Galentine and Malentine? Are you on board with the new trend?

VALENTINE’S,

GALENTINE AND “MALENTINE” Thank you to Leslie Knope, the main character in the sitcom Parks and Recreation, who first invented Galentine’s Day almost a decade ago. Galentine’s Day is celebrated on February 13, the before Valentine’s Day. In the show this was a chance for the female characters in the show to get together and celebrate. What a great idea, an outstanding opportunity to ceremoniously celebrating your BFFs!! Ladies deserve to celebrate the love of friendship of each other!!

In Knope’s own words, “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.”

Quotes for Galentines’ Day by “Leslie Knope”: “You know my code: hoes before bros. Uteruses before duderuses…Ovaries before brovaries.” Gals, it is time to start planning your Galentine’s Day adventures!!

Of course, one of the most celebrated observances around the world in February is Valentine’s Day!! Love is a universal language and the celebration of love and romance is universal too!!

Why “Valentine’s Day” and why February 14?

Though many might think this is mainly a US holiday, the roots of Valentine Day is in Rome and the Catholic Church!! Emperor Claudius II executed two men, both named Valentine, on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.

There is a mystery though regarding which Valentine was meant to be honored.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, there were at least three early Christian saints by that name. One was a priest in Rome, one a bishop in Terni, and a third St. Valentine, of almost nothing is known except that he met his end in Africa. Rather astonishingly, all three Valentines were said to have been martyred on Feb. 14.

Most scholars believe the St. Valentine of the holiday was a priest who attracted the disfavor of Roman emperor Claudius II around 270. At this stage, the factual ends and the mythic begins. According to one legend, Claudius II had prohibited marriage for young men, claiming that bachelors made better soldiers. Valentine continued to secretly perform marriage ceremonies but was eventually apprehended by the Romans and put to death.

Another legend has it that Valentine, imprisoned by Claudius, fell in love with the daughter of his jailer. Before he was executed, he allegedly sent her a letter signed “from your Valentine.” Perhaps the most plausible story surrounding St. Valentine is one not focused on Eros (passionate love) but on agape (Christian love): he was martyred for refusing to renounce his religion.

It does not seem to matter why we have Valentine’s Day…people celebrate love!! Now the question is….. What about Malentine’s Day?

What about the men… do they need a day to celebrate their bros, their buds, the guys, the bromance? Or are men already taking time for themselves and their BFFs? Are the “men only” hunting, fishing, playing sports, drinking enough for them? Do men need a Day? What are your thoughts?

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