February 12, 2025

OH, TO BE IN ENGLAND: Generation Bland: the inevitable rise of ‘Palentine’s Day.’

As we approach with anticipation or dread 14 February, the day we traditionally celebrate love and all things amorous, a certain demographic will instead be observing a rather less passionate and altogether more bland occasion: ‘Palentine’s Day’. Commemorated on 13 February, this is apparently the date upon which to honour platonic friendships instead of romantic engagements – and it’s proving increasingly popular among Generation Z.

It all started with ‘Galentine’s Day’, a celebration of female friendship invented by the character Leslie Knope in American political satire mockumentary Parks and Recreation in 2010. As the concept moved from comedy to real life it morphed into the gender-neutral ‘Palentine’s’ – lest anyone should feel left out. Now universities across the country are putting on events for the occasion, and card companies have reported a surge in the popularity of merchandise commemorating it. Sales of Palentine’s cards at online greetings company Thortful have increased from a few dozen in 2016 to tens of thousands today.

According to relationship expert Tautvydas Sutkus, many younger people take a dim view of Valentine’s Day on account of its ‘traditional, often exclusionary, focus on romantic relationships’. This alternative ‘allows them to celebrate their friends and the emotional bonds they share’. This development shouldn’t surprise us. ‘Palentine’s Day’ is fitting for a generation that is inclined to be puritanical and moralistic. It’s also an age group that’s seemingly resigned to settle for a safe, insipid and risk-free existence: Generation Z has become Generation Bland.

Could be far worse — it could be Palantine’s Day:

Incidentally, remember in 1981, when John Hinkley was considered institutionally insane for thinking that Travis was the good guy in Taxi Driver? How far the left has “progressed:” Luigi Mangione frenzy: It’s time for a national conversation on left-wing violence.

UPDATE:

Posted at 9:14 pm by Ed Driscoll