What is Palentine’s Day?

What is Palentine’s Day?

Palentine’s Day is a day for celebrating friendship! Where Valentine’s Day tends to be more about celebrating romantic love, PALentine’s Day is an opportunity to appreciate the other kinds of relationships we have (and love!) in our lives.

When is Palentine’s Day?

February 13th

But you don’t have to celebrate only on that day! Do something for or with your friends any day that you can this month! It might actually be less busy on a day that’s not so close to Valentine’s Day. Perhaps even catch those post-Valentine’s Day treat sales! 😉

Also, celebrating Palentine’s Day doesn’t mean you necessarily have to boycott Valentine’s Day. Hey, I’m married and I will be celebrating both!

What do you do for Palentine’s Day?

Whatever you want! But keep reading for some ideas (and for some FREE printable Palentine’s Day cards, drawn with love by yours truly)!

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This is at NO extra cost to you but helps to support my business.

 

Give Your Friends a Palentine’s Day Card

Want your friends to know how much you appreciate them? Tell them! Make it special by handwriting it in a card. Don’t know what to say? I have a post on How to be an Encourager that might help you get started!

I have a hard time finding sweet cards for friends that aren’t too lovey-dovey or eye-rolly (well, not to say mine won’t make your eyes roll 😏 hehe). It’s especially hard to find a good card to give platonic dude friends that doesn’t seem too frilly or edging on being awkwardly romantic. So I’ve created my own for you (and for me, too, let’s be honest)!

These print 2 cards per sheet. Just cut along the lines and fold in the middle. I’d love to see these in use, so feel free to take a picture and tag me @TheReelAnna on Twitter or Instagram.

YEAH! FRIENDSHIP! (click here to download)

 

CHEESY CARD (click here to download)

 

Lord of the Rings Marathon

Um, how can I not mention this? What better way to celebrate friendship than by watching 11 glorious hours (heck yes it better be extended edition; that’s not even a question!) of some of the best and most EPIC friendships of all time! If you’re feeling extra adventurous, perhaps add The Hobbit trilogy in there, taking it up to over 20 hours! Check out this post on how to prepare for your marathon.

 

Leslie Knope it Galentine’s Day Style

Will you be hanging out with just your gal pals? Then you can take inspiration from Leslie Knope of the tv show, Parks and Recreation. Here is what Leslie has to say about Galentine’s Day, “What is Galentine’s Day? Oh it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home and we just come and kick it breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.”

So grab your gals and go enjoy breakfast together! If you want to go full on Leslie Knope style, make sure to bring thoughtful gifts and eat plenty of waffles!

 

Give a Thoughtful Gift

Friendship Jar

Get pieces of paper and write down all the things you appreciate about your friend, as well as some of your favorite memories with them. Or make it a jar specifically for encouragement, writing specific encouraging thoughts for them to open whenever they’re feeling down; that way you can always be there to support them even when you can’t physically be there.

Meaningful Jewelry

There are some really adorable friendship necklaces on Amazon. Like this pretty vine necklace that comes with a poem. Or this meaningful, double heart “always my sister, forever my friend” necklace. Or this elegant infinity heart necklace. If you’d prefer something quirkier and   If you’d like to split a pair of necklaces between you and your friend, there’s these necklace sets with different simulated gemstones or these dainty heart necklaces or for Marvel fans there’s this Thor and Loki friendship necklace.

Framed Picture

You can never go wrong with ordering prints of your favorite pictures with your friends and giving them out as gifts. You can handmake a simple frame or buy a cheap one from a thrift store (perhaps even spruce it up with some paint).

 

Night Out on the Town

Gather your buds and have a fun night out! Perhaps explore your city and try something new! (i.e. if you’re in St. Louis, check out the new icecream sandwich place at The Loop called The Baked Bear where you can choose from a selection of cookies and brownies and choose your icecream flavor for a custom icecream sandwich! It’s amaaaazinnng!) Don’t forget to take pictures of your adventures!

 

Game Night

Another recommendation for St. Louis dwellers & tourists — check out this neat-o bar and cafe, Pieces, where you can stay as long as you’d like playing any of their 850+ games!

Or if you’re having a night in, play your friends’ favorite games or try something new! Here are a few suggestions for fun multiplayer games:

Munchkin (3-6 players)

“Kill the monsters, steal the treasure, stab your buddy.” This is one of my favorite games! It takes a bit of time to learn in the beginning, but once you understand all the rules it’s a ton of fun! You fight monsters to level up, win loot to aid you in your quest, and you can choose along the way whether to help or work against your friends. The first person to reach level 10 wins!

My husband and I have several different versions of the game, including Munchkin Space, Munchkin Zombies, and, my personal favorite, Munchkin Steampunk!

World of Yo-Ho (2-4 players)

This game is super cool! It’s a pirate fantasy adventure game that combines video game with board game! If your friends all have smart phones (if not, there’s a way to play with just one), you can download the app and use your phone as your ship moving across the board. The app magically tracks your movements and lines up with the images on the board underneath and interacts with other ships! Can you tell this game is BLOWING MY MIND!?!?! What is this witchcraft??

World of Yo-Ho also requires some patience for anyone first learning the game, but once you get the hang of it it begins to move more quickly. Totally worth it! Since there’s a lot that can be done in secret, there can be long pauses between turns, but that just gives you opportunity for conversations and snack breaks!

Settlers of Catan (3-4 players)

A strategy game about collecting and trading resources to build roads, settlements, and cities. The game board has moveable pieces, making each game a little different from the next. In playing this game with different kinds of friends, I’ve found it to be a great game for both those who are really into more complex strategy games and those who are not.

(recommended by Living in Full Bloom and Wolf on Twitter)

We Didn’t Playtest This at All (2-15 players)

If you’re a fan of silliness and utter chaos, then this is the game for you. Use your cards to try to make everyone else lose…but good luck keeping track of how to win. This is a quick paced game that usually only lasts 30 seconds to 5 minutes.

Just a warning: it might be good to know your friends. We had a “rebel tendency” friend over and they LOVED the chaos of this game; however, when we played it with my detail-oriented, rule-following family…I think it stressed them all out! 😬 I mean the name of the game says it all!

Quelf (3-8 players) 

If you’re not afraid of getting a little awkward with your buddies, then this is an unpredictable game that’s sure to…make memories. 😉 All you have to do is read the cards and follow the instructions! It’s easy peasy! Just make sure you’re paying attention and are prepared to act ridiculously.

Uno (2-10 players)

For those more down-to-earth friends that aren’t as into the nerdy or quirky games, Uno is a good, classic choice! If you’ve never played before (welcome to planet Earth!), it’s a card game about matching colors and numbers to try to be the first to get rid of all your cards.

(recommended by Mia Rose, Alexis Lucio, and Jade on Twitter)

Phase 10 (2-6 players)

Phase 10 is another classic card game that is slow paced enough to also allow for good conversations.

From the makers of Uno, Phase 10 is a rummy-type card game where you have to complete different phases (i.e. collecting 2 sets of 3 or a run of 7). You win by being the first to complete all 10 phases.

Word of warning: this game can last forrrreeeverr. If you have time limitations, I suggest picking a smaller amount of phases or perhaps doing just the odd numbered phases.

Jackbox Party Pack (1-100 players)

I have not yet played this myself, but I kept hearing people talk about it as their go-to party game. The Jackbox Party Pack can be purchased for a variety of different game consoles. It comes with five different games. You can use your phones, tablets, or even computers as controllers.

(recommended by Kayla, Sara, and Alexis on Twitter)

 

Film a Video

Documentary/Vlog

Have each of your friends record clips throughout the night and then compile them all together. If you want to up the cheese factor, ask each other interview questions throughout the night about what’s happening, what they’re experiencing, or whatever silly questions you can think of. 

Get Creative

Put your acting skills into action by scripting a short film, a parody, a lip sync music video, or reenact your favorite movie scenes. There are a bunch of fun editing apps available to make your videos more epic.

Or make it a game by having each person write out a few settings, characters, and conflicts on pieces of paper then randomly draw one from each category. You have to come up with and record a short film based on the character, setting, and conflict you drew. If you have enough friends present, you can create teams and make it a competition.

 

Painting With a Twist

I love Painting With a Twist! It’s America’s #1 Sip and Paint Studio, where you can have painting parties with your friends while sipping wine. You can reserve a private room and select your painting or choose a night based on what painting they’ll be teaching.

You don’t have to be a Van Gogh to join in; it’s perfect for ALL skill levels! Instructors show you step by step how to paint your painting and all the supplies are provided for you (apron, canvas, brushes, paints). Though they demonstrate each step, I still recommend for beginners to choose a painting with a few simple elements or one that’s more abstract (such as the one I did at a friend’s bachelorette party; see the image below).

It’s so fun to see everyone’s painting have different unique styles but each beautiful in their own way (just like your friends!). And you have a souvenir to remember your night.

If you’re not from America, google to see if there are any businesses like this near you. Or perhaps find a different crafting place, such as a place to make or paint pottery.

 

Volunteer Together

You have been blessed with some incredible friends! Why not give some of that love back to the world by helping out those in need. Perhaps there’s an organization that’s especially close to the hearts of your friend group. Pick a place together to serve.

 

Cook a Full Course Meal Together

This might be best for a party of just a few friends unless you have a huge kitchen. Divide up the jobs, put on some tunes, cook away, then enjoy the fruit of your labor around the dinner table.

 

Make a Picture Album Together

Ask your friends to bring all the pictures they have of your friend group (this is the 21st century so most likely this just means bringing their phones) and some cash. Look at the pictures and reminisce about all the good times, design a photo book together, and order one for each friend.

There are a lot of great sites and apps out there for creating photobooks! Shutterfly is one of my favorites.

I don’t know about you, but I so often forget to do anything with my lovely pictures. This way you’ll have a physical reminder of your memories while also having fun making the book together.

Or, if you’d prefer, you can host a scrapbooking party. Have everyone print off pictures and bring some scrapbooking supplies to share.

 

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Have something to add to the list? A favorite activity to do with your friends? A fun party game? A thoughtful gift? Comment below!