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LAPLACE — Female friendships are celebrated each year on Galentine’s Day on February 13. The celebration day originated from an episode of the popular TV show ‘Parks and Recreation,’ and the holiday is all about declaring love and affection to the girls who make wonderful support systems.

Galentine’s Day was the creation of the fictional character on the hit series Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope. On the 16th episode of the second season, Leslie’s favorite February tradition, Galentine’s Day was born. Leslie celebrated the joy of female friendship with close friends and co-workers.

An unknown and unofficial holiday immediately skyrocketed in popularity, so much so that businesses have created Galentine’s Day promotions. Special happy hours, group spa discounts and brunch deals are popular ways to honor the occasion, as the once fictional holiday filled a void in the Valentine’s Day market that left single women feeling alienated by the lover’s holiday.

Galentine’s Day is to Valentine’s Day what Friendsgiving is to Thanksgiving: a chance to recognize the importance that our friends have on our lives and thank them for their loyalty, love and laughter.

This explains Galentine’s Day best: “Every February 13 lady friends leave their husbands and boyfriends at home, and get together and hang out. Ladies celebrating ladies. Girl Power!”

Galentine’s Day is all about the girls in your life, like your sister, mother or friend. Female friendships are very important and there is nothing like it. Girls like to hang out, talk, share secrets and create memories all the time so there aren’t any specific traditions for this day. Head to your favorite cafe, go camping, go to the salon or just order in a pizza and watch movies.

Search #GalentinesDay on the social media platform and you’ll find over half a million posts of women celebrating other women in honor of the holiday.

Sixty-six percent of women are buying non-romantic gifts in February. Where sales for Valentine’s Day specifically are trending downwards, Hallmark found that nearly 2/3 of women who were purchasing cards around Valentine’s Day were doing so for non-romantic relationships, including friends and family. This prompted the brand to release a line of Galentine’s Day cards and others around platonic relationships.