Galentine's Day (observance)
| Galentine's Day | |
|---|---|
A Galentine's Day luncheon in Maryland in 2024 | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Significance | Celebrating women's friendships |
| Date | 13 February (traditionally) |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Started by | Parks and Recreation |
Galentine's Day is an American cultural holiday that celebrates women's friendship.[1] Galentine's Day is typically marked as February 13, but can be observed any day. Galentine's Day events are typically all-female occasions of mutual "empowerment...a reminder for women to support and uplift one another."[2] Galentine's is a portmanteau of the words gal (a variation of the word girl) and Valentine's.
Origin
Galentine's Day originated from the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, where the sitcom's main character Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler) states that it's a holiday for "ladies celebrating ladies." The holiday made its first appearance in the show's second season episode "Galentine's Day", written by Michael Schur.[3][4]
Observance
Since the episode first aired in 2010, the once-fictional holiday has increasingly found itself in the mainstream. The occasion is well known enough that Galentine's Day merchandise is now sold at mainstream outlets like Target, Walmart, Party City, Amazon, and Etsy.[5][6][3] Retailers also use the holiday as a pretext for organizing pop-up shops marketing products to female customers.[5] Many resorts and restaurants offer Galentine's themed package deals.[7]
Michelle Obama, along with numerous celebrities, posted a photo on her Instagram and Twitter celebrating Galentine's Day in 2020. The caption read,
This #GalentinesDay, I want to shout out my girlfriends who help me stay sane and grounded through all of life's ups and downs...Whether we're catching up over the phone, venting over a cup of coffee, or laughing it out during an 80s-themed workout, I know I can lean on these ladies—and that's made all the difference.
The official Parks & Recreation Twitter account replied with a GIF of Leslie Knope expressing approval.[8]
Since 2023, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka has hosted an annual Galentine's Day celebration for the state's most powerful women.[9] Previous attendees have included Poehler, Maura Healey, Ayanna Pressley, and Anne Klibanski.[9][10]
See also
References
- ^ "Words We're Watching: 'Galentine's Day'". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ Harmata, Claudia (2020-02-13). "What Is Galentine's Day? How Parks and Recreation Created a Holiday Celebrating Female Friendships". People.com. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ a b Bahr, Sarah (February 2020). "Happy Galentine's Day". Indianapolis Monthly. pp. 11–12.
- ^ Kwapis, Ken (2010-02-11), "Galentine's Day", Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Paul Schneider, retrieved 2026-02-14
- ^ a b Holman, Jordan (2020-02-13). "Amy Poehler Invented Galentine's Day, Now Retailers Are Seizing On It". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2023-02-06.
- ^ Shafiq, Julia Gomez and Saman. "Galentine's Day is Feb. 13. How the girls' celebration got its start". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ Hart, Anna (2020-02-08). "How to navigate the protocol of Galentine's Day". Sunday Telegraph. London.
- ^ Neumann, Sean (February 13, 2020). "Michelle Obama Celebrates 'Galentine's Day' with Her Friends — and Parks and Recreation Responds". People.com. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "Prominent Massachusetts women gather for 'Galentine's Day' celebration - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
- ^ "For Karen Spilka, this year's Galentine's Day is serious business - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2026-02-14.