“Galentine’s can be seen as a way to love more deeply on the day all about love,” said junior interdisciplinary social sciences and mass communications major Amelia Blackwell.
Photo by Julia Birdsall | The Crow’s Nest
By Julia Birdsall
A candlelit dinner, a cozy fire, and lots of chocolate.
That is the average Feb. 14 experience — but many do not share it with a romantic partner. Some celebrate Galentine’s Day.
Galentine’s is an unofficial holiday that has been celebrated in recent years as an alternative to Valentine’s Day.
“It doesn’t have to be in a romantic way, which is why it’s so different from Valentine’s Day, because it’s not about that romantic love,” said English major Lauren Lee. “It’s about other levels of love that exist, love that exists within your friendships.”
The holiday was first portrayed in 2010, in an episode of the popular TV show “Parks and Recreation” that aired on Feb. 11.
Photo courtesy of NBC
Since this episode aired, viewers also begun to celebrate, which led to Galentine’s Day becoming a widespread phenomenon that only continues to grow in popularity.
A potential reason for Galentine’s success is the depression many single people often experience during Valentine’s Day due to the increased attention on romantic relationships and feelings.
However, people are also beginning to value friendships over romantic relationships, Lee said.
“I think traditions and values are changing across society, across generations. And people — newer generations — are more in tune with love and with sharing their emotions with each other,” she told The Crow’s Nest. “I think we just want to show that love is love, no matter what dynamic the relationship is to the person.”
Senior health sciences major and co-president of Planned Parenthood Generation Action, Hannah Butterfield, noted that women are particularly drawn to friendships over romance because of difficulties that come with the modern dating scene.
Junior political science major, Brianna Gutierrez, and junior political science and sustainability major and governor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s student government, Elise Prophete, agreed.
“A lot of women are more independent now and they don’t feel the need to have plans with significant others anymore,” Gutierrez said. “Because what do you need them for? You have your girls.”
Lee cited how women now have the option to stay single for longer periods of their lives and are choosing to take it.
“Back in the 1900s, we were getting married at 20. Now we’re getting married closer to 30, so now we have our 20s where we’re single and we have love to give, but we don’t exactly have a partner to give it to. So instead, we put that love into our friendships,” Lee said.
While the holiday is not only celebrated by women and girls, they do make up the majority of celebrants
“There’s still this stigmatism against men sharing feelings with each other,” Lee said. “I think they struggle to open up to each other in fear of being looked at as weak for having emotions.”
Prophete echoed a similar sentiment.
“Our society is a place where we’re more accepting of women being loving towards one another than men,” she said.
Galentine’s is a way for people to celebrate their loved ones, thus it is not exclusive to women.
“I think knowing that your friends love you and having that feeling of support, that’s a benefit of Galentine’s,” Lee said.
For Galentine’s this year, Lee wants to have dinner and a charcuterie board and paint candles with her friends.
Butterfield intends to visit markets such as Localtopia with her friends, then have a night in.
Gutierrez and Prophete are having a night in. They spoke about making mocktails and spending time together.
“[Galentine’s is] a magical experience, honestly,” Prophete said. “I think it’s a time to connect with people who mean a lot to you, not just in a romantic sense, but like your soul ties.”
