10 Ways To Connect Over Coffee (And More) This Galentine’s Day
Connection is a vital necessity in life.
If you’re married, it’s important to continue fostering a deep connection with your spouse or partner.
If you’re a parent, it’s important to foster continual connection with your children.
Connecting with your family members (parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.) is also a vital need.
But, there’s another, very special, kind of connection we are privileged to enjoy in this life, one that is equally important, and one which often grants us benefits that truly can’t be described by mere words.
What type of connection could be so special? Friendship!
Each year near a time when we commonly celebrate our significant other, there’s another day many ladies have come to equally value as a means to celebrate this special type of connection, a day known as Galentine’s Day!
Galentine’s Day was first introduced in 2010, gaining popularity due to its celebration and mentioning on the television show Parks And Recreation.
Since then, girlfriends far and wide have taken the opportunity to do this day up right, observing February 13th (Galentine’s Day) as a time to celebrate treasured friendships by spending time with and showing appreciation for those friends in their lives who make their world a better, happier, less stressful, and more joyful place.
Such a day, of course, isn’t meant to leave out the guys, but wouldn’t you agree that most gals are a tad more sentimental when it comes to these connections?
And, it’s this sentimentality which fuels our desire to celebrate these most treasured connections.
After all, in adulthood it’s often hard to find time to truly set aside our everyday cares and just escape, even if only for a few hours, and bond with our besties.
And, this is exactly what Galentine’s Day is all about…a specified time to gather with your gal pals, spend some quality time together, and show each other how much you truly appreciate the bonds you share.
With this in mind, today we’re here for the ladies, providing you with a variety of ideas to make your Galentine’s Day special, showcasing ways to connect, even over a cup of coffee…especially over a cup of coffee…strengthening those special bonds with the friends who’ve showed up, been there, provided a shoulder, and so much more.
So, without further ado, and with a heartfelt wish for a wonderful Galentine’s Day for each of our Lifeboost lady customers and friends, let’s dive in…
How To Connect Over Coffee (And Other Means) This Galentine’s Day
1- Coffee House Chats
Meeting a friend, or a group of friends, for coffee is a classic way to hang out, catch up, and simply keep these treasured connections strong.
However, if you’re like most folks, life gets busy and time seems to slip away from you, making such meetups far less frequent than you’d like.
And this is what I love about Galentine’s Day! It’s as if the world has given us gals an excuse, or rather a day set aside to squash every excuse, affording us the opportunity to plan a morning, afternoon, or evening to meet up, catch up, and chat over a tremendously delicious cup of coffee!
Of course, this doesn’t have to take place in a cafe or coffee house as you can certainly invite your girlfriends into your home for a cup of joe as well.
But there is a unique atmosphere provided by cafes which allow for all types of convos - from quiet conversation to friendly laughter.
My daughter is a sophomore in college right now, and at least a couple times a week she meets with various friends at a cafe on or near campus.
Observing from a distance, it’s obvious to me that these meetups serve as a needed respite from the stresses of their studies, providing a time for her and her friends to shrug off that stress and simply talk, laugh, and enjoy their favorite brews.
Unfortunately, such practices become less frequent as we take on the duties of a career, family, etc. and that’s such a shame, isn’t it, because the stresses of life definitely seem to compound in adulthood.
So, join me as I take the opportunity to glean from my daughter’s youthful practices, and let’s make that much-needed time with friends a priority this Galentine’s Day (and beyond)!
2- Virtual Coffee Date
Okay, let me start with a confession here…I don’t get out much.
I became a stay-at-home mom in my mid-twenties, then I homeschooled my children, and now I work from home.
So, it’s been really hard for me to make connections and build friendships throughout my adult life.
I actually feel like my kids have had an easier time connecting than I have, as it’s been so easy for me to hide behind homelife and work duties.
Why did I mention this?
Because anytime I’ve talked about this with friends from college, high school, or those I stay in contact with from “back home,” the response is always the same - “me too!!”
What I’ve found is that no matter our walk of life - work moms, stay at home moms, single ladies, and beyond - staying connected can be more difficult than you’d think.
Overall, I regularly enjoy staying connected with friends via text, social media, and phone calls, but when I saw this suggestion the other day, a virtual coffee date, my jaw dropped as I thought, what a great idea!
There are a few family members I get to connect with over facetime around the holidays as they aren’t able to travel. This technology is so special, as it allows us to be together when we can’t physically be together.
And this is precisely what a Galentine’s Day virtual coffee date is, an opportunity for you and your friends to connect over coffee, even if you can’t be together in person.
(If you can’t tell, this idea really excites me!)
So, text, call, or message your gal pals to arrange a time when you can all participate, then simply organize a virtual chat session!
I kind of love the idea of having everyone ‘show up’ in their comfy pajamas, complete with a hot or iced cup of your favorite brew (Lifeboost, of course), but you do you, right?
As long as you make the time to connect, chat, laugh, and enjoy some gal pal time, you’re golden!
3- Letters, Care Packages, Secret Cupid
Another way to strengthen your bonds of friendship with your gal pals is by sending cards, letters, care packages, or even organizing a secret cupid gift exchange.
A secret cupid gift exchange works just like having a secret santa, where you can get together with your friends and draw names, committing to secretly bless that friend with a gift or a few small gifts to celebrate the day.
Of course, you can also do this by simply sending a thoughtful card or a care package to a friend from afar.
I’ve always been a fan of sending “snail mail” letters or cards at random to my friends, just to say hello and let them know I’m thinking of them. But care packages are a great way to say “I greatly appreciate your friendship” as well.
You know your friends best, but might I add that including a bag of your favorite coffee in such a gift package is a great way to show you care.
4- Brunch Bunch
From a menu of coffee, pastries, mimosas, and more, gathering with your favorite bunch of gals for brunch is another way to get in some needed time to connect with friends.
Obviously, the possibilities are practically endless here, but you could host a Galentine’s Day brunch, your gal pal group could meet and go out for brunch, you could have your guy friends serve you brunch, or you could even get together and prepare the brunch as a group, enjoying the fruits of your labors together.
No matter how you choose to partake, the biggest blessing of such a gathering is getting to enjoy the company of your best gals!
5- Spa Day
Is it just me, or does an afternoon of pampering sound like the perfect way to spend time with your besties?
Most of us ladies burn our collective (and individual) candle at both ends. We have trouble saying ‘no,’ and this often means our plates are endlessly full of duties that serve anyone and everyone else, leaving little time for self-care.
Or, when we do take some needed self-care time, it’s done alone. And, while alone time has its benefits, gathering with your gal pals, aka your support-system, for a relaxing spa-time pamper session can benefit not only your skin needs and stress-levels, but your heart as well.
In other words, a spa day with friends allows you to take care of yourself while reaping the rewards of social support and connection…and this combination is a win-win-win!
6- Craft Night
From a night out painting and sipping wine, to an at-home evening making unique and fun creations, having a craft night is a great way to connect with your friends for Galentine’s Day.
Several months ago, I saw where Dr. Charles' wife posted on social media highlighting an evening with her gal pals where they enjoyed snacks, sipped some of their favorite beverages, and spent time creating some beautiful crafts.
One friend seemed to have planned the craft for the evening, while the other gals each provided the sips and savors.
I believe their event was Halloween themed, but how fun would it be to host a Galentine’s evening with the same intent?
The possibilities here are truly endless, from painting, to making candles, planting your favorite herbs in a self-painted pot, making a coffee or sugar scrub for your skin care routine, and on and on.
You could even include some cocktails in your Galentine’s Day craft night! (Spoiler alert - We’ve got you covered for all your Valentine’s Day coffee cocktail needs too, so be sure to check out that article where we highlight a special Galentine’s Day cocktail in the mix as well!)
7- Food Tour
Going out for a nice dinner is definitely a tried-and-true classic for Galetine’s Day.
But, what if you flipped this idea on its head and made a full evening out of it?
Ever heard of a pub crawl, where you spend an evening going from one pub to the next, sampling each venue’s ‘made for the evening’ brew specialty (at least that’s how all the craft breweries in my town do it)?
Well, you could do this with food as well!
Extend your dinner plans with the gals (and connection time) by spreading out each course, having appetizers at one location, perhaps a small salad at another location, save the main course for a prize venue, and even opt for dessert or drinks elsewhere afterwards.
I realize this sounds like a lot of food for one evening, but you could even share with your friends, sampling a little here and a little there at each location, allowing each of you to fully please your palate.
8- Game Night Out
Confession - I’m not big on typical girly activities.
Glam, glitz, dainty, and frilly just isn’t my style.
Our church ladies group would often plan afternoon teas, quiet dinners, and such, and I always felt so awkward.
Then, one day I was chatting with a friend, confessing my disdain for these events, and she immediately exclaimed - I feel the same way!
I guess I’ve just always been more interested in active events, engaged outings, and venues where I could laugh and have fun.
And I thought I was the ‘odd one out’ until more and more ladies I encountered expressed the same thoughts.
So, while quiet chats, sophisticated dinners, and afternoon teas have their place, don’t feel like you have to shy away from an ‘out of the box’ type of evening or outing if your gal pals would like to opt for something a little less conventional.
My family and I went to an axe throwing place one year for my birthday, and that was so much fun. Then, as I told a friend about our evening, she explained that she’d been wanting to do this too, so we soon spent an afternoon connecting while chucking axes at a wooden target.
We laughed, had plenty of time for chatting in between stations, and just had an overall great time.
Who knew something like this could be such a great means of connection!
Some other outside the box “game night out” ideas include going to a casino, bowling, going to an escape room, archery, top golf, and line dancing.
Of course, you could always include dinner, cocktails, and/or dessert somewhere in the evening…though, perhaps you should consider archery or throwing axes before having a few cocktails, just to be safe!
9- Movie Night
Don’t feel like venturing out on the town for Galentine’s Day? How about a good old-fashioned movie night with your besties?
Remember those days in elementary school and junior high when you’d have your girlfriends over for an evening spent laughing, chatting, and watching movies?
Who says you can’t do that as an adult?
In fact, perhaps what we all need are more carefree nights spent with the gals, binging some of your favorite movies and chatting until the wee morning hours…because who says you can’t turn movie night into a sleepover?
10- Get Moving, Together
While this could certainly extend far beyond Galentine’s Day, if you love to be active, getting together with your besties to workout can be a great way to strengthen those bonds of friendship.
Working out with friends is definitely a proven motivation booster, but doing so can also improve the connection you have with your gal pals.
With the start of a new year, I’ve seen plenty of new members at ‘my’ gym, and the ones seeming to have the most fun while getting/staying fit are the girlfriends I see each morning.
I had to chuckle one morning moving through the circuit, minding my own business, but semi-overhearing the two ladies nearby just chatting away between sets. Their conversations seemed to revolve initially around catching up, but they now include more and more laughter as they’ve continued in their gym-pal workout sessions.
Of course, if you’re simply looking for a single activity that incorporates fitness, you could spend Galentine’s Day hiking, kayaking, skiing, or sledding.
And, you could also simply plan to go for a walk around your neighborhood with those friends who live close by, getting in some beneficial steps while you make time for a nice chat.
No matter how you plan to enjoy Galentine’s Day with your besties, gal pals, or dearest friends, be sure to let one another know how much you appreciate the bond you share, and seek to use those moments to further your connection - through conversation, coffee, laughter, and love!
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Optimist Light Roast.
References:
- https://swanlondon.co.uk/what-is-galentines-day-and-where-did-it-come-from/#
- https://www.cozymeal.com/magazine/galentines-day-ideas
- https://www.lorespresso.com/en_gb/cp/blog/virtual-coffee-break
- https://www.classpop.com/magazine/galentines-day-ideas
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860#
- https://www.summahealth.org/flourish/entries/2023/12/five-surprising-health-benefits-to-socializing-with-others#