Today, Wednesday, February 14th, is 2024’s Valentine’s Day. At the end of the 5th century, a pastoral festival called Lupercalia was forbidden and was replaced with St. Valentine’s Day, which is celebrated to this day as well. However, Valentine’s Day was not related to romance until the 14th century. Much later, in 2010, a TV show called Parks and Recreation made an episode titled Galentine’s Day, proposing a new way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. The general idea is that instead of being with a significant other for Valentine’s Day, people can celebrate with friends, or “gals,” as the name suggests. This holiday fits Rosemont very well. At an age when students are hoping to meet someone special, middle schoolers can spend their Valentine’s Day with friends, and instead celebrate a Galentine’s Day.
There are many ways to celebrate Galentine’s. The most common suggestion is to hang out with friends, but since it lands on a Wednesday this year, it’s not very ideal for that. Of course, you still can, but considering homework and whatnot, an easier way to celebrate might be treating yourself to sweets and a relaxing night, instead of going out only to be tired the next morning. With your free time this weekend, you could also bake a cake. You could also choose to celebrate this following weekend, maybe with a sleepover, and by hanging out in person. As well as hanging out with friends and yourself, if you have any furry friends, they also deserve some quality gal time this February 14th.