42 perfect Galentine’s Day gifts that will make your bestie smile | CNN Underscored (2024)

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By Jolie Kerr, CNN Underscored

3:04 PM EST, Fri January 12, 2024

42 perfect Galentine’s Day gifts that will make your bestie smile | CNN Underscored (1)

Galentine’s Day is a celebration of besties, gal pals, work wives and all the other important roles our female friends play in our lives. Galentine’s Day has its origins in an episode of the TV show “Parks & Recreation,” in which the show’s lead character, Leslie Knope, enjoys the fictitious holiday at a diner with a group of friends. Traditionally, Galentine’s Day is celebrated on Feb. 13 (the day before Valentine’s Day), but it can be observed at any time that you feel the need to commemorate female friendship.

Whether you’ll be celebrating with a group of friends or you just want to show one special Galentine some love this year, there is no shortage of fantastic gift options for the occasion.

Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best Galentine’s Day gift ideas for everyone from your BFF to the new gal pal in your group of friends. All these presents come in at under $100, and most of them are under $50, making them perfect for celebrating female friendship without breaking the bank.

For more Valentine’s Day inspiration, check out our favorite Valentine’s Day flowers, decoration ideas, jewelry gifts and practical gifts.

Ice rollers are incredibly popular tools for depuffing and destressing. For Galentine’s Day, look for styles in pink or rose gold to elevate it to a gift-worthy product.

Hi, Barbie! Is your bestie a Barbie girl? Well, she’s living in a Barbie world —absolutely filled with great Barbie-themed gift ideas. This set of pink champagne flutes is a fun way for you to raise a toast to your friendship.

Abstinence Spirits’ Cape Floral is a nonalcoholic gin with floral and citrus notes, making it perfect for getting together with a group of friends who are sober, sober-curious or just not big drinkers. It comes in a beautiful bottle that can be repurposed as a display piece once it’s empty.

The best nonalcoholic drinks for Dry January and beyond

Sol de Janeiro’s gorgeous-smelling, brightly packaged products are highly coveted (especially the cult-favorite Bum Bum Cream). We love this trio, which includes the brand’s Bom Dia Bright Cream and Bom Dia Bright Clarifying AHA BHA Body Wash, as well as a bottle of its Cheirosa 40 Perfume Mist.

Are you assembling a group of friends on Feb. 13 to celebrate Galentine’s Day? Buying gifts for multiple people can put a strain on your wallet, which is why we love this set of Leslie Knope bookmarks that can be given individually for a fun and budget-friendly gift idea.

If your Galentine loves to host, she will swoon over this gorgeous set of three pink glass nesting bowls. The edges of each bowl are lined in gold, and the set can be used decoratively or for serving.

The 39 best Valentine’s Day gifts for her of 2024

We love hot honey year-round, and it’s one of our favorite gifts to give, especially on Valentine’s Day when you can use the gift of hot honey as an excuse to tell your group of friends that they're “hot stuff” and the “bees’ knees.” We've got loads more great food gift ideas if hot honey isn’t your thing.

Your coffee-obsessed Galentine will love playing Picasso with this incredible electric latte art pen. It can be used to create designs or write messages on a morning cup of joe or afternoon latte, and at just $10 it makes an affordable gift idea if you’re shopping for multiple friends.

Need an inexpensive gift idea for a weekend of girly bonding with your group of friends? These 20 pairs of golden under-eye patches come out to less than $1 apiece, so you can dole them out for some Galentine’s Day pampering.

If your bestie loves to curl up on the couch to read a book or binge her favorite shows, treat her to this super-pretty couch blanket. The pink tones make it appropriate for Galentine’s Day, and the yellow accents ensure that it can be used long after Feb. 13 has come and gone.

Chuck Taylor All Stars are a perennial favorite, and this pair of bright-red high-tops with a heart motif are a perfect Galentine’s Day gift for your sneaker-obsessed BFF. Buy a pair for yourself to match hers and up the cute factor by a million!

Buying perfume for your best pal for Galentine’s Day can be tricky, but Ariana Grande’s Cloud Pink is a cute nod to the holiday (because pink!). The super-popular fragrance, with top notes of pink pineapple and dragon fruit, is sure to be her new fave.

Everyone loves Jellycat’s snuggly plush toys, so if your bestie needs a main squeeze this Galentine’s Day, give her the gift of this adorable smiling red heart.

Matching pajama sets are a fun way to bring the Galentine’s Day fun to a night in or weekend away with your group of friends. Everyone can use a set of PJs, especially when the set is as cute (and affordable!) as this two-piece number with a sweet heart motif.

Matching outfits are a staple of a girls’ night in or weekend away, but when your group of friends have different styles or are different sizes, insisting on matching outfits can backfire. Matching slippers, however, are a less fraught way to coordinate a look with your friends.Plus, they’re adorable and super useful.

This tiny fan, which also features a flashlight function and a power bank, is the perfect size to toss in a pocket or small purse. And its pretty pink color makes it ideal for Galentine’s Day gifting for everyone in your group of friends.

There’s almost no better way to celebrate female friendship on Galentine’s Day than with this candle honoring the patron saint of Galentine’s Day, Leslie Knope. The pillar-style altar candle is adorned with an image of the “Parks & Recreation” character, who will light up your Galentine’s Day celebration.

White Fox is the brand right now, and there’s no shortage of incredible pink and red loungewear sets to choose from. For Galentine’s Day, we love the Season 7 hoodie in Sorbet, a muted red with pink undertones; a coordinating pair of lounge shorts is available to complete the set.

Here’s a fun gift idea for the person who will be hosting your Galentine’s Day party. This set of sugar cubes is meant to be dissolved in Champagne or sparkling wine to create an instant mimosa! The cubes are available in two flavor combinations: the Citrus Trio (orange, grapefruit and lemon) or the Peaches & Berries Trio (strawberry, raspberry and peach).

Dior’s lip oil was one of the hottest gifts of the holiday season. It comes in eight shades, so if your Galentine is already a fan, you can treat her to a new color on Feb. 13!

Saie’s highlighter gel is a relatively affordable way to make sure your bestie is on-trend for 2024. It comes in two shades, Universal Champagne and Warm Golden Bronze, and is also available in a mini size.

Kendra Scott’s pretty gold chain bracelet features a heart-shaped glass pendant. It’s the perfect way to show your Galentine that you love her and is a great candidate if you and your group of friends are looking for a modern take on the friendship bracelet.

Lululemon’s wildly popular wristlet makes a great gift for Galentine’s Day, especially in the pink-hued colorway. (It also comes in black for the gal pals in your life who are a little less into overt displays of pink.)

If your Galentine is obsessed with her hair, she will flip her lid for Dae’s prickly pear hair oil. It’s formulated to control frizz and add shine to virtually all hair types and is packaged in a display-worthy bottle.

If the group of friends you’ll be celebrating Galentine’s Day with are frequent travelers, gift them this wildly popular (and super affordable!) facial spray, which will keep them looking dewy on the go.

This super-cute pink Kodak camera makes a fantastic present that can be used to document all the fun of Galentine’s Day and beyond.

Glossier is having a moment (again!) The brand’s beautiful pale-pink packaging lends itself perfectly to Galentine’s Day gifting, and we love their hand cream, which, at $18, is a budget-friendly way to keep dreaded winter chapping at bay.

Flowers are a traditional Valentine’s Day gift, so for Galentine’s Day, we love the idea of giving a subversive take on florals. Venus flytrap plants are beautiful in their own way and make a perfect gift for anyone with a green thumb or a dark sense of humor.

The 25 best Valentine’s Day flowers to send your loved ones

For a more traditional gift for your Galentine with a green thumb, consider a beautiful pink planter set for her to display her greenery. This set can also be broken up into individual gifts if you’re shopping for a group of friends and don’t have a ton of money to spend on presents.

Are you looking for a classic, elegant gift for your best friend? Diptyque’s gorgeous Roses candle is a splurge she’ll be truly wowed by. If you’re looking for more budget-friendly candle gift ideas, our roundup of under-$25 candles has you covered.

Is your bestie the biggest Leslie Knope fan ever? Treat her to this incredible handmade Galentine’s Day crown to show her that she’s your royal standard of female friendship!

The Summer Fridays lip balm is so popular that it is almost always sold out, but if you act fast, you can dazzle your group of friends by turning up to your Galentine’s Day outing with the super-popular Lip Butter Balm, which is currently available in seven flavors.

Even in a thoroughly digital world, people still love their pens, markers and highlighters. This set of 12 pastel highlighters is super cute and super affordable, making it a great Galentine’s Day gift idea for when you’re shopping for a group of friends.

Hailey Bieber’s skin care line, Rhode, is one of the hottest brands out there right now. If your Galentine is obsessed with her skin care routine, treat her to this set of Rhode’s four bestselling products: Glazing Milk, Peptide Glazing Fluid, Barrier Restore Cream and Peptide Lip Treatment.

Your most organized and colorful friend will love this undated monthly wall calendar. The rainbow colorway adds a pop of color to monthly planning, making it a fun and practical present she will enjoy the rest of the year.

CosRX’s ultra-popular essence is a budget-friendly way to give your gal pals the gift of snail mucin this Galentine’s Day. Snail mucin?! Yes! A well-known skin care ingredient in South Korea, snail mucin is packed with antioxidants and can help with hydration and healing.

These pretty earrings are simple without being boring, making them a fun gift for just about anyone in your group of friends. They come in two sizes and three metals —gold, silver or rose gold.

We love a practical gift, and for your friends who are always schlepping bags, we can’t think of a more practical gift idea than the Click & Carry Grocery Bag Carrier. It comes in a Galentine’s Day-appropriate shade of fuchsia, and the price is low enough that you can buy them for everyone in your group of friends.

These pretty moonstone and gold earrings look way more expensive than they are, and they’re a perfect way to give the gift of jewelry on Galentine’s Day to people who aren’t keen on heart-shaped baubles.

Are you looking for a funny gift idea to give a group of friends on Galentine’s Day? This coloring book, which casts a humorous eye on dating, is a great way to poke some fun at the often treacherous and depressing world of dating.

Are you looking for a gift idea she’ll use long after Feb. 13 has come and gone? Well, almost nothing is so useful as a jar-opening grip pad! This set of three rubber jar gripper pads comes in a Galentine’s Day-appropriate red, and the set can be broken up into individual gifts for a group of friends that clocks in at $3 each.

Is your Galentine a bookworm? Buy the reader in your life this clever magnetic book annotating kit, which attaches right to a book and holds up to four pens, as well as a strip of flags for marking pages.

The best gifts for book lovers, according to experts

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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42 perfect Galentine’s Day gifts that will make your bestie smile | CNN Underscored (2024)
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