Entertainment

13 Ways To Celebrate Galentine's Day, As Told By Leslie Knope
by Shannon Fiedler

"What's Galentine's Day? Oh, it's only the best day of the year." So are the immortal words of feminist superstar, Leslie Knope. Every Feb. 13, Leslie and her girls get together to "kick it breakfast style" and spend the morning together — just a bunch of "ladies celebrating ladies." It's a pretty genius holiday, and one that should exist everywhere, not just in Pawnee, Indiana. Bring the day to your own city and mark the holiday yourself, with the many exciting ways to celebrate Galentine's Day!

There are holidays to celebrate all kinds of important people in your life. Valentine's Day lets you honor your significant other, Mother's Day and Father's Day give your parents some well-deserved celebration, and your birthday gives you a chance to treat yo' self. But what about your best friends? Why is there no day to celebrate your friendship? Because there totally should be. Which is why Ms. Knope created a very necessary day of observance in coining Galentine's Day.

So get all of your Annes, your Donnas and even your Aprils together to celebrate the day before Valentine's Day as a super squad. Chances are, it'll be a way more fun day than actual V-Day anyway. In the words of Leslie, "It's like Lillith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas." How could you go wrong with that?

But if breakfast food isn't your jam (blasphemy!), there are all other kinds of ways to mark the holiday with your girls. Check out these 13 ways to celebrate Galentine's Day with all of your amazing friends.

1

Have A Boozy Brunch

Galentine's Day is about two things: celebrating your girls, and eating breakfast food. Make reservations at the brunch spot you've been dying to try, and block out at least two hours. Make it leisurely...and bottomless.

2

Have A Dance Party

Blast some Taylor Swift and get moving. It doesn't matter if you host a dance-off in your living room or decide to go out to a swanky club, just as long as you get grooving. Bust out your goofiest moves, sing at the top of your lungs, and, if you're acting as DJ, only play songs by badass female musicians.

3

Take A Super Challenging Work Out Class

Working out with friends makes the painful process palatable, and you're sure to feel super accomplished afterward. Go to your favorite spin studio or Zumba class, or try something extreme, like aerial yoga. You can laugh at each other as you try and contort your body into heinous positions. Laughter burns more calories, and makes it way more fun.

4

Have A Secret Cupid Gift Exchange

You buy Valentine's Day gifts for your significant other, so why not buy a present for your besties? Let your pals know how much you love them, and organize a Secret Cupid. You can set a low price cap so you won't break the bank. Decide whether or not you'll want to try and buy nice presents, or if you'd rather have a little more fun purchasing perfectly appropriate gag gifts. Because only you know how much your bestie needs that emoji-print snuggie.

5

Treat Yourselves To A Spa Day

If you're spending the day with your girls, you might as well indulge all of your girl-iest pleasures. Manicures, blowouts, facials...a complete day of beautification! If you don't want to spend the money to get a professional treatment, host an at-home spa day. You can give each other makeovers and manicures — all with a bottle of merlot.

6

Bake The Pretties Thing You Can Find On Pinterest

Find a Valentine's Day themed recipe and give it the old college try. Chances are your rendition will look nothing like the version you pinned, which makes it all the more fun. Your Instagram may not be pristine, but it will be hilarious. And then you get to eat it afterward, which is really all that matters in the end.

7

Binge Watch Your Favorite Girl Power Show

Love Sex and the City? Or maybe you're more of a Gilmore girl. Or, in honor of Galentine's Day, you can obviously watch some Parks and Recreation. Pick your favorite and watch hours and hours of the series. No need to leave the couch when you're surrounded by your best friends.

8

Stalk Your Facebook Friendships

Timehop is a funny thing. It reminds me of how ridiculous I was in high school, and shows me the stark contrast between what I deem Facebook acceptable now versus what I did as a teenager. Take a trip down memory lane with your girls, and relive the most awkward, embarrassing, and absurd years of your friendship. You'll realize how much you've been through together and how well you know each other, and crack up as you reminisce about days of yore — and then you'll just be glad you've grown out of that phase.

9

Embrace The '90s

We all know the '90s was the best decade out there, so have a blast from the past themed Galentine's Day. Watch '90s TV, wear '90s clothes, listen to '90s music, and eat '90s junk food. (Sadly, Dunkaroos are no longer for sale, but you can make your own!) And what better soundtrack to celebrate Galentine's Day with than the girl power Spice Girls? "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends!"

10

Take A Wine Tasting Class

You love wine, and you like to think of yourself as a connoisseur. But if you're being honest, you really only know which cheap brand tastes the least cheap, and what bottle you buy when you want to feel fancy. If ever there was a skill to gain, it's learning about wine. It's classy, fun and useful. Sign up for a class with your girls, and take the first step to becoming a sommelier. And, even if you walk away still having no idea what a tannin is or what constitutes a woody undertone, it's a good excuse to drink all of the wine.

11

Watch Sappy Movies And Have A Good Cry Sesh

Celebrate the chick flick. Watch every Nora Ephron and John Hughes film you can get your hands on, and allow yourself to tear up at all the sweet, romantic moments. If you're doing it with all your friends, you won't feel so silly crying over When Harry Met Sally...again.

12

Feast

What's a celebration without piles and piles of food? Ice cream, pizza, nachos, cupcakes...have it all. Make it a potluck and have everyone bring their favorite junk food, and try a couple ridiculous recipes that combine so many delicious things they shouldn't even be legal (like mac and cheese pizza). Then embrace your food coma and sit on the couch for hours gabbing with the girls.

13

Have A Sleepover!

You're never too old for a slumber party. Have all your buds spend the night just like your childhood days, and — now that you're adults — you can add wine to the mix. Stay up all night talking, watch scary movies, order a pizza. And then, end the event by making a delicious breakfast in the morning. Looks like we're back to where we started. But it's fitting, because if we've learned nothing from Leslie Knope, it's these two things: women are capable of everything, and breakfast food is the best food.

However you celebrate Galentine's Day this year, make sure you let your ladies know how much you love them! It's sure to be a happy, happy day.