With friends for over 20 years, I’m not sure what took me so long to host an annual Galentine’s Day dinner! This is our fifth one, out of 20 years but I suppose Galentine’s Day had not caught on until Parks & Rec (which Benjamin has started watching).
This year, my Galentine’s table was set for the women I’ve known for two decades. I used items I already owned with maybe a quick addition – pink cabbage plates for bread plates!
These are friends who’ve seen every version of me — the growing years of the twenties, the hard seasons (breakups, family death, health), the joyful ones, and everything in between! But while this table reflects the history of my Girl Gang of 20 years, I want to remind us all that Galentine’s Day itself is bigger than any single group.
It’s also for the women still finding their people.
Girlhood, in Every Season
Girlhood doesn’t end with age. It evolves.
It’s childhood sleepovers that turn into late-night conversations.
It’s friendships that deepen over time and new ones that surprise you later in life.
It’s learning who stays, who comes back, and being open to who hasn’t arrived yet.
Galentine’s Day is a reminder that every season of friendship matters. Whether you’re surrounded by lifelong friends or quietly hopeful for what’s still ahead.
Why Hosting Matters
I believe hosting is one of the most powerful ways we celebrate friendship. Not because everything is perfect, but because it creates space. I always says “Presence over perfection” because even though I can set a table better than I did 20 years ago, it’s NOT about the pretty tablescape, it’s about who shows up around the table.
A thoughtfully set table says:
- You belong here
- You were thought of
- There’s room for conversation, laughter, and connection
Hosting doesn’t need to be complicated. A few candles, a welcoming table, and food that allows you to actually sit down and enjoy your guests are often enough. The beauty is in the intention, not the perfection.
And name cards also make friends feel special, it’s like having a present with your name on it.
Brenna made sourdough bread again it’s so delicious! It had pink swirl in it, she used a dragonfruit coloring it was AMAZING!!!! It went with the Trader Joe’s chicken gnocchi soup I make which is so easy mixing 3 ready made ingredients and great to just turn on when friends arrive and it’s ready to serve in 10 minutes! Serve it in a heart bowl and you’re ready for Galentine’s Day!
Here’s the gift I gave the girls, they were moss purses filled with flowers in them. I had ribbon I bought from FOUND Arcadia. The moss purse baskets are lined with plastic and a bit messy but I sent the girls home with them in bags. You can buy them on Amazon here or at Michael’s which is where I found four left!
One thing I might’ve done differently is played with my arrangement like kept it lower so you could really see the handle, or wrap the handle with ribbon. Anyway, I thought I’d use it as a tablescape decor but I quickly filled that table and had no room, haha!
For drinks I asked the girls what I could make them and I used Teaspressa’s cocktail cubes with sparkling water – however the girls said it would probably be even better with a Sprite or Club Soda to up the taste, if you want it non-alcoholic. Usually these would be added to champagne but I love you can mix it with whatever bubbles you’d like!
To Lifelong Friendships — and the Ones Still Ahead
Galentine’s Day holds space for both gratitude and hope.
Gratitude for the friends we’ve kept and the ones who’ve grown alongside us.
Hope for the friendships still ahead and the ones we haven’t met yet but will someday feel just as familiar!
Whether you’re hosting a full table, gathering a few friends, or simply reflecting on the relationships in your life, Galentine’s Day is an invitation to honor connection in all its forms.
Because friendship, like gathering, is ultimately about showing up.
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