For some, the prospect of celebrating Valentine's Day on February 14 fills them with joy as they prepare to shower their partner with saccharine declarations of love.
For others, a much more exciting event takes priority: Galentine's Day, which falls on February 13 each year.
As the name suggests, Galentine's Day is a celebration of female friendship.
The term was popularized after the release of a 2010 episode of an American sitcom. Parks and Recreation.
Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, explains its meaning while hosting an annual Galentine's Day party for her friends.
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“What is Galentine's Day? “It’s just the best day of the year,” Knope says during episode 16 of the show’s second season.
“Every February 13, my friends and I leave our husbands and boyfriends at home and we just come and have it like breakfast. Ladies celebrating ladies.”
Galentine's Day has gained traction in recent years, with an increasing number of women, both single and in relationships, using the day to recognize the strength of their female friendships.
Various events will be held to mark the occasion, including a Revolution and Bumble BFF brunch in Glasgow on February 17 and nationwide screenings of Legally Blonde and Bad Girls at Everyman Cinemas.
Some have expressed opposition to the day, stating that the celebration of bonds between women is something that should be recognized year-round.
“It's an unpopular idea, but Galentine's Day bothers me as much as Valentine's Day. “I don’t need a day to celebrate my female friendships.” tweeted journalist Poorna Bell.
“For me, that is forged in the midnight Ubers, the handkerchief pressed in their hands while they cry, the laughter out loud as you walk down the street.”
A 2017 poll by YouGov found that the majority of Brits have a very unfavorable view of Valentine's Day.
Only four percent of participants said they loved the celebration and 87 percent said they believed the annual event had become too commercial.
Read all about the unromantic origins of Valentine's Day here.
