Dear JAMMers,
Sure, Valentine’s Day is special. The romance, the flowers, the heart-shaped blah blah blah. But the day before is an even more special day: Galentine’s Day. It’s a day dedicated to celebrating the female friendships in our lives and a holiday that millions of young women participate in every year. But how did it start?
I always wonder how these random national holidays are created. National Pancake Day. National Underwear Day (it’s a thing). The origins are often disappointing, finding out that they were only invented by companies to make money. But what I love about Galentine’s Day is that it became popular almost by accident…and for no reason other than it just being a super cute idea.
What is Galentine’s Day? Galentine’s Day, officially marked as February 13th, is a chance for friends, single or married, to carve out time for their girls, drink some wine, and to toast friendships, old and new. Whether you get all dressed up for a fancy brunch out or sit at home in sweatpants, there’s no wrong way to celebrate…As long as you leave the men out of it. More importantly, it’s something fun to do in the middle of winter when it feels like you’re stuck inside just waiting for a glimmer of sunshine to poke through the depressing sky. It’s become a tradition for women everywhere, and is a hugely popular trend online every February.
So where did it all begin? You may be surprised to learn that the origin of this holiday came from none other than the hit NBC show Parks and Recreation, starring Amy Poehler.
The now iconic episode, properly titled Galentine’s Day, features the main character, Leslie Knope (played by Poehler) introducing the concept of Galentine’s Day - a fictional holiday that she came up with to celebrate the ladies in her life. “It should be a national holiday,” her character jokes…little did the writers know it actually would become one.
In the episode, she and her friends enjoy a Galentine’s Day breakfast where Knope’s mom shares a story about an old flame she had back in the day. Knope is then dedicated to tracking down this former lover and comedy ensues, of course. It’s a 22-minute episode, and yet the impact has lasted much, much longer. Galentine’s Day (season 2, episode 16) aired on February 11, 2010. Fifteen years ago! It was so long ago that people don’t even realize or appreciate the origin.
I think the legendary Amy Poehler (and the genius writers who came up with this idea) deserve way more recognition for their contribution to culture. They created a concept that transcended television and has brought women together to honor and appreciate the relationships that keep them going all year.
So let’s make Amy proud - grab your girls and toast to the beautiful, chaotic, and strong female friendships that make life truly awesome. And make sure everyone knows where the holiday came from.
Happy Galentine’s Day!
Everything’s fine,
Nicole
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