What is Galentine’s Day? On Feb. 13, women will celebrate Galentine’s Day, a holiday trumpeting the joys of female friendships.
The holiday can trace its origins to a 2010 episode of “Parks and Rec,” in which the main character, Leslie Knope, decides that the day before Valentine’s Day should be an opportunity to celebrate the platonic love among women, ideally with booze and breakfast food.
In the years since the episode aired, the fictional holiday has caught on in the real world.
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Galentine’s Day made its debut during the Parks and Rec season 2 episode appropriately titled after the special holiday. The 2010 episode focused on Leslie as she hosted her annual “Galentine’s Day” party for her favorite females in her life. “The best day of the year,” according to Leslie, was celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day. For the first Galentine’s Day on Parks and Rec, Leslie was accompanied by Ann Perkins, Donna Meagle, April Ludgate, her mother Marlene Griggs-Knope, and a few other women.
The gift bags given to the attendees from Leslie included a bouquet of crocheted flower pens, a personalized 5,000-word essay praising the person, and a mosaic portrait made by crushed soda cans.
How Galentine’s Day Became Popular
Leslie invented Galentine’s Day to celebrate the ladies in her life but for the last decade, it has become an annual tradition for many. Fans of the show started to use February 13 as a time to get together with their female friends and celebrate each other.
That was until restaurants and big brands started to participate which opened the unofficial holiday into a worldwide event. Even those who aren’t familiar with Parks and Rec or Leslie Knope look forward to the day before Valentine’s Day. Over the years, the holiday as also evolved into a time when people celebrate being single as a way to counter the traditional Valentine’s Day hoopla.
When looking back at Parks and Rec’s legacy, Galentine’s Day is arguably one of the best concepts to come out of the sitcom. It opened up the world’s eyes and taught women how to take time and celebrate one another without the stress and expectations that often come from Valentine’s Day.
It also allows Parks and Recreation to live on well after the series ended in 2015. Even Hallmark has gotten in on the fun by selling Galentine’s Day cards so it’s safe to say that the holiday is here to stay.
