Valentine’s Day is all about love, though by no means is the holiday restricted to just couples. Enter Galentine’s Day: arguably popularized back in 2010 by Amy Pohler’s character Leslie Knope in the hit series ‘Parks and Recreation’, this friendly spin on the romantic occasion encourages women to appreciate one another with gifts, quality time, and plenty of sparkling wine. After more than a decade, has Galentine’s Day reached mainstream popularity? CivicScience inquired about this and more. 

Despite airing over a decade ago, it appears as though the sitcom holiday just hasn’t caught on with the broader population. Nearly half of women claim they are unfamiliar with Galentine’s Day. 

Even among those who are familiar, Galentine’s Day just isn’t in the cards. Over two-thirds of women in the know aren’t planning to celebrate this year. 

Still, somewhere out there, gals are getting together to clink glasses and indulge in the spirit of friendship. Those who are single and have never been married are the most likely to participate in Galentine’s Day, while married women are the least likely.

Women who are on the fence about Galentine’s Day this year show the highest likelihood of unhappiness right now — twice that of those who are choosing to celebrate. Decision fatigue is real, as are the pressures that come with making plans for any holiday on the calendar, which could explain some of that dissatisfaction. 

As it turns out, women who are both fans and detractors of ‘Parks and Rec’ are planning to celebrate Galentine’s Day this year in equal parts. Half of respondents who have never seen the show aren’t letting that stop them from participating.

If you’re planning to dine out during the season of love, don’t expect to see any Galentine’s Day celebrations — the women who are most likely to celebrate this year are the least comfortable with going to restaurants right now. Instead, it looks like G-Day festivities will be taking place at home this year. Those who are the most comfortable with dining out are still undecided on their Galentine’s Day plans. 

Self-love counts just as much as sharing love with others, and to quote RuPaul Charles, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” One-quarter of respondents gave that quote an amen — or at the very least, are somewhat likely to get themselves a little something special for Valentine’s Day.

CivicScience data show that Gen Z is the most likely to treat themselves to a gift this season, with likelihood diminishing as the age of the generational label increases.

Women who are already doing more online shopping right now than usual are also the most likely to add a self-given Valentine’s Day present to their carts. If a simple gift is what stands between you and free shipping, why not indulge?

So, to what exactly are these women treating themselves? Chocolate and candy according to nearly one-third of respondents, which seems like the obvious answer, but they’re classics for a reason. Jewelry and clothing claim second and third prize. 

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