Looking to celebrate your friends with a fun night out? The Galentine festival is the perfect opportunity to get together and toast to female friendship. Credit Leslie Knope — actress Amy Poehler’s character from NBC’s 2009-2015 show “Parks and Recreation” — for popularizing February 13 as “Ladies Celebrating Ladies’ Day.”
Galentine’s Day is an ideal time to bring out the big game of festive decorations. Stage table decor like a red or pink tablecloth and flower-scented candles and add paper plates and napkins sprinkled with little hearts. Since no table is complete without a floral arrangement, visit a local florist or grocery store for fresh flowers and greenery; arrangements can even be made for an activity with the girls. Other decorations can include heart-shaped banners, pink balloons, and heart-shaped confetti.
Now, on to the activities. If your friends are into beauty products, try a makeup swap where guests bring their new favorite products under $20 and swap with others; everyone leaves with new goodies. If you want to go the self-care route, treat yourself to at-home manicures with pressed nails and gel manicure kits. Add luxurious masks for a true spa experience.
My go-to activity is a rom-com movie marathon complete with “Mamma Mia!” “Sex and the City” and “Burlesque”. You can even turn movie night into karaoke night, depending on the soundtrack of your movie selection.
Start your Galentine’s Day menu with entrees such as a creamy cheese fondue or a charcuterie board with meats, cheeses, crackers and fruit, then move on to a heart-shaped pizza or pasta such as fettuccini with pesto for the main course. Round out the meal with a decadent dessert like caramel infused brownies, strawberry cake or sundaes piled high with sprinkles, cherries and hot fudge sauce. For drinks, this is a great opportunity to create your own festive or alcohol-free cocktail. Want to stick to the classics? You can’t go wrong with Champagne or Cosmopolitans.
Let the perfect playlist be the finishing touch to your Galentine’s Day party. From Taylor Swift to Beyoncé, from Adele to Ariana Grande, from Janet Jackson to Lizzo, put on songs from your favorite singer, turn up the volume and let loose with your best girls.
Meghan Stratton is a 2021 graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. She moved to Evansville in 2011 and cherishes her relationship with Reitz Memorial High School and beyond. In her spare time, Meghan enjoys hiking in Indiana state parks, traveling to different states and following the latest social media trends.
