Life

What Does Galentine's Day Mean?

by Kaitlyn Wylde

If you're a Parks & Recreation fan, you're probably already very familiar with Galentine's Day, and if you're not a Parks & Recreation fan, you're about to be a fan of it once you hear about what Galentine's Day means. The queen of the show (and our hearts), Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, founded the day within the realm of the show. And while the holiday is technically fictitious, the capabilities for it to exist IRL and in your life are plenty.

Galentine's Day is a holiday that Ms. Knope created to celebrate her girlfriends, the day before the notorious lovers holiday, on Feb. 13. It's not hard to get behind a holiday that solely exists to spend time with your best friends and love on them. But it also makes me wonder, how was this not already an IRL holiday? As if you need more convincing for why to bring this holiday into your life, here's a breakdown from Ms. Knope on what the holiday is in her own words:

"Oh it's only the best day of the year. Every Feb. 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. Plus frittatas."

So, whether you're a fan of frittatas and Valentine's Day or not, Galentine's Day is a holiday you should make space for in your life. It's not just for people who are single or anti-Valentine's Day — it's entirely inclusive of all women, which is why it's so important to celebrate. As we get older, many of us couple off — get into serious relationships, move in with our partners, get married — and it can be harder and harder for us to make time for our friends. So during a time that so many people are focused on romantic love, take a day to focus on the platonic lovers in your life. Because no matter what your relationship status is, having solid friends in your life is a gift to cherish. So if you can ever find an opportunity to tell your friends that you love them and celebrate our friendship, take full advantage.

Before I began observing Galentine's Day, I was on the anti-Valentine's Day wagon. I just couldn't get behind a holiday that constantly made me feel bad or alone for being single and not having someone to celebrate with. So, for me, Galentine's Day was first a way to fight against Valentine's Day.

But, over the years, (the holiday was born when the first Parks & Recreation episode featuring it originally aired in 2010) and after spending a few Valentine's Days in relationships, I've realized that Galentine's Day is not an anti-Valentine's Day, it's simply a pro-bestie day. You can have your love and your besties too.

This Feb. 13, get your girls together and celebrate the holiday however your squad's hearts desire. Have a potluck dinner, have a movie night, do your nails together, go on a hike, have an at-home baking challenge — no matter what you do, just don't forget to tell your friends how much you love them. Platonic love is just as important as romantic love, and it deserves all the attention it can get.