By: Jordyn Cooper

     Don’t have a Valentine this year? No problem! A great alternative is Galentine’s Day. This is a day to celebrate female friendships. Galentine’s Day was given to us by Amy Poehler from the show Parks and Recreation. In the episode about this no longer fake holiday, she mentions the presents she got for her “Galentine’s.” Many women have adopted this micro-holiday since then and have made it popular around the world. This tradition is now celebrated every year on February thirteenth, also known as Valentine’s Day eve.

     There are endless ways to celebrate your Galentines this season.  A good way to do this is exchanging gifts with them.  Some common gift ideas are candles, slippers, and blankets. For more great gift ideas to buy your Galentine, check out The Best Galentine’s Day Gift Ideas | Real Simple. Although it’s easier and sometimes less time consuming to buy a gift, you don’t need to buy something for it to be a great gift. Homemade gifts are a great idea for Galentine’s Day on a budget. Baking your friends something or making them a homemade “Galentine” are some simple ways to achieve this. For more homemade gift ideas, make sure to check pinterest.com. Another great gift option is right here at Eisenhower, where you can buy your Galentine a carnation for one dollar or a serenade for two dollars.

     The Squire interviewed senior, Audrey Kellogg, to get her opinions on the holiday. She shared that this holiday is special to her because, it is about letting people you care about know that they are loved and appreciated. When asked what the perfect Galentine’s Day looks like to her, she commented that “getting dressed up with friends to see a movie or going out to dinner would be the perfect Galentine’s night out.” There are benefits to staying in and going out. Audrey shared that staying in is a good way to save money and would make it easier to communicate with each other, too. She also told The Squire that if she were to get gifts for her Galentines, she would get them flowers and candy. This special holiday comes with advantages and disadvantages. Audrey told The Squire, “Some advantages would be spending time with just your girl friends without so much Valentine’s pressure.” She also mentioned that “some of the disadvantages are making enough time to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Galentine’s Day if you’re in an actual relationship.”

     Galentine’s Day is all about sharing affection with the people you’re not romantically involved with but care about. This day exists for the purpose of showing your best friends how much they mean to you. If you miss celebrating Galentine’s Day this year, it is never too early to plan something special for next year!