TRINITY, Florida: For Christie O'Sullivan of Trinity, Florida, Valentine's Day has mostly been a couples' affair. She has spent 21 of them with her husband. Yet her most meaningful Valentine's memory didn't involve romance at all.
It was a day she spent with a close girlfriend before she got married. They took time off work, booked massages, lingered over cocktails, and ended the evening with a fancy dinner.
"For me, it was 10 out of 10. That whole day was intentional," O'Sullivan said. She remembers it as empowering "on a day that's usually filled with pressure to be in a relationship, or sadness because I wasn't currently in one."
That sentiment helps explain why many women are increasingly choosing Galentine's Day — a celebration of female friendship — over the traditional Valentine's script.
The idea entered pop culture in 2010, in an episode of Parks and Recreation, when Amy Poehler's character, Leslie Knope, gathered her friends on Feb. 13 to celebrate each other.
"What's Galentine's Day? Oh, it's only the best day of the year," Knope declared.
While honoring female friendships can happen at any time, the days around Valentine's have become a natural moment for women to reframe the holiday, which often carries emotional expectations. And the ways they celebrate vary widely.
Making it a Party
Chela Pappaccioli of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, has hosted a Galentine's Day bash at her home for the past three years — and she goes all in. She hires a bartender and a DJ, prepares gift bags, and, this year, invites 45 friends. Thirty-four have already confirmed.
There are no men allowed, she said, "unless the bartender happens to be male."
"It's an escape to just be with your girls, be silly, do something fun and just focus on the friendships you've created and enjoying each other's company," Pappaccioli said.
Learning Something New Together
Others prefer shared experiences over large gatherings. Liz Momblanco of Berkley, Michigan, calls herself a "serial hobbyist" and invites friends to take classes together — cookie and cake decorating, calligraphy, and stained glass.
"I enjoy learning something new and having a shared experience," Momblanco said. She's also attended women's day retreats featuring activities such as floral arranging, yoga, and even cold plunges.
Marney Wolf, who runs the retreat company Luna Wolf, said creativity plays a decisive role in building connection.
"It bonds you, whether it's the smallest thing or really deep," Wolf said. "You watch these grown women turn into almost like a childlike kindergarten response, like, ‘Oh my gosh! Good job! You're so talented!' That little lift is the easiest thing to do."
Filling the Valentine's Day Gap
Wolf intentionally schedules Galentine's-themed retreats around Valentine's Day, aware that the holiday can be isolating for many.
"I know it can be a really lonely time for people, and I think some take it for granted," she said.
Pappaccioli noted that divorced friends attend her party, and that even married women sometimes feel disappointed by unmet expectations.
"Even if you're married, it can be depressing because your husband may not be doing what you want or your boyfriend may not support you in the way you want," she said.
"It's nice to know that you don't need that. You can still celebrate the holiday, but turn it around a little bit and celebrate the relationships you want to."
Creating Deeper Bonds
Galentine's gatherings can also spark new friendships — or deepen existing ones. Spending intentional time together allows women to unplug and be fully present.
O'Sullivan, who works as a social media strategist, said her favorite Valentine's Day stood out because phones were completely absent.
"We could be fully present — no photos, no texts, no nothing," she said.
"So while that means there's no actual record of that day occurring, it also means the details became a core memory without it."
For some, Galentine's Day is as simple as coffee or cards. Others head to museums, plays, hikes, or workout classes, or plan thrift-shopping trips, country line dancing, roller skating, karaoke, junk journaling, or manicures and pedicures.
The common thread isn't extravagance, it's intention. For many women, Galentine's Day offers a way to reclaim the holiday, replace pressure with presence, and center the relationships that already show up year after year.
