Galentine's Day: How to celebrate gal pals with TikTok-inspo

Valentine's Day may be all about romantic love, but Galentine's Day puts an emphasis on another, equally important kind of love: friendship. And TikTokers are all in.

Galentine's Day is a holiday to celebrate female friendship, and TikTokers have jumped on the trend.
Galentine's Day is a holiday to celebrate female friendship, and TikTokers have jumped on the trend.  © Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/@such.a.sasha & @sb.umatiya

While many single people dread February's "Hallmark holiday" focused on romance, there's another important occasion that everyone deserves to celebrate!

February 13 marks Galentine's Day, a holiday that serves as an ode to female friendship on the eve of Valentine's Day.

Though the celebration has become a TikTok favorite, it actually began way before the social media platform took off.

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It's believed Galentine's Day was originally coined by the NBC sitcom Parks & Recreation with an episode in which Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, honors her best gal pals with a special brunch. In true Leslie fashion, she gives each of her friends handmade gifts to honor their cherished bond.

The holiday has managed to stick in the cultural zeitgeist, and proves that although romance certainly deserves its moment in the sun on Valentine's Day, the love shared between friends is equally worth commemorating.

Here's how to celebrate at home or going out, with a little inspo from TikTok.

How to celebrate Galentine's Day

TikTokers celebrate Galentine's Day with themed cocktails and food galore.
TikTokers celebrate Galentine's Day with themed cocktails and food galore.  © Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/@laura_mccarson & @foodiemoodiemadi

Galentine's Day celebrations adopt much of the aesthetic of Valentine's Day, with celebrations and parties draped in dreamy pastels, delicate florals, and everything in between.

The most important part of Galentine's Day is gathering your closest friends together, and the rest is up to you.

Some of the most popular activities include going out for dinner or drinks, having a V-Day movie night, or hosting a cute-as-pie party.

If you're the one hosting, look no further than TikTok for some major inspo!

Creators have shared their own heart-filled Galentine's celebrations which feature some seriously impressive charcuterie boards, desserts, cocktails, at home spa treatments, and more - all themed for the occasion, of course.

TikTok is also pulling out the stops when it comes to some self-love, with beauty tips trending for Galentine's too. No matter how you mark the day, happy celebrating, gals!

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/Instagram/@such.a.sasha & @sb.umatiya

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