Why February 13 is 'Galentine's Day' (2024)

Valentine's Day, as we all know, is a mass conspiracy created by big greetings card companies to sell more flowers, cards and balloons.

But in recent years, a rival has emerged that combines the beauty of friendship, the sweet relief of leaving your partner at home, and the joy of receiving empowering gifts from your female-identifying friends.

That day, of course, is Galentine's Day, celebrated the day before V-Day proper—that is February 13.

Galentine's Day is the latest pop culture-inspired special day that has emerged from the hive mind that is millennial Twitter, alongside other such celebrations as Mean Girls Day (October 3, byatch) Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), and of course Leap Day (February 29), the day when the gilled creature Leap Day William emerges from his trench and trades children's tears for candy (it's a 30 Rock reference).

For those who missed the origins of Galentine's Day and are now confused every February 13: Firstly, we have a great streaming recommendation for you, and secondly you can read on for a beginner's guide to the celebration once described as: "Like Lilith Fair minus the angst, plus frittatas."

What is Galentine's Day?

The February 13 celebration is an invention of the writers of the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation—the same writers who made October 13 "Treat Yo' Self Day," but that is another story for another day.

The idea comes from Season 2, Episode 16 of the comedy show, conveniently titled "Galentine's Day." The episode first aired on February 11, 2010. The episode is available to stream on Peacock.

Like many good ideas in the show, it was the invention of the show's main character, the enthusiastic public servant Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler). As Leslie describes the day herself in the episode: "Oh 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."

Why February 13 is 'Galentine's Day' (1)

In fact, Leslie in general is a font of wisdom when it comes to quotes celebrating female friendships. After all, she is the woman who describes her personal code as, "hoes before bros. Uteruses before duderuses. Ovaries before brovaries."

In an LAist oral history of the holiday, Parks and Recreation showrunner Mike Schur credits writer Aisha Muharrar as having the initial idea.

He said of the concept: "It was the perfect Leslie Knope idea, because the idea was, the day beforehand, let's eliminate the romantic aspect of it—because it's exclusionary to people who aren't in romances—and say, there isn't a day set aside where we just celebrate friendships, especially female friendships. And so she just took it upon herself to do that."

Or, as The Atlantic's Megan Garber put it: "Galentine's Day was, in its initial conception, the character of Leslie Knope, fictional woman, realized in micro-holiday form: insistently earnest, aggressively generous, finding deeply canny methods of ensuring that every social occasion will involve the consuming of waffles."

Of course, the holiday took on a life of its own.

Though there has been a spike in search in February every year since 2010, Google Trends reveals that 2020 saw an explosion in searches for the holiday, with search interest quadrupling compared to that of 2019 (which already hit a record for the search term "galentines day.")

Why February 13 is 'Galentine's Day' (2)

The term became so popular, in fact, that things took a meta twist.

On February 13, 2018, four of the female cast members from Parks and Recreation staged a real-life Galentine's Day reunion, featuring Aubrey Plaza, Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, plus Kathryn Hahn, who appeared in the show but not in the Galentine's Day episode.

Stuck for gift ideas? In the first Galentine's Day episode, Knope gifts her friends a bouquet of hand-crocheted flower pens, a mosaic portrait of them made from the crushed bottles of their favorite diet soda and a personalized 5,000-word essay explaining why they are all so awesome.

A card would probably do the job, however, as long as it was written from the heart.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Why February 13 is 'Galentine's Day' (2024)

FAQs

Is February 13th a Galentine's day? ›

Galentine's Day is a global holiday that celebrates women's friendship. Galentine's Day is typically marked as February 13, but can be observed any day. Galentine's Day events are typically all-female occasions of mutual "empowerment...a reminder for women to support and uplift one another."

Why is everyone calling it Galentines day? ›

It's one of those things that has just embedded itself in popular culture, and it actually goes back to the Feb. 11, 2010, episode of "Parks and Rec" where Leslie Nope, Amy Poehler's character, is introducing Galentine's Day. It's this wonderful day where, you know, women celebrate women. They go out to brunch.

Why is Galentine's day important? ›

Galentine's Day holds various significances for different people, but its core meaning rests on celebrating and appreciating the power of female friendship.

What is the special of February 13? ›

It is the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, the nightingale of India.

What happened on February 13th in history? ›

February 13 Events In History

1668 – Portugal becomes an independent nation. 1880 – Thomas Edison discovers the Edison effect. 1945 – During World War II in Europe, British and American planes began massive bombing raids on Dresden, Germany.

What is the guy version of Galentine's Day? ›

Malentine's day is a day for men to meet up and celebrate their amazing friendship.

Who invented Galentine's day? ›

How did Galentine's Day start? Believe it or not, we actually have Amy Poehler to thank for this day of celebration. Well, kinda. Her fictional character, Leslie Knope, from the comedy show Parks and Recreation, coined the term during the second season of the show in 2010.

What is a fun fact about Galentines day? ›

One of the most interesting things about Galentine's Day is that it wasn't created by a card company or internet marketplace trying to take all your money. Instead, Galentine's Day was founded by a badass fictional character: Leslie Knope of Parks and Recreation.

What does Galentine stand for? ›

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Galentine's Day is a "day for women to celebrate their friendships with their lady friends." Essentially, the meaning of Galentine's Day is Valentine's Day for your gals. (It's right there in the name).

What is the symbol for February 13th? ›

Aquarius (♒︎) (Greek: Ὑδροχόος, romanized: Hydrokhóos, Latin for "water-bearer") is the eleventh astrological sign in the zodiac, originating from the constellation Aquarius. Under the tropical zodiac, the Sun is in the Aquarius sign between about January 20 and February 18.

What is February 13 self love? ›

While romantic love is awesome, it's also not the most important love you'll know in life. There's another that trumps it and pretty much everything. That is the love you have with YOURSELF, which is irreplaceable and invaluable in creating a life that's uniquely meant for you.

What is the special name of 13 February day? ›

February 13 - Kiss Day

Kiss Day is celebrated a day before Valentine's Day. It falls on February 13. People in love seal their relationship with a kiss on this day or show affection for their partner with this act of love.

What Valentine is February 13? ›

Kiss Day is the seventh day of Valentine's Week, which is on February 13. On this day, love is felt by kissing each other. Couples share kisses on this particular day to express their love and admiration for one another.

What is on 13 february kiss day? ›

Kiss Day is celebrated on February 13th every year, marking the sixth day of Valentine's Week, which leads up to Valentine's Day on February 14th. It is a day dedicated to the expression of love and affection through the simple yet profound expression of love and affection through the simple, symbolic act of kissing.

What is celebrated on February 13th, 2024? ›

FEBRUARY 13, 2024 | GALENTINE'S DAY | NATIONAL CHEDDAR DAY | NATIONAL TORTELLINI DAY | NATIONAL PANCAKE DAY – IHOP | FASTNACHT DAY | PACZKI DAY | FAT TUESDAY. On February 13th, Galentine's Day brings women together to celebrate each other every year the day before Valentine's Day.

Is February 14 a special day? ›

Valentine's Day

A day filled with love, romance and sweet gestures — the perfect opportunity to show affection towards those special people in your life.

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