By: Hannah Newcamp

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many are getting ready to celebrate Galentine’s Day. You may not be familiar with Galentine’s Day, which is a holiday created for girls to celebrate their friendships with each other on February 14. This new holiday was brought up on the television show, Parks and Recreation, for the single female characters to have something fun to do on Valentine’s Day that made them feel appreciated.

When deciding on what you want to do for Galentine’s Day, there are many options. Simply hanging out with your friends and watching a movie or going to dinner is a great way to celebrate. Exchanging gifts is also a very common tradition for the holiday. Unlike the pressure to buy an extravagant gift for your loved one on Valentine’s Day, it is not necessary to spend a ton of money on gifts for Galentine’s Day with your friends. Making homemade gifts or buying cheaper ones are perfect for this holiday.

In The Squire’s interview with sophomore, Erin Hagadorn, she let us in on how she feels about the holiday. Erin said, “Celebrating Galentine’s Day is a great idea because it helps you to bond with your friends and learn to appreciate them more.” When asked what makes the holiday special, she explained that it reminds girls that they do not need a boyfriend to have fun, even around Valentine’s Day. Hagadorn suggested buying candy or funny cards as great gifts to give on Galentine’s Day. She also told The Squire that DIY and thoughtful gifts are far better than store bought gifts. Erin also shared that there are positive and negative aspects to the holiday, “…the pros of celebrating are that there is less pressure than there is with Valentine’s Day; however, if you have a boyfriend, it’s hard to make time for both holidays.”

Galentine’s Day is for women of all ages and is perfect for bringing friends closer together. From just hanging out, to exchanging gifts, Galentine’s Day is less stressful than Valentine’s Day. Celebrating this holiday with your friends is a wonderful reminder that you will always be there each other when things get rough, whether in a relationship or in life. When making plans this February, remember to think about getting together with your friends to celebrate the friendships you have.