In the American sitcom, “Parks and Recreation,” character Leslie Knope introduced Galentine’s Day, the day of celebrating predominantly girl friendships. Since 2010, nearly 5 million individuals across the world have celebrated Galentine’s Day on Feb. 13 and continue to look for ways to celebrate with their special friends. 

“Galentine’s Day is a celebration to commemorate our friendships and toast to our deep-rooted and continuing bond with each other,” senior Nicole Rapano said. “My friends and I make it a tradition to spend Galentine’s Day with each other every year.”

Popular activities to partake in on Galentine’s include going out to dinner or having a spa day. According to the Compounding, some benefits of spa days include reducing anxiety and stress levels, allowing for a more enjoyable time with friends. 

“When my friends and I celebrate Galentine’s Day, we feel a spa is a perfect way to let loose and talk about life in general, from our hardships to our silly moments,” junior Rakshitha Thanasekaran said. 

Others commemorate this special day by having a movie marathon. According to SignUpGenius, common genres for movies on Galentine’s Day include chick flicks and romantic comedies. Friends can choose a genre of movies and watch them from platforms such as Netflix or Hulu. Popular movies centered around female friendship include “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” and “Mean Girls.” 

“Even though chick flicks can be slightly sappy, when we are all watching together we can just take a break and laugh together,” junior Ambika Elangovan said. 

 Many spend time outdoors on Galentine’s day. According to TakeMeFishing, such activities include going to the local park and engaging in games such as dodgeball and boating. 

“My friends and I don’t get to see each other often with the hectic life of school,” Elangovan said. “Playing games, especially outside, allows us to disconnect and teaches us about teamwork.” 

Though it may be difficult to find time to get together with friends, there are many simple gestures that friend groups can do on Galentine’s Day. For example, a way to show appreciation is buying friends small gifts or creating cards for each other. Gifts and cards are personal ways to express gratitude to close friends.

“My friends and I enjoy making cards for each other to show our gratitude,” Rapano said. “In addition to being fun, this activity always creates a stronger connection between my friend group.” 

There are also several other ways to celebrate the day, for example many participate in game nights, dance classes or volunteering.  

“Galentine’s Day is about comfort, fun and genuine friendships,” Thanasekaran said. “Most importantly, it is a day to put your friends before anything else in your life.”