Galentine’s Day 2021: what is the day celebrating female friendships, when is it - and best gift ideas

The day was originally coined by hilarious Parks and Recreation character Leslie Knope
Galentine's is the official day to celebrate female empowerment and your best girlfriends (Picture: Shutterstock)Galentine's is the official day to celebrate female empowerment and your best girlfriends (Picture: Shutterstock)
Galentine's is the official day to celebrate female empowerment and your best girlfriends (Picture: Shutterstock)

Let's face it, Valentine’s Day is overrated and no one needs a 6ft teddy bear to verify their partner’s love.

What many of us women do like though, is to empower the ladies in our lives by toasting them with prosecco and telling them just how special they are.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If you can relate, then your day has arrived - Galentine’s Day is the celebration of friendship, support and love between women.

Here is what it's about, when it takes place and how you can celebrate it in lockdown.

When is Galentine's Day 2021?

Galentine’s Day is celebrated the day before Valentine’s Day this year, on 13 February.

There are no rules on how to celebrate, you can be single, in a relationship, buy gifts or just send a message thanking those special ladies in your life.

What are the origins of the day?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Galentine’s Day was originally coined by Leslie Knope, a character in the US sitcom Parks and Recreation, who celebrated the day on 13 February 2010.

Eleven years later, the celebration of womanhood, female empowerment and independent ladies has spread across the pond and is a popular and celebrated day in the UK.

Leslie welcomed Galentine’s Day to the world by exclaiming: “What's Galentine’s Day? It's only the best day of the year!

"Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it breakfast style. Ladies celebrating ladies.”

How do we celebrate Galentine's Day?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If it hadn’t been for coronavirus scuppering our plans, many of us gals would be out sipping cocktails and catching up over afternoon tea.

Sadly, this year has put a spanner in the works but there are still ways you can let your girls know you appreciate them.

5 ways to celebrates your girlfriends in lockdown

Zoom party

We are all familiar with Zoom and the endless possibilities of parties, quizzes and catch ups we can have on a Zoom call so why not get your girlfriends together for a hilarious girls’ night in quiz?

You and your friends could also buy in a restaurant takeaway dish, pour yourself a glass of bubbly and host a Galentine’s Zoom come dine with me.

Send a unique gift

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You probably haven’t been able to spend much time with your best friends during lockdown, so why not show them they’re special with a thoughtful gift on Galentine’s Day?

For sweet and surprising gift ideas, try a hug in a mug cup, order a stunning rose medley bouquet for home delivery, send them the perfect pair of heart print pyjamas or if in doubt, splash out on a luxurious red wine and Prosecco hamper.

Support a small business

Galentine’s Day is all about those special ladies in our lives - from our mums to our friends, sisters and neighbours.

If you can’t think of a special way to celebrate your friends, or you want to celebrate women more broadly, then you could offer support to a small business owned by women.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Facebook Marketplace and Instagram tags are a perfect way to find local businesses run by women try looking through these 70+ woman-owned small businesses from around the world that need your support.

Pamper yourself

You can’t go out on the town with your girlfriends or enjoy an afternoon tea with your mum and sisters but you could treat yourself.

Why not buy a face mask, fresh pyjamas and a DIY restaurant kit, get a chick-flick on the TV and have your own solo girl’s night in?

Send a card

Many of us could be feeling the pinch this year as furlough and the inconsistent job market continues into spring, so you might be looking for something less expensive.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It's the thought that counts and Galentine’s Day is about letting women know they are appreciated, so you could send a special message to your friends using a personalised Galentine’s card from Funkypigeon.com.

Related topics: