Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (2024)

Home Holidays Valentine's Day

Lauren CahnUpdated: Dec. 07, 2023

This February 13th, make your girls feel special by throwing a Galentine's Day party that celebrates your cherished friendship.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (2)

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What’s Galentine’s Day? “Oh, it’s only the BEST day of the year,” according to Leslie Knope, overachieving deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana, on TV’s Parks and Recreation. Here’s how to throw an epic Galentine’s Day celebration of your own.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (3)

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Start with a healthy appreciation for the holiday

“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,” says Leslie Knope, explaining Galentine’s Day in the Parks and Recreation episode appropriately titled “Galentine’s Day.” It’s “ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst…plus frittatas.”

With that in mind, plus these egg-cellent egg recipes, you’re ready to plan your own Galentine’s Day gala.

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Assemble the squad

Make a list of female friends, and then make like Santa and check it twice to make sure no one’s left out. Galentine’s Day is a day to celebrate the girlfriends who make life wonderful, so be as inclusive as your budget allows. You could even invite each of your friends to invite a friend.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (5)

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Pick a proper venue

Leslie Knope hosts her Galentine’s Day gatherings at a restaurant where the frittatas are fluffy, the waffles are legendary and the whipped cream is plentiful. You can plan your own party for a restaurant or you can plan it for home (or, if it’s a group of work friends, there’s always the conference room).

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (6)

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Email the invites

Since Galentine’s Day celebrates female friendship, how about honoring our best friend of all, Mother Nature? Paperless invitations are a smart way to do that.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (7)

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Master the menu

If you’re hosting Galentine’s Day at a restaurant, avoid the awkwardness of menus by preselecting a choice of two or three well-loved dishes. If you’re hosting at home, consider asking each friend to bring something for the group. Who doesn’t love a potluck? You can even include links to your favorite potluck salad recipes in the invitation.

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Serve pink drinks

Although not every woman appreciates a pink and frothy drink, you can bet that this pink party punch will be a hit. You can spike the punch with champagne for an extra kick, but let your friends know in advance so they can plan their day accordingly.

See all the drinks perfect for a Galentine’s Day party.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (9)

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Turn on great music

Make a playlist that includes classic, upbeat friendship-themed tunes like Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” and Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend.” Caution: Listen responsibly. “The Wind Beneath My Wings” may cause intense feels.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (10)

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Break out the chocolate

Girlfriends and chocolate go together like chocolate and, well, everything. Since it’s wintertime, consider serving hot chocolate, or have this five-ingredient chocolate fudge out for nibbling. Or there’s always the option of laying out bowls brimming with Hershey’s Hugs and Kisses.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (11)

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Give out valentines for Galentine’s

Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, consider giving each of your gals a handwritten Galentine’s Day note saying why her friendship is meaningful to you. You can also decorate with Valentine’s Day hearts and flowers and liberal use of the color red. Or serve any of these Valentine’s Day cookies.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (12)

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Play gal games

Leslie Knope includes storytelling as part of her Galentine’s Day tradition. You can do that. Or you can play slumber party-esque games such as “Never Have I Ever.” Or organize a game of Pictionary or charades.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (13)

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Instagram it

Come up with an Instagram hashtag and notify your guests about it. Ask them to hashtag fun photos of themselves with friends, especially mutual friends. During the party, gather everyone around for a group selfie, and upload it to your Insta with the hashtag.

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Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (14)

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Send your squad home with friendship favors

What says “friendship” better than a mason jar layered with the ingredients for mint cocoa mix? You can buy mason jars in bulk at big-box stores like Target, or you can order them from Amazon.

Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links,wemay earn an affiliate commission.

Originally Published: December 06, 2018

Lauren Cahn

Lauren Cahn is a New York-based writer whose work has appeared regularly in The Huffington Post as well as a variety of other publications since 2008 on such topics as life and style, popular culture, law, religion, health, fitness, yoga, entertaining and entertainment. She is also a writer of crime fiction; her first full-length manuscript, The Trust Game, was short-listed for the 2017 CLUE Award for emerging talent in the genre of suspense fiction.

Here's How to Plan a Galentine's Day Party That Would Make Leslie Knope Proud (2024)

FAQs

What does Leslie Knope say about Galentines day? ›

Galentine's Day is “only the best day of the year.” I'm spreading the love and packing a box full of. pampering goodies for my besties!

Discover More Details ›

What is Galentine's day quote? ›

In a 2010 episode of the TV show “Parks and Recreation,” Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) introduces her coworker to what she says is “the best day of the year,” aka Galentine's Day. “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.

What is a Galentine's day party? ›

February 13 is the day to gather your gals together to celebrate friendship with festive flair. The best Galentine's Day ideas incorporate things your friends love into the day, like thoughtful Galentine's day gifts, a delicious meal or an adventure. Ready to learn how to host a Galentine's Day party for the ages?

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What is a Galentine slang? ›

Just as one can be someone's valentine on Valentine's Day, so one can be a galentine on Galentine's Day, e.g., “Will you be my galentine?” As such, a galentine is a playful, affectionate term for a close friend.

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Did Leslie Knope create Galentines day? ›

Before we dive deeper, a brief Galentine's Day primer: the day was created as a fictional holiday on the American sitcom Parks and Recreation in 2010, in an episode in which the show's leading character, the earnest and endearing Leslie Knope, (played by Amy Poehler) created a reason to celebrate her best friends.

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Did Leslie Knope start Galentines day? ›

Galentine's Day is dedicated to celebrating sisterhood, friendship and platonic love, and was originally introduced by the fictional character Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, in a “Parks and Recreation” episode airing in 2010.

Did Parks and Rec invent Galentine's day? ›

13. In the eternal words of "Parks and Recreation" star Leslie Knope, the character who invented the holiday: "February 14, Valentine's Day, is about celebrating romance. But February 13, Galentine's Day, is about celebrating lady friends." Here's what to know about the friendship-loving holiday.

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