Galentine's Day 2026

What is Galentine's Day?

When someone mentions Valentine's day people automatically think of romance, dates, flowers, and fancy gifts. However, on the 11th Feb 2010, a new day was created called Galentine's day which was sparked by the TV show Parks and Recreation, where one of the characters invented the holiday to celebrate her closest friends and their friendship.

To some people, Valentine's day is a constant reminder of their singlehood which can really get people down. This is why getting your gal pals together to celebrate Galentine's day is great for reminding each other of the love you have around you and recognising the importance of the friendships you have. There are numerous proven benefits of having strong friendships, some of these include lower stress levels, improved self-confidence, decreased depression, and providing a sense of purpose and belonging.  

When is Galentine’s Day 2026?

Galentines Day is celebrated every year on the 13th of February, which means that Galentine's day in 2026 will fall on a Friday  - the perfect excuse to make Friday night plans with your favourite girls and celebrate the amazing friendships in your life.

Although it is not widely advertised like Valentine's day, which takes over the aisles at your local supermarket, every year it is becoming more popular with companies now offering deals and promotions to celebrate what some people see as the ‘national day of friendship’.

Galentine's day is not a national holiday, just as Valentine's day isn't. However year after year the amount of people celebrating Galentine's day is on the rise.

Whilst some people see Galentine's day to be centered around female bonding and empowerment, it can be celebrated by anyone and everyone, as love knows no gender or boundaries and it is all about celebrating all of your non-romantic connections. So whether your best friend is your mum, siblings or a group of guys show them that they are appreciated on Friday 13th February, and celebrate having people in your life who make your world a better place!

Galentine’s Celebration Ideas

There are no set traditions for Galentine's day therefore you and your friends can celebrate it in any way you like. Whether it be something small like a coffee catch-up or going big and throwing a house party, here are some of our top Galentine's celebration ideas for you to celebrate your friendship this year:

• Girls Night In: Keep things low-key this year by hosting a classic slumber party, featuring your favorite rom-coms and a spread of snacks. A pamper session with facemasks and a bottle of wine are a certain way to make some incredible memories!
• Bottomless Brunch: If you’re looking for something with a little bit more energy, why not gather the girls and enjoy endless small plates and Prosecco. You can toast to all of your successes and keep the refills coming to get your money’s worth.
• Spa Day: We all need relaxation time, and there’s not many better excuses to book a spa day than to celebrate Galentine’s with your favourite people. You can spend the day lounging by the pool or treating yourself to a spa treatment, that’s sure to leave you glowing and refreshed.
• Girls Night Out: Dust off your dancing shoes and throw on your favourite outfit, and head out for a night of dancing and cocktails. It’s the ultimate way to let loose with your besties and we’d definitely recommend ending the night at a karaoke bar, singing your hearts out!
• Coffee Date: For a more intimate and budget-friendly celebration, meet at a local cafe and treat yourself to some quality time with your friends, catching up on life’s big moments over a caffeine fix and a pastry.
• Activity Dates: If your group loves the thrill of some friendly competition, why not add a round of mini-golf or some bowling into the evening’s proceedings. These are great options for those who prefer doing something hands-on and want to do something a little different from the usual routine.
• Throw a Party: The most high-effort option of the list, but if you’re looking to really celebrate in style this year, go all out by hosting a themed Galentine’s bash complete with pink decor, a curated playlist, and a signature cocktail. It’s the perfect way to bring all your different friend groups together in one place for a massive celebration of sisterhood!
• A Weekend Away: If you need a complete break from your town/city, our final recommendation is to pack your bags and escape the daily grind with a mini-break to a new city or a cosy countryside rental. A weekend away allows the group to fully unplug and immerse yourselves in a new adventure, creating inside jokes that will last for years to come.
  

What is the best way to collect money from a group?

However, it doesn’t matter how much love someone has for you, how much history you have, all the memories you’ve created… you still have the burden of chasing everyone for their money to make these memories happen in the first place!

Most of the activities you are going to look at for Galentine’s day - whether it’s bowling, crazy golf, a spa day or a weekend away - are going to need a deposit to secure them and often the balance paying in advance. So you put the cost on your card and, quite rightly, expect everyone to pay you back. But sadly that doesn’t happen, there is always one, maybe even two (and I’m pretty sure you can name them right now!) that won’t pay on time.

This year, instead of the awkwardness that comes with chasing someone three or four times for their bottomless brunch deposit (like some kind of Galentine’s debt collector!), why not try the easy alternative to collecting money…

Say hello to Collctiv 👋

Collctiv is the easiest way to collect money from friends quickly. You can set up an account, create your Galentine’s day pot and share the unique link or QR code with your friends in minutes.

They don’t need your bank account details or to go through any lengthy sign up process, they simply follow your link and tap to pay - it takes seconds. We’ve made it easy for people to pay you, so that you don’t get left out of pocket. There’s no more excuses for people not to pay you!

You can manage the collection on the go through our mobile app, or log in using a laptop or PC through the web version (for when you want a larger screen to really get stuck into your organising!).

When you’ve collected the money and you’ve ready, you’ve got a few options:

• You can withdraw the money straight to your personal bank account. This takes 2-3 working days, or you can use our faster withdrawal options for a ‘priority’ or ‘next day’ service. Find out more about our withdrawal options here. 
• You can use our ‘Send to someone’ feature to send some or all of the pot balance onto someone else. They ‘claim’ the funds through the link you send them and then they can choose what to do with the funds. This is a handy feature for when other people in the group are in charge of booking certain parts of the trip, such as the accommodation or food & drink.
• We have a range of digital gift cards that you can purchase straight from your pot, that will land in your inbox within a few hours. Why not check out AirBnb for your accommodation or Marks & Spencer to cover all of your food & drink needs.

Download Collctiv and start collecting money today!

Galentines Gifts

If your friends live far away you can always celebrate by having a virtual celebration/catch-up or by sending a gift to let them know they mean a lot to you.

Some gift ideas include;

• Sending flowers
• A box of chocolates or a sweet box
• Gift sets
• Jewellery
• Personalized gifts

Alternatively, you could team together with your friends to send a gift to someone who means a lot to your friendship group. Especially if one of your friends has been going through a tough time it would be a great way to show them how much they mean to you and to uplift them.

Simply download the Collctiv app, create a pool for the gift, share the link with all of your friends (bar the one for whom it is for of course!) and get everyone to put in. That way you’ll know exactly how much you have to spend when you go for the gift.

Organisers bring people together

Since 2019 Collctiv has helped over 2 million people from 175 countries come together by making it simple for Organisers to collect money from groups of people. Whether it's a Galentine's event, a group gift, or raising money for charity - download our free app today and start bringing people together!

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