With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, many couples are in the midst of planning the perfect date to impress their significant other, typically complete with a large bouquet of roses, a box of chocolates and teddy bears holding hearts.
While this image of Valentine’s Day is what we have known for most of our lives, it has often made us overlook its friendship-based cousin: Galentine’s Day.
Typically celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day is a day meant for honoring close friendships and the concept of love as more than a romantic relationship between two people.
So gather your best friends and start planning, because these tips and tricks will help make this your best Galentine’s Day yet. While the title “Galentine’s” might imply this is a “gals only” holiday, any and all can and should participate.
Have a Theme
No party is ever truly complete without a theme to tie everything together.
It can be something more traditional, such as a color-themed party where your guests come dressed in a similar color. Or you can try something unconventional like a “famous dynamic duos” theme and have your guests come in pairs as their favorite duo from a book, TV show or movie in honor of the spirit of friendship.
Regardless of which way you decide to take it, having a theme keeps guests engaged and makes it easier to plan other components of the party, like food and decor.
Give Out Cute Invitations
Keep the buzz and excitement for your party going before it even begins with creative invitations that can be tailored to match your theme.
Handmade invitations are always fun to receive, and they will give your Galentine’s party a unique touch.
You can print them out or handwrite them yourself, depending on what goes best with your style and the quality of your handwriting.
If you are short on time, digital invitations are a great option as well. You can create them using an online editing platform such as Canva or a custom invitation designer easily found online, like Evite. Personalized invitations are a great way to get guests excited.
Plan a Group Activity
After some refreshments and a couple of icebreakers, you will want to keep the party going with some games and activities that everyone will enjoy.
If you are on a budget, consider activities that can be done using items from your own home, like karaoke or a purse/handbag scavenger hunt. In this activity, each person takes turns looking through their purse or handbag to see if they have any of the items on a common list.
If you have a bit more to spend, then you can never go wrong with a spa day or any kind of food decorating activity.
Including activities like these will facilitate group bonding and guarantee a great time for all your guests. These events can be tailored to fit the group’s level of comfort and the number of guests participating.
The Perfect Playlist
Playing music during your party creates ambiance and fills any awkward moments of silence with a synchronous harmony of lyrics to Taylor Swift’s newest song. Consider making a collaborative Spotify playlist and asking each of your guests to add some of their favorite songs.
Try to have a good mix of different singers and genres to keep things interesting and ensure each guest is represented. There are also many pre-made Galentine’s themed playlists readily available to use as inspiration. You may even find yourself joining an impromptu dance party or two.
Gift a Momento
You will want your guests to remember every moment of the great times you all had celebrating Galentine’s Day together. And while that is not always possible, you can send them back home with a little something to keep on their bedside table to rekindle the memories. This can be something like a mini framed photo of a cherished moment with them or even a box of their favorite candies.
Try to choose something that really represents your friendship and what they mean to you. And remember that it is the thought that counts!
Hopefully these tips have inspired you to go out and show your friends some love.
After all, Valentine’s Day may be a day for celebrating love and romance, but Galentine’s Day ensures that everyone is celebrated, regardless of their relationship status.