Galentine Party Ideas: What to Do + What to Eat

Galentine’s Day is here to stay! Women have adopted the day before Valentine’s Day as our own since 2010, when the iconic “Galentine’s Day” episode of “Parks and Recreation” came out and claimed February 13 to celebrate female friendships. 

If you want to throw your own party this year but need some inspiration, we’ve got you covered with Galentine party ideas to get your gathering off the ground.

7 Galentine’s Day Party Ideas

Okay, so you have a guest list in mind, but what should you do together? There’s so much to do beyond sit and drink wine (although that alone sounds perfect). Here are seven Galentine’s Day activity options.

1. Favorite Things Party

This is our absolute favorite idea for hosting Galentine’s Day. Make it into a Favorite Things gift exchange where the guests get to swap their favorite items by following these steps:

• Everyone must bring three copies of their favorite thing, whether it’s a nail polish, cookbook, lip oil, claw clip, or tote bag. Yes, three exact copies — so everyone will buy their one favorite item three times.
• Set a price limit of about $10-$15 per item, or around $30-$45 total.
• Leave the items unwrapped.
• At the party, everyone will write their own name down three times on three slips of paper and put them in a bowl.
• On your turn, explain your favorite thing and why you love it. Draw three names from the bowl. Give your favorite thing to the people you draw.
• There’s no swapping or stealing in this game — everyone will go home with three people’s favorite things!

As the host, you can also make a small goodie bag of your own low-cost favorite things. When we threw this party, we went for Reese’s cups, mini Batiste dry shampoo, a sheet mask, Elf lip gloss, and Downy Wrinkle Release spray.

2. Vision Board Night

Set your sights on the year ahead by making vision boards together. Save up magazines for this, and have everyone bring some if needed. Provide sheets of sturdy cardstock for the base and put out lots of glue and pairs of scissors.

The prompt? Make a collage that represents what you want for your year ahead. Whether your ladies want to manifest achieving their goals, spending more time with their friend group, taking the next step in their careers, or reading more books, they can represent that visually on boards that they can hang in their homes all year.

3. Spa Day

Host a pampering session as your Galentine’s Day celebration by providing nail polish, face masks, exfoliating scrub, and everything else they need for self-care. Relax with your besties, and walk away with flawless nails and smooth skin.

4. Movie Night and Slumber Party

It doesn’t get more “girls night” than this! Have a rom-com movie marathon, sip on cocktails and mocktails, and pile in the living room for a sleepover.

5. Board Game Night

Play Quiplash, Fish Bowl, Catch Phrase, Yahtzee, and any board game the group loves at your party. Nothing says “female friendships” like a bit of cutthroat competition!

6. Karaoke

Sing the night away with your best friends by doing karaoke. You can either go to a private karaoke room, a karaoke bar, or your own house with a cheap microphone.

7. Craft-ernoon

Set up a day or night of Galentine’s crafting for your best gals by providing supplies for embroidering tote bags, making air dry clay minis, painting pottery, making beaded keychains, doing tie-dye, or making friendship bracelets. The vibes can be casual, and you can even have guests drop by as they’re available for an open house-style gathering.

Menu Ideas for Your Galentine Party

Next up, what to serve your gal pals! The menu is dependent upon what activity you choose, but browse this list of food ideas to get your wheels turning.

Brunch Food

Make Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation” proud by serving a breakfast menu:

• Waffle bar with flavored syrups, chocolate chips, berries, bananas, and whipped cream
• Bacon, sausage links, and veggie sausage
• Mini quiche bites in veggie and bacon flavors
• Fruit salad
• Acai bowls with chopped banana, berries, coconut shreds, and honey topping
• Lattes, cold brew, and tea with flavored creamers
• Mimosas, bloody marys, and Irish coffee
• Almond croissants, pain au chocolat, eclairs, banana bread, blueberry muffins, and other sweet treats

Charcuterie Board

Build a board with brie, gouda, manchego, and sharp cheddar cheeses surrounded by crackers, salami, apples, dates, and nuts. A grazing board works perfectly for a mid-afternoon party where you want to keep the food light to focus on other activities.

Heart-Shaped Pizza

Many pizzerias serve heart-shaped pies in February. Order pizzas in a few different flavors for the cutest and most delicious table centerpiece.

Cozy Soup

Since February is likely chilly or snowy where you’re at, make a big pot of hearty stew. Go for white bean turkey chili, creamy chicken and veggie stew, butternut squash soup, or lentil stew. Use a slow cooker to get the bulk of the work done in the morning. Grab some crusty bread and a bagged salad kit and you’re done!

Appetizers

Set up light bites for your friends with a tableful of apps and beverages. Raid Trader Joe’s for pizza bites, mozzarella sticks, burger sliders, spinach and artichoke dip, buffalo chicken poppers, potstickers, and spanakopita. What more could people want?

Fondue

Set up a sweet and savory fondue table for your gals. The savory pot can be melted cheese with crusty bread, blanched vegetables, and cooked meats for dipping. The sweet pot can be melted chocolate with dippers like strawberries, pineapple, apples, marshmallows, pretzels, and shortbread.

Grain Bowls

Create a build-your-own-bowl situation by putting out the fixings to DIY your own grain bowls. Provide rice, salad greens, beans, marinated chicken, veggie toppings, and a few sauces.

Galentine’s Day Decor Ideas

Now that you have your activity and your food in mind, take what you like from this list of Galentine’s decor inspiration:

• Heart balloon wall: Pick up heart-shaped mylar balloons in pink, red, and white, and tape them in a grid shape on your wall. This will serve as both a focal point for the party and a chic background for mini photoshoots.
• Bows: Tie red, pink, or white ribbons onto the stems of your wine glasses and the base of taper candle stands for a coquette look.
• Flowers: Cover your surfaces in florals, from tiny bud vases to larger bouquets. To quote Miley Cyrus, “I can buy myself flowers.”
• Name cards: Arrange your seating thoughtfully by writing name cards and placing them on top of each plate on the table. We love this touch because it makes each guest feel special.
• Banner: Make a banner on kraft paper that says, “Happy Galentine’s Day” or “Ovaries before brovaries,” to quote “Parks and Recreation.”
• Lace: Use lace detailing in your tablecloth choice, cloth napkins, placemats, or name cards for a sweet touch.

Galentine’s Day Invitations

To round out our list of Galentine party ideas, we’ve got the cutest invitations to set the tone for your bash.

1. Galentine’s Heart

Design: Signature Greenvelope

Light up the night with this neon heart invitation. The neon color can be pink, purple, or red. You’ll get to customize the text and envelope to suit your unique style.

2. Darling Doodles Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

This bow-topped invitation is dripping with sweetness! The invite features a strikingly bold font, scalloped edge, and floral doodles.

3. Checkerboard Cheers Invitation

Design: Signature Greenvelope

This checkerboard invite comes in six colorways, from red and pink to seafoam or peach. We love the cute swirly font combined with a doodle of glasses clinking.

Celebrate Your Girls

We hope this guide helps you throw the perfect Galentine’s party, whether it’s for three people or 20. The goal is to gather your girlfriends and celebrate your friendships, so as long as you do that, you’ll have a blast. 

Browse more digital invitations on Greenvelope so you can get the RSVPs rolling in ASAP!