What we’re all going to agree to this year is no self-loathing and wallowing on Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day). If we’re all in agreement, say I! Whew, alright, now that we’re done with that, we can get real.
Far too often, we focus more on our romantic relationships than our platonic and friendship relationships. The greatest love affairs I’ve had have been with my girlfriends.
Black women have shaped me, pushed me, motivated me, held me, cheered for me, and loved me. The love between girlfriends, or friends in general, feels like freedom.
It feels like your first perfect cup of coffee on a sunny morning or stepping out of the salon with a fresh do after a few days (or weeks) of being at your not-so-best.
For women, Black women and femmes especially, our friendships are everything. I don’t know about you all, but these are the relationships I hold in the highest regards; they’re the ones that mean the most to me and the ones I need to work.
In a world that doesn’t show up for me, I rest safe and assured, knowing there are Black women holding me up, rooting for me, and praying for me.
They call you out and get you right. They give it to me straight, no chaser. It’s a special kind of healing, and it’s a special kind of feeling that deserves to be honored and celebrated.
My girlfriend relationships sustain me, so I can’t imagine ever celebrating Valentine’s Day and not bigging up the ones who love me the hardest. This year, let’s give this day the recognition it deserves!
This Galentine’s Day, and even Valentine’s Day, I invite you to center your love around your friendships and your girlfriends! Especially in a loneliness epidemic, it’s even more important that we find time to spend together and keep the friendship alive. While not everyone can be together in person, you can still enjoy each other’s company.
Here’s 5 Fun Ideas For This Galentine’s Day
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Binge-Watch Your Favorite Homegirl-Centered Series Together
Binge-watch a fun friendship-centered series with your besties! If you have Netflix, Hulu, BET+, or Amazon Prime, there are so many Galentine’s Day series that’ll spark some joy and laughter between friends. You can check out Girlfriends, Half & Half, Grace & Frankie on Netflix, First Wives Club or Sistas on BET+, and The Golden Girls or Living Single on Hulu!
Buy Your Friends Flowers
There’s never a bad day to give your friends their flowers — literally. Send your friends a sweet reminder that you’re their cheerleader. Check out some of these Black-owned and local florists in Texas, Los Angeles, New York City, Denver, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Atlanta, too!
Gift Them a Body Positive Candle
Order your friend a candle from CTOAN.co! All candles come with a free designed postcard and gift wrapping. There are body-positive candles celebrating all bodies as beautiful. Visit CTOAN to shop your candles, planters, and more!
Right now, the CTOAN Black Joy Collection is giving $2 from every Black Joy candle sold to Black Arts MKE, a nonprofit that increases Black arts and culture by inspiring youth, providing opportunities for artists of color, and strengthening the community through arts partnerships.
Create A Vision Board Together
Vision boarding! Try to gather some of your crew for a Zoom session of vision boarding. You can add wine, great music, and conversation. Use this time to map out some of your goals together for the year.
The goals you set can be as individuals, but it’ll be even better to envision some friendship goals together. Where do you all want your relationship to be in a year? Where do you hope to go together? Get creative and have fun.
Host a Paint and Sip Party!
Who doesn’t love a good Paint & Sip!? Have your friends go to their local art stores and grab some mini canvases, paint, and paintbrushes (I’ve also seen some really good dollar stores with these too, but shh, you didn’t hear that from me), get a bottle of wine on your way home, send out a Zoom link to all your friends participating in the fun and enjoy your night. Maybe someone will be crowned the next Faith Ringgold!
However you end up celebrating your friends and whatever you all decide to do, I hope your Galentine’s Day is as special, heartfelt, and memorable as you wish it to be. It’s been a challenging time for a lot of people, and we all deserved to feel loved, seen, and heard during this season of romance.
