Those who are single dread Feb. 14. Without a significant other to celebrate with, the day may feel lonely, awkward, or just plain sad. But celebrating with your friends and family can be just as fun! Galentine’s Day falls on Feb. 13, a day before Valentine’s Day. Make your February a little brighter by going out with your friends and celebrating your friendship and platonic love together.

Traditionally, Galentine’s Day is a holiday aimed at celebrating the close friendships between females, hence the word “gal” in the holiday’s name. The day actually originated from a popular TV show called Parks and Recreation. The 16th episode of the show features fictional character Leslie Knope celebrating the February holiday by having a waffle brunch with friends and coworkers, as well as exchanging gifts and appreciating one another’s company. The holiday celebrates female friendships and girl power, taking the day before Valentine’s to appreciate and remember how impactful a girl’s besties are to their lives and the support that they give. But Galentine’s Day can just as easily be used as an opportunity to hang out with friends of any gender or family. Like Valentine’s Day, it is just an easy excuse for you to grab the people you love and hang out with them for a day. While supposedly designated to two different kinds of relationships, they can really be celebrated by anyone with anyone you like.

Planning a day just for you and your friends is an exciting and daunting task. Where will you go? Are all your friends available? What will you do? There are so many questions and so many different ways to plan Galentine’s that planning the perfect day out may be as simple as staying home and watching a movie or going out exploring different places all over the city and eating at different restaurants all day. Everything is up to you and your friends, but there are a few simple ideas that you and your friends can build on to make the holiday unique and unforgettable.

As Knope describes it in the show, “It’s only the best day of the year! Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it—breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies.” 

Knope and her friends celebrate the day every year with Knope’s favorite foods—breakfast items. Knope also sent her friends a 5,000 word essay detailing her love and appreciation for all of them. While this is certainly a great idea for Galentine’s day, it might not be for you or your friends. For those who prefer a simpler, less glamorous day, going out to grab some food with your friends might be enough for Galentine’s. Additionally, staying home and having your friends come over may also be a good option where you can build pillow fort castles together, tell secrets under a blanket, and play board games for a fun and cozy night-in.

For those who are more adventurous, going to an amusement park, playing laser tag, or going camping might sound more appealing. Make the day exciting and memorable by going somewhere you’ve never been before. But the day of fun and friends doesn’t have to end when nightfall arrives: plan a karaoke night, where you all can truly let loose! 

There are dozens of different ways to celebrate Galentine’s Day, and the day definitely doesn’t have to be spent with just friends. Having the day with family might be just as enjoyable! Don’t forget that the day doesn’t have to be overly complicated or crazy, it can also be a simple tradition you and your friends or family do each year. The most important thing is to have fun!