Are you tired of spending Valentine’s Day alone every year? Galentine’s Day allows for the celebration of friendships instead.

Originally created by the NBC show Parks and Recreation in 2010, Galentine’s Day is an ode to female friendships and self-love. This made-up holiday is usually celebrated on February 13th and is more prominent this year than it ever has been. Stores such as Walmart and Party City are taking advantage of this opportunity and have created an entire line of Galentine’s Day products that range from napkins to balloons.

Only 51% of Americans plan to celebrate Valentines Day this year, which is a huge decrease from its all-time high of 63% in 2007. Galentine’s Day means more people going out on the days that surround Valentines Day, which is extremely beneficial for restaurants. The Wall Street Journal quotes Amber Cote, a restaurant owner, “Why not have an event that enhances business on these ‘shoulder dates’ that wouldn’t otherwise be incredibly busy.”

Clearly, many restaurants and retailers have been benefitting from this holiday, but Galentine’s Day is also a huge part of the feminist movement. It opens up the concept of female empowerment, and is especially important in the midst of the #metoo movement. There is a reason as to why the term was coined in 2010 but has not emerged until recently. It is proving that women do not have to wait for men to being them flowers, and is encouraging them to find love in other places.

For more on this, check out, Anne Marie Chaker’s “Nobody Likes Valentine’s Day Anymore,” The Wall Street Journal , (Feb 9, 2019).