Valentine’s Day For Friends: Unique and Fun Ideas To Do With Your Girlfriends

While Galentine’s Day may not be an actual recognized holiday, it has become increasingly popular in recent years, and it may be the perfect time to celebrate all your pals, or platonic friends, because they deserve your Valentine's love too!  For those who aren’t currently in a relationship, Galentine’s Day is a time to give and receive love with all the special friends in your life when you might otherwise feel lonely on one of the most romantic days of the year—Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas for fun things to do to celebrate Galentine's Day.

What is Galentine’s Day?

If you’re not familiar with Galentine’s Day, it's a holiday meant to honor friendships. It is celebrated on February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day—although you can get together to celebrate on any day that works for you and your friends. This special day of love was first named on the television show Parks and Recreation by Amy Poehler’s fictional character, Leslie Knope. The holiday, originally represented as ladies celebrating ladies, has since become a more inclusive holiday in real life in which all genders can partake. On Galentine’s Day, close friends get together in pairs or in groups to celebrate their platonic love for each other. Another more inclusive name for this newfound friend spin on Valentine’s Day is Palentine’s Day.

Galentine’s Day ideas

If you’re interested in partaking in this festive holiday next time it rolls around, here are some fun ideas to make this Galentine’s Day super special for you and your best friends.

Dinner and a movie

While this activity may also be a great idea for couples, there is no reason why you can’t enjoy a nice dinner and a film with a friend—or a group of friends. However, with Galentine’s Day becoming more and more popular, it may be beneficial to make a reservation at the restaurant you choose to ensure you get a table that night for you and your friend(s).

Host a potluck

If you’re unfamiliar with a potluck, it is basically a meal for which everyone brings a dish. This gives you a great opportunity to try new things with your friends. You may even want to ask each friend to bring their recipes so you can exchange these recipes with each other.

At-home spa day

There may be no better way to celebrate the day of love with a little self-love in the form of an at-home spa day with your friends. An at-home spa day is a great time to unwind, have some laughs with your friends, and practice self-care. Self-care is not only fun and relaxing, but it plays a very important role in caring for your mental health as well.

Secret cupid

If you’re familiar with Secret Santa, Secret Cupid is essentially the same thing, but with Galentine’s Day in mind. Write the name of each friend who will be attending Galentine’s Day on a piece of paper, fold it, and put it into a hat or bowl. Each friend picks a name and keeps it to themselves. The name they have chosen is who they become “Cupid" for, purchasing a gift for them to share at a party or get-together. 

It’s best to choose friend names at least a few days before the gathering so everyone has time to purchase their gifts. It may also be helpful to set a budget for the gift so each friend gets a fair gift and no one feels they have to spend more than they are comfortable with. You can even choose to make wish lists in which each friend names at least three things they want—within the budget—to make the gift giving a little easier, just in case any of the ideas is hard to find.

Galentine’s Day cards

A great activity to do on Galentine’s Day is to make Galentine’s Day cards for each other. You can host a gathering at your home with your friend or friends with art supplies. Inside the card you can write a Valentine’s Day quote expressing what you love about that particular friend. It’s an uplifting activity to do with friends to have a little fun and tell your loved ones how you truly feel about them. Some ideas for Valentine’s Day quotes to include in your cards include:

• “There are friends, there is family and then there are friends that become family.”

• “A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden”

• “Everyone has a friend during each stage of life. But only the lucky ones have the same friend in all stages of life.”

Karaoke

Celebrate Galentine’s Day with your friends by letting your hair down and having some fun with a night of karaoke. You can choose a karaoke bar in your city, or you can purchase a few karaoke mics and create the perfect karaoke night at home with your friend or friends. You can easily check YouTube for videos with lyrics; all you need to do is choose your songs and have a little courage to sing in front of all your friends.

Friend craft party

For those who love arts and crafts, a Galentine’s Day craft party may be a great way to do a fun activity together and celebrate the love you have for each friend on this special day. And studies show art therapy has many positive benefits on your mental health. Depending on your friends' interests, you can choose to make bracelets, candles, pinch pottery, watercolor paintings, tie dye, or any other fun craft idea you can think of.

Game night

Galentine’s Day is a good time to invite your friends over for a fun night of games. Games are a great way to have some laughs and a little healthy competition, and studies show they may even be good for your mental health and cognitive function. It’s a win-win.

Have a slumber party

Just because you may be an adult doesn’t mean you can’t have a slumber party with your friends. Invite your closest friends over for a night of fun! You can opt to wear matching PJs or robes to make it extra festive, order take out from your favorite restaurant, and choose a few activities from this list to keep the evening fun and exciting.

Throw a pizza party

Eating is a necessity, so for Galentine's Day consider a pizza-themed dinner that you and your friends can make all together—the pizza can even be heart shaped. Alternatively, if hearts aren’t really your thing, you can make the pizzas any shape you desire or just make delicious, regular pizzas—whatever you and your friends like best! Don't forget  a wide variety of toppings!

Learn something new together as friends

This Galentine’s Day, grab all your closest friends and take a class together to learn something new. Choose an activity that all your friends are likely to enjoy. Learning something new together is a great way to connect and strengthen your friendships, and it can also make you happier and feel more fulfilled.

Get active

A fun choice for Galentine's Day is to get your and your friends' bodies moving. The options are endless. Whether you decide to take a workout class together, work out to a video, go for a hike in nature, or have a dance off, getting a bit of exercise is not only good for your physical health, but it can boost your mood, energy, and self-esteem. Movement also reduces stress, as well as symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Discover ways to strengthen friendships in online therapy

Whether you’re in a relationship or currently single, Galentine’s Day is a fun spin-off of Valentine’s Day where you can truly celebrate your best friend and your closest friends by expressing your love and appreciation for them.

However, if Valentine’s Day is difficult time for you, it's important to know you’re not alone. Whatever you’re going through, a licensed therapist from Regain can help. Regain is an online therapy platform that offers therapy for both individuals and those in relationships. Regain is affordable and convenient. You can be matched with a therapist that best fits your needs. Sessions can take place a variety of ways, including text messaging, phone calls, or video chat.

Online therapy has helped many people who are struggling with relationship issues, including not having one. Whether you're in an urban or a rural area, as long as you have the internet, you can connect with a therapist. Like many others, you may find online therapy as effective as in-person therapy.

Takeaway

It isn't always easy being alone when many of the people around you are in love. Valentine's Day can be especially difficult. However, you can use this time of year to celebrate your friends. There are so many different types of activities you can do, and you can help each other get through the holiday—all while having an amazing time together.