Galentine’s day is celebrated on Feb. 13,  is the friendship version of Valentine’s day and includes a whole day dedicated to celebrating the platonic love between friends.

Each person celebrates Galentine’s day in their own way. People may go big and go on a friends trip or simply  send a kind text to a friend. The main goal of the day is to acknowledge the importance of and love between you and your friends.

While the holiday can look different for everyone, whether they’re single or not, it’s important to honor the connection you have with friends and shower them with more love and attention than you do every other day. 

Galentine’s day is similar to a friendsgiving celebration in the sense that you all get together and love each other, but Galentine’s day is typically more centered around female bonding and empowerment.

Galentine’s day is so new, there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate. People may choose to host a waffle brunch or make reservations at fancy restaurants, coordinate a group mani-pedi appointment, or have a gathering at their house with decorations. 

Senior Katherine Mitchell hosted a picnic with her friends this year. Mitchell said, “We all brought a plate of food, like I brought a cake, and we all shared the food.”

Mitchell got dressed up with her friends for the picnic and they took pictures together. “We all planned our outfits ahead of time and time to coordinate with a red, pink and white scheme,” Mitchell said. 

One of the most interesting things about Galentine’s Day is that it wasn’t created by a card company or internet marketplace. Instead, Galentine’s Day was founded by a fictional character: Leslie Knope of “Parks and Recreation.” 

In the show, the 16th episode of the second season of Parks and Recreation centers around Leslie’s favorite February tradition, Galentine’s day. Over a bunch of waffles and excessive gift-giving, Leslie celebrates the joy of female friendship with close friends and co-workers. She reveals the holiday is all about declaring love and affection to the women who make up her support system.

What was previously an unknown and unofficial holiday immediately skyrocketed in popularity, so much so that businesses have created Galentine’s day promotions in honor of the celebration. Special happy hours, group spa discounts, and brunch deals are popular ways to honor the occasion, as the once fictional holiday filled a void in the Valentine’s Day market.

Senior Katie Bowman celebrated Galentine’s day this year with all of her closest friends. “On Galentine’s day this year I hosted a bunch of my closest friends at my house and we bought a bunch of snacks and pizza then talked and ate and watched Magic Mike,” Bowman said.

Bowman enjoys decorating for Galentine’s day and spends her time making the scenery look impeccable. “I spend a lot of time preparing for the celebrations and buying decorations,” Bowman said.

Junior Lily King celebrates Galentines day every year and enjoys it. “It makes me so happy to get together with my friends and celebrate. This year me and my friends did a gift exchange and all brought presents for each other,” King said.