Tag: Galentine'sday

How To Have A Great Galentine’s / Palentine’s Day

The right tone for every social situation is crucial. A Galentine’s / Palentine’s needs to be seen as a celebration rather than a pity party. It can be on the day after Valentine’s Day, but I feel it can be from February 13th-15th. There are other types of love besides romantic love. However, in our society, we only recognize or celebrate couples. Boyfriends will come and go, but friends stick and that should be recognized and honored. So, how can you make the most out of the day?….

Plan it out….

Seems kind of obvious, but I believe in structured and unstructured time for a social event. It would be great to play games and have a wine or cocktail night with a mocktail option for non-drinkers. Have activities so people aren’t just sitting in a circle complaining about dating.

Dress up….

There is no harm in dressing up a bit. Not saying you have to wear pink or red, but at least wear something beyond sweatpants. 

Maybe go out in public….

You don’t have to have a house party; you can go out as well. It could be a fun opportunity to meet new people. You could go to a fancy dinner and then go out dancing after.

Lift others up….

There will probably be a few sad people in the group. Why not make them feel loved and to hype them up? It can be hard, especially if they are newly single. 

Decorate….

If you are the one hosting, then it will be fun to decorate and think about lighting. Who doesn’t love some balloons and streamers? You want your guests to feel it is better to be there than in an expensive restaurant with a fixed menu. 

Curate the playlist….

This can set the mood and tone. Really think about a playlist that isn’t sad break-up songs. It’s best to not remind your friends of how rough and hard love is. Try to empower people and give some good nostalgia. 

Don’t freak out if they get a date last minute….

This is going to happen to at least one person. They might get that “U up” text from that one f*ck boy who wants to hook up. Explain to them that it will be a regretful decision to spend Valentine’s Day just for a transactional hook-up. However, don’t strong-arm them into staying.

Bottom Line….

Friendships should be honored and respected as much as romantic love. We tend to put it on the back burner and dismiss it. You should celebrate the love you feel from your friends and have a great time. Make it special if you are the host by having nice cocktails / mocktails and decorations. Pick a good playlist that isn’t just love-centric. Think of empowering music that is crowd pleasing. You can also decide to hit the town and grab dinner and then go dancing or checking out a band after. Lastly, try to sway a friend who gets an “U up” text. Encourage them to stay and try to lift them up, but don’t force them to stay if they have made up their mind.

Never Accept A First Date On Valentine’s Day

As a chronically single person, I have learned that certain holidays need to be scheduled in advance. When you are unprepared it’s easy to get stuck into your own agenda of being desperate. Valentine’s Day is a huge reminder that you are single. However, you have to remember it is just a day, and with proper planning you can avoid rookie mistakes. The biggest one is to never accept a first date on Valentine’s Day. Here’s why……

Expectations are through the roof…..

You are dying for a meet cute love story. When a first date doesn’t go well on a regular day, it is easier to brush it off. When it doesn’t go well on Valentine’s Day, you could make rash decisions out of desperation (texting your ex or f*ckboy you swore off).

The outside world will be involved……

When you tell your friends you have a date for Valentine’s Day, they will follow up. Your gal pals will be crossing their fingers and sending good vibes. It’s harder to dodge them circling back to see how it went.

There will be more fuss……

Getting ready will be more nerve-wracking and agonizing over an outfit that might set you back an extra hour. There will probably be more time spent calming down and having an extra glass of liquid courage.

You will be surrounded by love birds…..

You could pick your location wisely and just show up at a bar. However, couples will still be out staring into each others eyes and holding hands. This can be awkward when your date is extremely lackluster.

What to do instead…..

Nail down your calendar for the week of Valentine’s Day. You could book a facial, hair appointment, or get your nails done. Then, in the evening, have a solid idea to either go out to a concert or stay home and do an activity. Best case you have a Galentine’s / Palentine’s Day. The point is to not be panicking on the day and get swayed by random guys wanting to hook up.

Bottom Line……

For singles, you need to brush up on your defense playing. It’s mainly about avoiding certain people and being rock-solid about the plans you made yourself. A first date on Valentine’s Day is too big of a risk and can have long-term consequences. Having it go poorly could mean texting your ex or getting into a negative spiral that could set you back from meeting someone great. Dating is all about mindset and it can warp your mind into reminding you that you are alone and that only couples are happy (both are not true). Make the day special for you, rather than succumbing to a late night “U up” text.