Last year, I covered the importance of Galentine’s Day and what it means to me. In the current culture of consumerism and materialistic parties, here are five things I will be doing this year to celebrate this special holiday on a budget. (Yes, I am biased. Valentine’s/Galentine’s season is my favorite time of year. No, it does not have anything to do with the fact that pink is my favorite color. Or does it?)

1. Book-club-esque party theme: This year, I have decided to celebrate this special day the way that my friends and I want to spend it instead of going out or throwing some fancy party. For us, this means drinking wine, reading and spending a relaxing afternoon together. With how crazy day-to-day life gets during the week, I would rather spend a quiet day reading with my friends than do anything major anyway! 
2. Cook together: Instead of stressing myself out by creating some fancy menu or ordering takeout, I have decided that I will do what I do best: procrastinate making my meal. This may sound like I’m being lazy rather than trying to save money, but I enjoy cooking with my friends and I think it would be more fun to pick one or two special menu items that I know we will enjoy and make them together. Not only will this alleviate some of my hosting stress, but it will also be an activity that allows us to spend quality time together while saving money rather than going out. 
3. Keep the decorations minimal: I am a naturally more minimalistic decorator, but I tend to want to go all-out when I get the opportunity to host a party at my house. This year, I will be using what I have and keeping it simple. I may buy a few small things so that we can still post a cute Instagram photo of our time together, but overall I don’t think it’s necessary to host a TikTok-worthy party every other weekend. Other opportunities will come if that is what I want, but Galentine’s Day is more about spending quality time with my girlfriends and celebrating our friendships than it is about spending hundreds of dollars just to post a few curated photos. 
4. Create a playlist: One thing every special day needs, no matter how big or small the celebration, is a curated playlist or specific album to go along with it. My album of choice for Galentine’s Day this year will be the Voulez-Vous album by ABBA because it’s a classic (honestly I can’t think of more on-theme music for this occasion) and because it isn’t full of sappy romance songs! There are so many perfect Galentine albums and playlists out there and this is such an easy and cheap way to set the tone for your party without having to drop a dime. 
5. End it on a high note: Once again, I am not looking for a crazy party that has me sleeping in until noon the next day. This year’s theme is keeping it simple and enjoying the day the way we want to. This, of course, looks like watching a rom-com to finish out our evening. Not only is this a cheap way to spend quality time with your friends, but what better occasion is there to watch your favorite sappy movie? This screams “girls’ night” and you will get bonus points if you all wear your favorite pajamas. 

Don’t forget, Galentine’s Day is about celebrating your friendships the way you want to. Whether you want to go out or stay in, I recommend everyone take some time this month to appreciate the friends around you.