Show your besties a little love this Valentine’s season. I know, I know — V-Day can be a drag, whether or not you have a partner. The pressure of the day can make it hard to actually enjoy it. And if you’re uncuffed, it feels like all you can do is throw a pity party and scroll miserably through dating apps while rewatching Bridgerton.
But haven’t we moved past this Bridget Jones-esque cliche? While I love a good rom-com, they taught us that being single was the worst possible affliction. And even more egregious, that the only kind of love is romantic love.
But it’s 2023! Valentine’s Day isn’t a death sentence for singletons. And frankly, it doesn’t have to be so cliché for people in relationships either.
That’s why I make a point to celebrate Galentine’s day. While the holiday might seem like a consolation prize for single girls, it’s a day to express your love for your besties and prioritize your friendships no matter your relationship status.
I find this comes at an opportune time. Winter makes socializing hard, January gets unbearably busy, and my seasonal depression means I’m pretty much in a perpetual state of hibernation until Spring. So by February, I always feel like I haven’t seen my friends in ages.
Enter: Galentine’s — the perfect excuse for a party. Par for the course, I’ve been sourcing tons of inspo from TikTok on what to do this year. From intimate home-cooked meals to potlucks and pajama parties, I can’t imagine why I’ve never thrown a Galentine’s Day gathering before.
@alexisbarber_ how to host a cutie #galentines night!
From my extensive research — aka endless social media scrolling — I have deduced the key steps to throwing a fun get-together that doesn’t fall flat.
Lean Into The Theme
Light a ton of candles. Buy heart-shaped decor. Blow up dozens of red and pink balloons. Do extravagant make-up in the most dramatic hues. Commit to the theme in your decor and even your dress code. Embrace all the corny and saccharine elements of it — it’s camp.
Embrace Self Care
With all the love in the air, don’t forget self-love. Before you gather your girls for Galentines, take some time for yourself. Do a full self-care routine to the tune of your favorite guilty-pleasure anthems. Splurge on a little treat, too. You can’t pour from an empty cup, after all.
Get Some Gifts!
Splurge on your friends. They deserve a little token of your appreciation. Make some cute gift bags with little trinkets. Or plan to do a gift exchange. Think: Secret Santa in February. Secret Cupid? Secret Admirer? You get the point.
@ellamcfadin for the girls 🎀👛🌸💓
Here are some of the gifts I’ll be getting for my friends (or myself) for every type of person and every budget:
