Galentine's Day Party Ideas (2027): 15 Ideas for Your Best Friends

Food and drink

1. A waffle or pancake bar

The original Galentine's was a waffle brunch, so it's the obvious centrepiece. Make the batter ahead, set out berries, whipped cream, chocolate chips and syrup, and let everyone build their own.

2. Mimosas and a mocktail that looks as good

Sparkling wine with orange or grapefruit juice, and for anyone not drinking, sparkling juice with a sugared rim and a raspberry. Same glass, same moment.

3. A pink grazing board

Strawberries, raspberries, pink grapefruit, salami roses, brie, macarons and heart-shaped crackers. One large board feeds 6–8 friends as a starter.

Something to make

4. A card and craft bar

Card stock, stickers, washi tape and markers to make cards for each other — or for friends who couldn't come. Keep glitter out of it unless you love vacuuming.

5. Bouquet building

Buy a few bunches of supermarket flowers and some jars, and let everyone arrange a small bouquet to take home. It costs less than a florist's arrangement for one person.

6. Friendship bracelets

Embroidery thread and letter beads. Make one for the person on your left.

Saying the nice things

7. Friendship awards

Print a few certificates — Best Advice Giver, Most Likely to Text Back at 2 a.m., Best Plus-One — and hand them out with a short reason. Everyone gets one.

8. Compliment cards

Put a card with each friend's name in a bowl; everyone writes one compliment on each card anonymously, and each friend takes home her own card full of them.

9. A compliment wall on the TV

The same idea, on a screen. Open a live wall on the TV and friends scan the QR code to post a photo of the two of you with one line about why she's great; each lands on the screen in about a second. Friends who live too far away post through the same link. (How it works: Valentine's and Galentine's party walls.)

Swaps and games

10. A gift swap under $15

Everyone brings one wrapped gift with a $10–15 cap, and you draw numbers to pick. Steals optional; with close friends, nobody steals anyway.

11. A clothes or book swap

Bring three things you don't wear or won't reread. Whatever's left at the end goes to a charity shop.

12. How well do you know us?

Twenty questions about the group — first holiday together, worst haircut, who cried at which film — answered in pairs. The arguments over the answers are the point.

A slower evening

13. A self-care station

Face masks, nail polish, a fluffy robe per guest if anyone has them. Add a playlist and the night runs itself.

14. A rom-com marathon

Vote on two films in the group chat beforehand, and serve popcorn with a pink chocolate drizzle.

15. Plan the next one

Before everyone leaves, pick the date for the next get-together and put it in the calendar. It's the most useful thing you'll do all day.

A three-hour plan

• 11:00 — Arrivals, mimosas and mocktails, waffle bar open.
• 11:45 — Craft bar or bouquet building.
• 12:30 — Gift swap and the how-well-do-you-know-us quiz.
• 13:15 — Friendship awards and compliments (cards or the wall).
• 13:45 — Group photo, pick the next date, goodbyes.

If you put a wall on the TV, the free plan shows five posts at a time and keeps the first 30, which suits most Galentine's groups; Unlock this wall ($14.99 once) keeps everything on that wall with a download, and Premium ($10.99/month) adds video clips. For the couples' side of the weekend, see Valentine's Day party ideas; for more themes, party theme ideas.

Frequently asked questions