9 Last-Minute Ways To Celebrate Galentine's Day

It's possible that mystery-filled chocolates and romantic candlelit dinners with your significant other are totally your thing, but if you've ever found yourself dreaming about a holiday that solely celebrates you and the love you have for your girlfriends, Galentine's Day is something you should have marked on your calendar. What is Galentine's Day, you ask? It's a legit question — especially if you don't watch Parks and Recreation, where it finds its origins. But if you aren't observing this fictional holiday, you are missing out. As Leslie Knope once said, it's only the best day of the year. And, well, she's right.

Still confused? You beautiful tropical fish, let me explain. Galentine's Day is a holiday Amy Poehler's Parks and Rec character Leslie Knope created that occurs every year on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine's Day. As Leslie herself explains on the show:

"Oh, 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. It's like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas."

Basically, it's like Valentine's Day, only instead of celebrating the love you have for your significant other, you spend it with your best girlfriends, who are, after all, your soul mates, and therefore deserve a holiday all to themselves, too. Leslie chooses to observe the day of lady love with brunch (her other true love), but you can kick it back however you want. Since the episode aired in 2010, it's become just as big a deal as its Valentine's Day counterpart.

Looking for a few last-minute ways to celebrate? Here are some ideas:

1. Eat Waffles

Or frittatas, or bacon, or pancakes — just make sure that at some point during the day, you and your best friends are downing copious amount of breakfast foods in the name of #squadgoals. It's what Leslie would want. If you're looking for inspiration, there's legitimately a full post on every single breakfast food ever eaten on Parks and Recreation for you to peruse. In the wise words of Tom and Donna, "Treat yo self."

2. Throw A Party

Any excuse to get together with your favorite people, right? The best part about Galentine's Day is that friendship is the theme of the day, so as long as you have your BFFs around you, you're doing it right. Even though Galentine's Day is during the week, you can throw an official Galentine's Day party over the weekend with drinks, candy, and tons of photo opps.

Take notes from Her Campus editor Danielle Tullo's annual Galentine's Day party, featured in the photos above. With heart-shaped snacks, Instagram-friendly decor, and a gumball machine filled with bath bombs, it's the Galentine's Day party inspo you've been waiting for.

3. Exchange A Few Galentine's Day Gifts

For Galentine's Day, Leslie gifted each of her besties with hand-crocheted flower pens, a mosaic portrait she made for each of them, and a 5,000-word essay she wrote for every person explaining why she loves them so much. Not feeling quite so ambitious? Check out these Galentine's Day gifts for your best friend instead, including waffle-shaped friendship necklaces, inspiring feminist reads, and more.

If you're throwing a Galentine's Day party, send friends home with something that keeps the party going a little longer. Tullo gifted her Galentine's Day guests La Marca Prosecco in the tie-die pink gift bags featured above.

Even if you don't have the time or money to make or get a gift, you can always send your friends a sweet text message with a GIF or an "I love you" just to let them know you're thinking about them. Sometimes the best gift is just a reminder that you're on someone's mind.

4. Take A Trip

You don't have to hop on the next flight to Miami, but a Galentine's Day trip with your best friends is a pretty great way to spend the day. Go for a drive, hit up the town next to yours, or check out a new hiking trail. It's a great day to get adventurous. Or, if that feels too last-minute, plan a trip for later this year. Summer isn't too far off, and the open road calls. If you want to go above and beyond, you might even want to see if you can make Galentine's Day a bachelorette party theme for a member of your squad — it won't be hard to sell an entire weekend of breakfast foods and love.

5. Volunteer

Spread the Galentine's Day love to women everywhere. Check out VolunteerMatch.org to see where you and your friends can be most useful this weekend, and then spend the day giving back to your community. Not only are you lending a hand to other women, it's a great way to bond with your besties (and you can still always hit up a diner for waffles, after).

6. Have A 'Parks & Rec' Marathon

Invite Leslie Knope, Ann Perkins, and all the rest of your favorite characters to your Galentine's Day celebration by hosting a Parks & Rec marathon with your friends. The show is currently streaming on both Hulu and Netflix, so there are plenty of opportunities to relive your favorite moments while surrounded by waffles and wine. Take advantage!

7. Hit Up Instagram

Find a favorite photo of you and your friends, slap on a caption (here are a few Leslie Knope quotes to choose from, if you're stuck), and post that sucker! It will take you literally 20 seconds, your friends will feel the love, and because you're doing this on Feb. 13, you run zero risk of your photo getting lost in the endless stream of Valentine's Day nonsense about to flood your feed. Done and done.

8. Grab A Bottle Of Red Wine & Celebrate The Leslie Knope Way

As you head to your nearest wine store, let this iconic Leslie Knope quote be your guide: "I'm going to be direct and honest with you. I would like a glass of red wine, and I'll take the cheapest one you have because I can't tell the difference."

9. Give Your Nearest And Dearest A Leslie-Level Pep Talk

No one is better at singing someone's praises than Knope. On Galentine's Day, let your friends know exactly what it is that makes them great. Text them, tell it to their face, and weave in as many over-the-top adjectives as you can. After all, this day is literally about them, so make sure they're feeling extra special.