Galentine’s Day: A Fun, Fresh Way to Celebrate the Ladies in Your Life

If you’re a fan of the NBC television hit Parks and Recreation, you might already be familiar with Galentine’s Day – a celebration of female friendship that occurs near Valentine’s Day (usually Feb. 13).

Observed by having a girls’ night out (or in!), or exchanging gifts, it is not meant to substitute for the traditional hearts-and-flowers holiday, but rather a way to acknowledge the members of your #squad who are there for you year-round.

This year, 1,000 Walmart stores are helping customers celebrate with new Galentine’s Day themed merchandise: decorations, party supplies and gifts. While still as adorbz as the traditional Valentine’s Day options, these products are a bit more grown-up, with metallic touches and crafty accents that are cute without being cutesy.

According to a recent report from the National Retail Federation, one in five people who celebrate Valentine’s Day plan to buy gifts for their friends. We talked with our seasonal buyer Wendy Milstead about why Galentine’s Day made sense for Walmart.

How long has Galentine’s Day been on your radar?
We’re always looking for new ways to delight customers. We started working on the Galentine’s Day program last April. It was a reimagining of our “Anti-Valentine’s Day” assortment that featured sayings like “Cupid is Stupid.” We wanted to do something with a more positive message.

How does Galentine’s Day merchandise differ from traditional Valentine’s Day merchandise?
These products are “aged up” with fun phrases and really developed with our customers in mind. Whether it’s the tassel garland with metallic accents or foodie enamel pins with matching “punny” sayings, we wanted to add in a bit of glamour to this fun, empowering holiday.

What’s your favorite item from this collection?
Definitely the plastic wine glass – it’s an assortment of two designs, “cheers my dear” and “sisters before misters.” It comes in giftable packaging, and at $1.98 a pop, who wouldn’t guzzle this up?

What did you learn from launching this program?
We always rely on data, but sometimes when you launch a new program, you just have to go with your gut. Luckily I had great support from my managers, who encouraged me not to be afraid to fail. That’s how we stay on the forefront of the industry and work to lead the way.