Francesca’s Fortunato (Source: The Xavierite)
Valentine’s Day is definitely not just a holiday for couples, but also other types of love in our lives, like close friends. Here is a guide on how to celebrate around the holiday if you don’t have a significant other to celebrate with.
If you’re unaware, Galentine’s Day is usually celebrated on the 13th or another day around Valentine’s Day. It is a day to celebrate with friends and show your love for one another and originated from the “Parks and Recreation” character, Leslie Knope.
Galentines is the perfect alternative for those who’d like to celebrate with friends this year.
I recently went on my own Galentine’s ‘date’ with two friends. We went out to eat at Francesca’s Fortunato, an Italian restaurant with many delicious foods including appetizers, pastas, and desserts.
The dish I ordered (pictured above) is called Pasta Al Limone E Gamberi. I definitely recommend it if you’re never gone to Francesca’s before. It is a shrimp pasta with a tasty lemon sauce topped with parmigiano cheese.
After eating, we spent the day enjoying each other’s company and shopping! It was an incredibly fun and memorable day.
If you’re hearing this and worried about the price, there’s no need to worry. There are many alternatives to going out for Galentine’s Day. Here’s a few inexpensive things you can do to have your own Galentine’s Day with your friends.
- A sleepover
Sleepovers are usually done in childhood, but they can still be a fun bonding experience with your friends regardless of age. The possibilities are endless for sleepovers. You can catch up on each other’s lives, cook/bake, play games, among many other things.
- Watch a movie
This can either be at the theater or at home. You can put on your favorite movies (love related or not), mix a bowl of candy or any other snacks and have your own relaxing movie night. This option is great for friends who prefer a calm and intimate hangout.
- Have a picnic (weather permitting)
Picnics are a classic, regardless if it’s for a date or a day out with friends. Each person can bring a food, drink, or other item as well as some blankets. If the weather is bad, an alternative to this can be to have a potluck instead.
- Game night
Similar to watching a movie, you can choose your favorite games and spend the night enjoying friendly competition and silly conversations. Some of my fondest memories are playing board games with friends and family.
Thankfully, nowadays there are many inexpensive apps that resemble board games if you find board games themselves too expensive.
(Though, I’d highly recommend investing in a few board/card games)
- Painting/Crafts
For those interested in artistic activities, there’s an endless amount of things you can do and create. You can do crafts with friends or even hold a painting contest and have someone else be the judge. For a simpler activity, you can purchase craft kits and do them together.
- Virtual movie night
For those with long distance friendships or just busy lives, this option is a perfect way to bond with those you can’t be with in person. There are many apps and websites that allow you to hold group calls and stream movies or TV shows.
This option even allows you to make commentary as you watch without being disruptive, as there are often chat features alongside these calls.
- Karaoke night
Karaoke is always a fun bonding activity, even if you’re not a great singer. There’s a recent trend where friends gather together and do blind karaoke. This can add a fun spice to your karaoke night and make it even more entertaining.
If you really want to take it up a notch, you can even add punishments or tally who can complete a song.
- Powerpoint night
Inspired by a Tiktok trend, friends make powerpoint presentations to catch up with each other’s lives. It’s one of the easiest and most inexpensive on this list and is a perfect way to have a humorous night without breaking the bank.
These are just a few things you can do to have a fun Galentine’s day, but there’s so many more that aren’t mentioned.
At its core, Galentine’s is a celebration of the platonic love of friendship and meant to focus on quality time with others. If your ideal Galentine’s day is simply enjoying each other’s company, that’s great too.
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