FEBRUARY 2023
BE SMART, GET RINEHARDT Rinehardt Law | RinehardtLawFirm.com | 419-LAW-2020
While the month of February is typically associated with Valentine’s Day, a time for significant others to celebrate their relationships by exchanging boxes of chocolates, a dozen red roses, and little gifts, the day I always look forward to during this time of the year lands on the day before Feb. 14. Feb. 13 has come to be known as Galentine’s Day, a day dedicated not to romance but to honoring friendship. Although not an officially recognized holiday, Galentine’s Day became popularized after the airing of a 2010 episode of “Parks and Recreation” where fictional character Leslie Knope describes an annual tradition of celebrating her girlfriends the day before Valentine’s Day. “Every Feb. 13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast style,” Leslie explains in the episode. “Ladies celebrating ladies.” The fictional holiday soon became popular in real life. Now, more than 10 years after the debut of that “Parks and Rec” episode, women across the country gather on Feb. 13 for Galentine’s Day celebrations. In fact, you can easily find Galentine’s Day merchandise, gifts, and party ideas at stores and online. Perhaps the popularization of Galentine’s Day can be attributed to the way it seems to counteract the tradition of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day, reserved for love and romance, can feel alienating and exclusionary if you do not have a serious romantic Celebrating Galentine’s Day This Feb. 13
partner. G-Day pushes back against that kind of romantic pressure by celebrating platonic friendships, welcoming and including all women despite their relationship status. I have always felt grounded by my female friendships. When I was in college, I was part of a sorority and felt lucky to have the support of that sisterhood. My girlfriends are like sisters to me, so it seems natural that during a time when we are celebrating our chosen romantic partners, we make a little time to connect with our best friends and show them a little appreciation as well. Because Galentine’s Day is a relatively new tradition, there is no one way to celebrate it. Some like to go out for brunch, like Leslie Knope and her fictional friends in “Parks and Rec,” while others celebrate over happy hour, mani-pedis, or dinner. My girlfriends and I use the day as an excuse to get together, catch up, share stories, and laugh. Usually, one of us will host a little party and celebrate Galentine’s Day with appetizers, fizzy drinks, fun accessories and decorations. It’s hard not to fall in love with a holiday dedicated to celebrating friendship in all its forms. This February, I hope we all can spend a little quality time with our best friends and show our pals a little extra gratitude.
- Rachel
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