Celebrating Galentine’s Day? How this unofficial holiday can boost your health

Galentine's Day originated in 2011 from the television show Parks and Recreation and since the episode aired over a decade ago it's grown in popularity.

As loneliness and isolation continue to climb across Canada, relationship experts emphasize the crucial role of friendships in bolstering mental and physical well-being.

This significance is especially poignant on Tuesday, known as ‘Galentine’s Day’, an unofficial but festive tribute to celebrating and cherishing the bonds of friendship.

“I love the idea of Galentine’s Day,” said Yuthika Girme, assistant professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. “It doesn’t have to be something where we’re just focusing on our romantic partnerships, that we can be showing our love and appreciation for our family, our friends and colleagues, people in our community.”

Galentine’s Day originated in 2011 from the television show Parks and Recreation. Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, introduces the concept of Galentine’s Day as a day to celebrate friendship with her female friends, held on Feb.13, the day before Valentine’s Day.

“Every Feb.13, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style,” Leslie said during the episode. “Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.”

Since the episode aired more than a decade ago, the holiday has turned into a cultural phenomenon. There are assorted chocolate boxes, Hallmark has dedicated cards, and there are even Galentine’s Day flowers.

Galentine’s Day’s rise in popularity could be attributed to our innate craving for social connections, which, as Girme suggests, are equally essential as romantic relationships.

“Our social connection and our social integration with family, friends, romantic partners, community and colleagues. It’s really fundamental to our health and well-being,” she said.