them with a heart sticker and individually taping them to Fun Dip packets.
Valentine’s Day wasn’t bogged down with romance (or the lack thereof), it was just fun!
In an effort to revive this childlike excitement, Galentine’s Day has become my favorite February tradition.
Just as the name suggests, Galentine’s Day is all about gals celebrating the gals.
This isn’t a pity party just for single girls; it’s an excuse for all ladies to gather up the other ladies in their life and enjoy each other’s love, support and company.
The holiday gets its origin from the popular TV series “Parks and Recreation.” Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, gathers all her girlfriends at a café every year to celebrate Galentine’s Day with brunch and thoughtful gifts.
A few of the gifts Knope gives to her friends include mosaic portraits of each gal made from the crushed bottles of their favorite diet soda, needlepoint pillows featuring their face and the newspaper headline from the day they were born and 5,000-word essays about why each friend is so special.
I don’t exactly have the time and creativity to whip up gifts for all the ladies in my life like Leslie does, but I aspire to her level of enthusiasm for Galentine’s Day.
The official date for Galentine’s Day, according to “Parks and Recreation,” is February 13th, but don’t let that hold you and your girlfriends back from celebrating whenever you can fit it in your busy schedules. Savvy gals might even hold off on celebrating until after Valentine’s Day to reap the benefits of clearance priced candy and decorations.
This holiday has expanded way beyond just the fans of “Parks and Recreation.” Women all across the country are jumping on the bandwagon and adopting this tradition as a welcomed excuse to spend some quality time with friends.
We are living in an age where the tides are shifting in female culture. Women are stepping out of traditional roles and using their voices with platforms such as Women’s Marches and the #MeToo movement.
Galentine’s Day may seem silly, but it means a lot. Its rise in popularity shows that even amongst controversy and scrutiny in the public eye, women support women.
I’ll be spending this Galentine’s Day with my roommates and all the gals we can possibly fit inside our tiny college house. There will be cute snacks, heart-shaped decorations, girl power music, plenty of laughter and absolutely no boys allowed.
Elizabeth Olson
Arts & Entertainment Editor
eolso148@uwsp.edu