As February rolls around, love starts to fill the air. With Valentine’s Day ahead, romantics hurry to buy flowers, chocolate and gifts in hopes of a date for the holiday. But what about those who do not have a Valentine to celebrate? What about those who want to spend time with their best friends rather than their partners? A friendship is as important as a romantic relationship and should be celebrated as well. Hence, February 13th, the day before Valentine’s. A special, unofficial holiday: Galentine’s Day.
Galentine’s is a holiday for the girls, highlighting the importance of female friendships, especially during a day like Valentine’s. While Valentine’s has a romantic focus, Galentine’s gives a chance to recognize the true power of platonic love. From first loves to crushing heartbreaks, friends are always there for you; that is why these deep connections deserve a day to celebrate. This holiday empowers women and the longevity, loyalty, strength and overall positive impact that comes from female bonds. Here at West Ranch, we can get inspiration from our fellow wildcats on ways to celebrate this holiday.
West Ranch freshman Hannah Shuper enjoys the holiday because it is an alternative if you do not have someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day with. With this said, she also just loves love. When asked what she liked about Valentine’s, she replied, “I think it’s just such a nice and heartwarming holiday, and I really love it.” From the chocolates to the flowers, Shuper enjoys all aspects of this endearing time of year, so she celebrates both holidays to get the best of both worlds. “Even if I have a boyfriend, I’m still gonna do both. I’m going to do a Galentine’s with my girlfriends, and I’ll also be with my boyfriend, so it’s like a little bit of both, equally.” Finding a balance between relationships recognizes the importance of both friends and partners, which is just what this time of year is all about.
But what about the men? Or men-women friendships? Should they also have their own holiday? Kirsten Chloe Concepcion, a freshman first-time Galentine’s celebrator, thinks so: “To be honest, I feel like every gender can share Galentine’s day. I know that Galentine’s is mainly for female friendships, but what about male and female friendships? They deserve recognition, too.” Galentines does not have to be just celebrating female friendships; all “Friends that have been there for you through everything,” as Concepcion remarks, should be celebrated in honor of your ‘second family.’
Shuper is a true Galentine’s lover, and she celebrates the holiday with her friends almost every year. “My way of celebrating is basically, one person will bring dessert, and someone else will bring the main course, and then appetizers, you know the drill. Everybody brings their own thing, and when it all comes together, we have this beautiful, gorgeous meal. We all eat it, we talk, we take photos and everyone dresses up in the same color scheme, like we wear red and pink and white; Valentine’s Day colors. It’s just really cute and fun.”
Celebrating Galentines can be something simple or something elaborate–all that matters is celebrating the bond between friends.
