All around the world, Valentine’s Day is a huge deal for couples and all the romantics out there. It’s the perfect excuse to be as lovey-dovey as you please. Women get the flowers, love notes, and chocolates, and men humbly get love in return.

If you’re not in the dream relationship you yearn for just yet, and the national day of love comes around, it’s normal to feel a little left out or even a little out of place.

There’s good news for those girls out there: another ‘version’ of the mushy-gushy holiday is now widely known for giving the female gender a chance to party on a national day of couples. 

If you’re a Parks and Recreation  fan, the term “Galentine’s Day” probably sounds familiar to you.

According to multiple websites, the altered form of Valentine’s Day was created by none other than the fictional character Leslie Knope, the main protagonist in the TV show. 

Season 2, Episode 16 is where it all started. On the show, Knope annually hosts a girls-only party for her and her friends. 

Once the episode aired, it sparked an idea in all of the other ladies out there hoping to celebrate the holiday in their own ways. 

Since that day, single girls around the world started gathering with their friends on this love-filled day to celebrate what they now call Galentine’s Day.

A huge thank you to the producers of the show for influencing an alternate route of fun that includes anyone and everyone in the world. 

Like Miley Cyrus says in her latest viral song; “I can buy myself flowers… Yeah, I can love me better than you can.”

Here are some fun ways to celebrate a day of love with the women you love;

1. Go on a picnic: Even though it’s usually cold in the dreary month of February, you can always put together a small indoor picnic. Throw a couple of blankets on the floor, set the food in an arranged fashion, and munch on some snacks while enjoying your company. It doesn’t have to be about where you are, but how you’re celebrating.
2. Throw a pink and red shindig: No matter the venue, it doesn’t take a lot of money to throw a small get together with a few small pink and red decorations. Even a few small balloons, a small flower arrangement, or even some red and pink food items will add a Valentines flair while maintaining a decent budget. 
3. Gift swaps: Girls around the world are often pleased by the little things, such as letters, flowers, and even just a small token of your appreciation for them. A gift swap would be a perfect opportunity to give the women you adore a little piece of happiness. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive ordeal, but rather an easy going activity for you and your friends. 
4. Rom-Com movie night: I think it’s a universal thing as a woman to love romantic comedy movies. What’s not to like? I mean, who doesn’t love cute romantic gestures with jokes thrown in the mix? Galentine’s Day is the perfect time to watch silly romantic movies with your friends and enjoy getting to giggle over men you find attractive. 
5. DIY photo booth: With a few small packages from Amazon or any other fast delivering companies, adorable accessories for a small photo booth is an easy yet fun idea that can add  a touch of flair to your next girls get together. Any wall or empty area is the perfect spot to take quick snapshots of your fun day celebrating. 
6. Painting session: If you and your friends all have a creative touch, a painting session would be perfect for you. Whether you trade paintings, paint for a specific person, or even paint something for the empty spot on your walls, a time of being artsy is often very relaxing and makes the party even more enjoyable. So throw together some canvases, a little bit of paint, and voila! You have yourself a makeshift art class. 
7. Game night: Though I wouldn’t recommend it for the super hard core competitive spirits of the world, a night full of board games and even card games is a perfect time to get to know your friends even better than you did before. Games in general bring out the best and worst in people, and there’s no better time than now to show your friends that competitiveness they’ve never seen before. It isn’t too expensive; just use what you have! 
8. Manicures and/or pedicures: As a girl myself, I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t love the idea of getting their nails done. With some at home nail polish or even cheap Dollar General fake nails, you can have a blast doing each other’s nails like you’re in a fancy salon. If you wanted to, you could also do face masks, scrubs, and even massages to create a spa feel as you celebrate a Galentine’s Day you’ll never forget. 
9. Baking party: Whether it’s cookies, cakes, brownies, or even cupcakes, you and your friends would have tons of fun throwing flour at each other and making something you hope comes out of the oven delicious. It doesn’t even have to be homemade; it doesn’t take much to grab a box mix of whatever you please. 
10. Book exchange: If you and your friends happen to be major bookies, aka the love to read, a book exchange is such a cute idea. Places like Half Price Books and even Amazon provide books for cheap. If you wish to make the books more meaningful, you could also annotate the books before gifting it to them, or even write a sweet note on the inside of the cover. Wrap it in a heart-filled wrapping paper and enjoy your time together.

And with that, I hope you enjoy your Galentine’s Day, ladies!