How to Celebrate Friendship…and Love!

Galentine’s Day is a fictional holiday created by Parks and Recreation’s feisty and fabulous character, Leslie Knopes. Being that it’s February, and I decided to spend the entire month Celebrating Friendship and Love, it seemed only fitting that I embrace a holiday that Knopes describes as:

“Oh it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style. Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.”

I decided to throw a Galentine’s event with my friends (choosing to do it over evening appies and drinks rather than breakfast). Basically, I wanted to celebrate a number of women in my life who are super-awesome.

Then, Mother Nature decided to tell everyone that she, in fact, was the super-awesomest of us all…and dumped 92 centimetres of snow on my fabulous party. A week later we celebrated, albeit a little late, but what’s an actual date on a calendar matter anyway? The way I see it, every day is the perfect day to celebrate friends!

Lucky for me…I’ve been blessed with a great many!

The Party:

While I couldn’t possibly invite every woman who is part of my life…I did throw out a few invites to those I stay in touch with on a regular basis. If I were to invite all of my friends…I’d need a hall, a DJ and a caterer…and what an amazing party THAT would be!

I requested each friend bring an appetizer or dessert, and a gift wrapped present suitable for a “friend.” Not everyone knew one another…but I thought it would be fun to do a bit of a gift swap so everyone left with a little something special.

While anticipating there’d be lots of food, I added a charcuterie board, a fruit and chocolate tray, some bacon wrapped water chestnuts, chips and dip…and, I picked up some fabulous cookies and cupcakes to replace the ones I’d made the previous week that were long past gone! Then, I hauled out my dusty punch bowl and made up a bit of punch to go with some red, white and blush wine.

We were ready to party…just add friends!

The Photo Booth:

We were well into chit chatting and laughing when we grabbed a few photos to remember the night

I set up a fun photobooth with a gold backdrop and some props…and hauled out my Instax printer so we could print them directly from our phones.

The Presents:

For the gift giving, we placed all of the presents on the table and drew numbers. When your number came around, you could either choose a gift from the table…or steal an already opened one from someone else. There was very little stealing…and lots of ooohing and aaahhing as each present was so well thought out.

Along with the presents that everyone gave to one another, each friend went home with a lovely gift bag filled with items from various brands I’m happy to work with!

Avon Canada provided everyone with their Love, Mark Bubble Bath and Body Scrub (scented with an extra-special blend of wild strawberry, succulent white peach and pink sugar crystals), as well as their Ultra Sexy Pink Eau de Toilette Spray.

I’m currently LOVING the bubble bath and suggest you give your Avon rep a call and order some today! Avon sends me products on a regular basis and there are TONS of fabulous products you really should check out on their social media pages! If you don’t have an Avon Rep…you can find one in your area directly from their website.

Being that it was Galentine’s (the day before Valentine’s Day), Dean’s Flowers sent everyone home with a beautiful long-stemmed rose making us all feel extra special. Pop into their Halifax shop where they sell not only flowers but wonderful giftware…AND their Stanley Street location is also home to Goody Baskets and Gallery 1919!

What’s Galentine’s Day without Chocolate? Natalie, from Rousseau Chocolatier, showed me around the beautiful Hollis Street shop and provided everyone attending the Galentine’s event with “His & Hers” heart-shaped chocolates…one filled with whisky and the other with peaches and cream!

One of my favourite graphic designers also happens to be a former classmate of mine! Cassy Collins, of Classy Cards Creative, makes hilarious cards found in many boutique stores and purchased online through her Etsy shop. For our Galentine’s party, she sent each friend home with a package of wine labels.

And with perfume, bath products, flowers, chocolate and wine in the gift bags…all that was missing was a trip to the spa! Luckily for us, Mudwraps to Manicures gifted each of my friends with a gift card to visit the Spa. Make sure to take advantage of their monthly specials (advertised on my blog) and visit their Bedford location where you’ll find a wonderful gift shop and shoe store!

The Sentiment:

I have been blessed with amazing women in my life. There was a time…that I truly didn’t believe in the power of women until women stood up and showed me the difference.

I have friends who have been in my life since I moved to Halifax at 10, friends who I can’t get through a day without texting, friends I’ve met through my childrens’ sports and our neighbourhood, friends who are new…and every bit as wonderful as the old ones. The women in my life are fierce…powerful…they are my tribe.

I have found them.

And I will love them hard.

They see me…and daily, they remind me of my value.

I sent each of them home with these prints from my Etsy shop…to remind them how much they mean to me.

EVERY SINGLE DAY is a day to celebrate friendship…don’t wait until tomorrow, to tell the women in your life how very much they mean to you!!! I chose to throw a Galentine’s Day party…but book a lunch date, plan a weekend away, head to the spa, go out for a tea, plan an adventure…spend a bit of time with friends.

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Giveaway:

I’ve put aside a gift bag for a reader of Curtains are Open thanks to all of the amazing sponsors. Fill in the form below for your chance to win the “Celebrate Friends Gift Bag” (value $90) that includes:

• Avon – Love, Mark Bubble Bath
• Avon – Love, Mark Body Scrub
• Avon –Ultra Sexy Pink Eau de Toilette Spray
• Mudwraps Gift Card (value $10)
• 2 Rousseau Chocolates
• Package of Classy Card Creative Wine Labels
• Two unframed prints from Drawbridge Creative

 

Disclaimer: I was provided product from various companies for my Galentine’s Party. As always, my opinions and stories are my own.