Circa 2016 I was watching an episode of Parks & Rec in my college house (specifically Season 2, Episode 16), popularly known as “Galentine’s Day”. I had never heard of this concept and I was immediately obsessed. Maybe it was because Leslie Knope is hilarious and I’ll follow anything she says (Knope for pres, please!), but more likely it was because this time in my life is marked by the 4 gals I was living with. Each of them have had a profound impact on my life, and at the risk of sounding cheesy and overly sensational, they are the reason I am me (also the reason I started dyeing my eyebrows – THANK YOU).
When we lived together, giving gifts on Galentine’s Day looked like leaving a little card and chocolates on the kitchen table for each roommate to find when they came downstairs in the morning, maybe a bouquet of flowers too; little acts of unexpected love that makes someone else smile. Now it looks like sending each other texts of appreciation or making plans for a girls weekend in one of our cities (which truthfully takes 3 months of lead time in your late 20s).
Needless to say, Galentine’s Day felt deeply important to me then— an excuse to celebrate the incredible female friendships I had?! Count me in. Almost 10 years later, Galentine’s Day holds the same gravity in my soul. Although we no longer live down the hallway from each other, and are each in serious relationships, those 4 friends and I still find time to celebrate our friendships and prioritize Galentine’s Day above Valentine’s Day. I’m not saying Valentine’s Day isn’t special, I love my husband dearly. That’s exactly the point, though, we’ve been living together for almost 6 years and not a day goes by that I don’t remind him how much I love and appreciate him; I don’t need a designated holiday to do that. February 13th however is the one day a year where I can put a massive spotlight on my girls and show them how important they are to me.
I have a sticker on my laptop that says “I am but a reflection of all of the coolest girls I’ve ever known”. Galentine’s Day embodies that perfectly – celebrating the female friendships that have given me insight to who I am, while motivating me to become the person I want to be. So… break out the candles and wine, heart-shaped décor and chocolate covered strawberries, I’ve got some friendships to celebrate.