Valentine’s Day is less than one month away, but there is another celebration you might want to adopt. A new word, “Galentine” was recently coined after the word “Valentine.” It is a celebration of friendship between girlfriends is the day before Valentine’s Day, February 13th. Galentine Day started as a fictional holiday on the television show “Parks and Recreation,” but the idea caught on and jumped into real life. The rest is history.

Obviously, it caught on because girlfriends are a very important part of our lives. In the show, the character Leslie Knope showed her friends how much they meant to her by having a small luncheon and gifting them unique presents. Of course, there are other ways to touch your friends to show them how much they mean to you on Galentine’s Day.

My suggestions for how to celebrate Galentine’s Day

This idea will take you some time which is why I’m offering my suggestion so early! You can compile a list of amazing women in your life; from your past and from the now who have touched you and reconnect with them with a handwritten note or email to arrive on Galentine’s Day. You have several days to compile your thoughts. Over the holiday season, I received letters from friends living near and far. I loved and appreciated them for remembering me.

Here is another thought, you can use Galentine’s Day to start a focus group. It is a great way to gather women. I know because I started one; we are in our third season. It came to my mind to mention this to you, darlings, as I sat with my focus group around my dining room table, two days ago, listening to the exchanges of animated conversation among 10 women. Some of the women are close friends, some were acquaintances and some were women I knew only by face and name when I invited them to join the group. One of the women, my very close friend visiting from LA knew no one. And, yet after a short time, she was one of the girls.

Consider the gift of a focus Group on Gal-entine’s Day

Three years ago, as I mentioned, I started my group. I selected a diverse group of women; some were married, some were widowed, some were living with significant others, some had college degrees while others did not, some had owned businesses or were career women and some were stay-at-home moms. I only had to make 10 phone calls to form my group because none of the 10 women turned me down. None of them even asked me who else was in the group. I asked them if they would be interested in coming to my home for two hours a month to discuss issues we encounter after the age of 50. Back to choosing: I chose a few best friends, a few close acquaintances and a few women I barely knew; I did this on purpose. Some of the women barely knew one another, others had a close friend in the group and some were meeting for the first time. I wanted independent thinkers, not best friends. The women were anxious to meet one another and three years of meetings tells me, women love to connect. Women enjoy meeting and making new friends. Women love focus groups, the exchange of ideas and personal thoughts.

This Galentine’s Day, invite a group of woman to your home, from different areas of your life. And, if you recently moved to a new neighborhood, community or city invite women who “mirror” you. Don’t be concerned about who knows who or who is close to who. You are inviting women you like or want to get to know. Serve juice, muffins, coffee or tea. Buy each of them a little Galentine’s gif: like a fun pen or a cute notepad for their purse! I remember I gave each of my darlings a fancy little pen with a flower on the top and a little notepad.

Here are some topics to consider at your Galentine’s Day focus group

• Do you feel invisible? If so, why?
• What do you do if you are bullied?
• How to travel solo.
• You should know everything about your husbands or companions wills and Estate Planning. Do you?

All ten of the women leave my home with answers or with thoughts to ponder. What could be a better gift, darlings?

We want to hear from you on your successful marriage or amazing relationships! Participate in our Let’s Talk About Love month! Read how to submit your stories of love by clicking here! Or if you have a question about love or sex after 50 you can submit it anonymously by clicking here!