Best friends make the best Valentines! If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your gal pals this year, our guide to the ultimate Galentine’s Day will help make this the best one yet. Plus, most of these activities can be done in-person or over Zoom!

1. Give flowers

We are absolutely smitten by the creative bouquets from Carithers Flowers, like this one below featuring roses, orchids, and hydrangeas. Surprise your best friend with a bouquet of her favorite blooms, or have Carithers deliver them right to her front door! But act fast: V-Day orders are limited this year due to COVID-19.

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2. Make chocolates

It’s not really Valentine’s Day without chocolate. Make it even more fun by concocting your own truffles and bonbons! Sally’s Baking Addiction has an easy chocolate truffle recipe that only requires four base ingredients and you can riff on it to your heart’s content. If you want to get fancy, Etsy is full of silicone chocolate molds (beware—there are some risqué designs!), and Wilton Brands offers some super-cute edible decorations to top off your treats.

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3. Enjoy good food

We know Valentine’s Day isn’t quite the same this year since indoor gatherings are still ill-advised, but restaurants across Atlanta have stepped up by offering special takeout menus and sweet treats to-go to help you and your friends celebrate in the comfort of your living room.

Dinner & dessert. Herb-grilled shrimp and linguine with vodka sauce for two? Yes, please! Local caterer Affairs to Remember is offering four special Valentine’s entrées to-go this year, including this delicious option served with a salad and dessert. Plus, order their V-Day Gift Crate featuring s’mores popcorn, chocolate dip, almond biscotti, white chocolate bark, and chocolate chip cookie dough brownie bombs to indulge in afterward. We hope you have a sweet tooth!

Cocktails, champagne, & more. Compliment your dinner & dessert with the Box O’ Love from our friends at Local Three Kitchen & Bar. This ultimate Valentine’s Day to-go box features a bottle of Champagne Delamotte, a box of Jardi Chocolates (voted Best of ATL 2016), a dozen red roses, and a quart of their very own Green Lovelace cocktail mix, with instructions!

4. Send homemade Valentines

Being separated from our loved ones is challenging for us all. Show your friends and family a little cheer despite being apart this year by making your own Valentine’s cards! These cute and easy ideas from Pinterest will help you get started, but feel free to be as creative (and messy) as you want.

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5. Make it a movie marathon

Grab some snacks and pile up with your gal pals for a Valentine’s movie marathon! From romcoms to modern classics, here are a few of our favorite V-Day films:

10 Things I Hate About You. It doesn’t get much more classic than the late Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles squaring off (and making up) in this rendition of Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew.” Stream it for free on Disney+ or for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video.

Waiting to Exhale. Featuring an all-Black cast, Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett co-star in this timeless film that proves friendship is more powerful than romance—a perfect message for your Galentine’s evening. Stream it for free on Hulu, or for $3.99 on Youtube and Amazon Prime Video.

The Five-Year Engagement. Starring Emily Blunt and Jason Segel, this movie is part love story, part laugh-out-loud comedy, and 100% entertaining. From a cross-country move to mid-life career switches, see just how much the love between these two characters can be tested. Stream it for free on Amazon Prime Video, or with a Hulu Premium or HBO Max subscription.

Sylvie’s Love. When Sylvie Parker (played by Tessa Thompson) meets an aspiring saxophonist in her father’s record shop, their love is instant—until life gets in the way. Years later, the couple reconnects, only to find their feelings for each other never vanished. Set in 1950s Harlem, Sylvie’s Love is a tale of love, time, and sacrifice. Stream it for free on Amazon Prime Video.

You’ve Got Mail. What happens when a boutique bookseller falls for the owner of a corporate bookstore chain over email? Whether you’ve seen it countless times or have never heard of it before, you won’t be disappointed watching Tom Hanks’ and Meg Ryan’s amazing on-screen chemistry. Stream it for free with a Hulu Premium or HBO Max subscription.

6. Have a spa day

Light some candles and slip on some comfy clothes for a laid-back, at-home spa day! Your squad can look great and have a blast making DIY matcha face masks, painting your nails, and moisturizing your skin. Don’t worry about going all-out for this—keep it small, simple, and fun for the ultimate stress relief.

For an extra dose of relaxation, we suggest brewing up one of the calming teas offered by Atlanta’s Transcending Tea. For a delicious fusion of flavors, try their limited edition Chocolate Strawberry tea, which contains dried strawberry slices, apple & papaya pieces, cocoa beans, rosehip, hibiscus, and cornflower petals.

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7. Give your skin some professional love

An at-home spa day can improve your complexion and reduce stress, but nothing beats the real thing. If smooth, glowy skin sounds like the perfect V-Day gift, treat yourself to a HydraFacial, RF microneedling, or other skincare treatment at The Swan Center. Our expert team of board certified plastic surgeons and medical aestheticians are ready to help you feel pampered and look gorgeous!

Contact us online or call (770) 667-0904 today to schedule your Atlanta skincare consultation. We wish you and your girls a happy Galentine’s Day and hope to see you soon! xx