As January comes to a close, Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on us. It’s the time of the year when couples celebrate their love — and many single folks watch enviously from the sidelines.

It’s also a day eagerly anticipated by chocolate and flower companies as everyone feels compelled to buy their loved ones gifts in order to express their feelings.

However, for many, Valentine’s Day is just a hoax created by greeting card companies.

And that’s why we should all embrace Galentine’s Day.

First coined in season two of “Parks and Recreation,” Galentine’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate the friends in your life on February 13th. In the show, Leslie Knope holds a brunch for all the important women in her life, showering them with handmade gifts, ranging from crocheted flowers to a 5,000-word essay as to why she loves them. The festivities always take place over a girls-only brunch that, in Leslie’s words is “ladies celebrating ladies.”

While Leslie’s approach is a little overzealous, we could all take a note out of her book and celebrate Galentine’s Day.

A key component of Leslie’s brunch is gift-giving, and while you don’t have to create a mosaic portrait of your friends from their favorite soda bottles, you can still give them small tokens to show you care, like a card and candy, or something DIY for their room. Whatever it is, your friends will appreciate that you thought of them.

Another token of wisdom from “Parks and Rec” is “treat yo self!” Grab your gal friends and get together for a nice meal with your friends. Find a charming café or if you’re on a budget, head to the dining hall (less appetizing but it’ll get the job done) and enjoy each other’s company.

Thanks to Leslie Knope, we have a holiday that is centered around women and friendship, something that is not celebrated enough.  

While in “Parks and Rec” the day is all about gal pals, it doesn’t have to be a women celebrating women exclusively. Galentine’s Day doesn’t adhere to gender roles or a binary and can be about showing gratitude for the friends you have (Palentine’s Day, if you will).

In short, celebrating friends and eating breakfast food is better than celebrating Valentine’s Day.