Balanced Lifestyle

If you’re not familiar with Galentine’s Day, it’s the day before Valentine’s Day, set aside to celebrate friendship. The “holiday” was popularized by Amy Poehler’s Parks and Recreation character, Leslie Knope, but has since taken off in its own right! Knope designated Galentine’s Day as a day to honor and celebrate all the amazing women in her life, so this holiday is the perfect occasion to gather your gal pals and enjoy a day of laughter and kinship.

Why Celebrate Galentine’s Day?

The real question is, why wouldn’t you celebrate Galentine’s Day?! In case you still need convincing, here are our favorite things about Galentine’s Day:
  • If you ask Leslie Knope, it’s the best day of the year! Valentine’s Day is all about romance, but Galentine’s Day is all about friendship.
  • It’s an opportunity to get all of your friends together, especially those who have never met each other or whose schedules are always too full.
  • It’s a great way to reconnect with the women who are important to you. When you carve out time just for your friends, you remember why you love them so much!
  • It’s a time to reminisce and relive fun memories from the past, all while making new memories for next year.
  • It’s an excuse to give your beloved friends a gift or two. Adding meaningful gifts to your Galentine’s Day celebration only makes it that much more special.
Charcuterie Board Galentine's Day

Plan a Feast for your Gal Pals

When it comes to your Galentine’s Day eats, lean on California Walnuts to make the planning simple. Start with a tried and true classic for entertaining: a cheese board. We love these DIY spreads because they serve double duty, both as an eye-catching centerpiece and as a way to offer a wide array of foods. Pair a variety of cheese with cured meats and add colorful berries, jams, and other bite-sized snacks to achieve a delicious and on-theme party hit. For another easy appetizer idea, we love this sweet-meets-savory Strawberry Walnut Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

In the true spirit of the season, you can’t forget about the chocolate! But skip the grocery store varieties and try something more out of the box. These Walnut Chocolate Bliss Balls are decadent, yet made with more natural sugars, like dates and maple syrup, so you can indulge more guilt-free. Brownies are never a bad idea, either! For a more traditional bite-sized take, try these Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Bites. Or, for an unexpected take, whip up this Brownie Batter Walnut Dip to dunk strawberries in!

Delightful Decor

Themed decor can help set the tone for the celebrations ahead, but it doesn’t have to be stressful! Even a few unique touches can go a long way in making them feel extra special! If you’re feeling crafty, both in-shell walnuts and walnut halves can be painted in festive colors or glitter to add a pops of pink and red to your Galentine’s Day soiree. If your party includes a sit-down dinner, you can create personalized place cards for your seating arrangements and use a walnut to prop them up. For the finishing touch, place fresh flowers throughout the space to liven up the ambiance.

Friendly Favors

Party favors are not necessary, but can be a fun way to show your appreciation for your friends! This could be anything from a small trinket, to a heartfelt card, to an edible treat. There are a lot of ways to make your own gifts using walnuts. For a simple, pretty, and practical idea, send your sisters home with a jar of homemade Vanilla Walnut Berry Trail Mix. Make a large batch that you can portion into mason jars, add a ribbon, and attach a nice note that shows how much you value their friendship!
No matter how you choose to spend this Galentine’s Day, make it memorable and keep it simple with California walnuts.

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