By ALICIA RANCILIO, Associated Press

Christie O’Sullivan of Trinity, Florida, has spent 21 Valentine’s Days with her husband, but her favorite celebration was one spent with a girlfriend before she got married.

They took the day off work, got massages, and went out for cocktails and a fancy dinner.

“For me, it was 10 out of 10. That whole day was intentional,” said O’Sullivan. She remembers it as empowering “on a day that’s usually filled with pressure to be in a relationship, or sadness because I wasn’t currently in one.”

Galentine’s Day became a pop culture phenomenon with a 2010 episode of the TV comedy “Parks and Recreation” that celebrated female friendships around Valentine’s Day. Amy Poehler’s character, Leslie Knope, gathered her gal pals on Feb. 13.

“What’s Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year,” said Knope.

Honoring female friendships can happen any day of the year, of course. Whether on Feb. 13 or another day, here are some ways to create a fun-filled experience:

Heart-shaped sugar cookies are displayed in Berkley, Mich., on Jan. 27, 2026. (Liz Momblanco via AP)

Making it a party

Chela Pappaccioli of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, has been hosting a Galentine’s Day bash at her home for the last three years. She has a bartender and a DJ hired, and this year invited 45 of her nearest and dearest. So far, she has 34 confirmations, and is assembling gift bags for her guests to take home. There are no men allowed “unless the bartender happens to be male.”

The event may be extravagant, but Pappaccioli says it’s worth it.

“It’s an escape to just be with your girls, be silly, do something fun and just focus on the friendships you’ve created and enjoying each other’s company,” she says.

Learning how to do something new

Liz Momblanco of Berkley, Michigan, who describes herself as a “serial hobbyist,” invites her friends to take classes like cookie and cake decorating, calligraphy and stained glass.

“I enjoy learning something new and having a shared experience,” said Momblanco, who has attended day retreats for women that offer activities like floral arranging, yoga or a cold plunge.

Marney Wolf, who runs the retreat company Luna Wolf, says providing an opportunity for art and creativity builds community.

“It bonds you, whether it’s the smallest thing or really deep. You watch these grown women turn into almost like a childlike kindergarten response like, ‘Oh my gosh! Good job! You’re so talented!’ That little lift is the easiest thing to do,” she said.

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Filling a Valentine’s void

Wolf takes care to schedule Galentine’s-themed retreats near Valentine’s Day because some women don’t have someone to spend Feb. 14 with.

“I know it can be a really lonely time for people and I think some take it for granted,” she says.

Pappaccioli said a couple of divorced friends come to her party, and “even if you’re married it can be depressing because your husband may not be doing what you want or your boyfriend may not support you in the way you want,” she says.

“It’s nice to know that you don’t need that. You can still celebrate the holiday, but turn it around a little bit and celebrate the relationships you want to.”

Creating different kinds of bonds

Galentine’s Day get-togethers can forge new friendships. And spending quality time with a friend provides an opportunity to put the phone away, avoid distractions and build memories.

O’Sullivan is a social media strategist for businesses but appreciates that her bestie Valentine’s Day was without cellphones.

“We could be fully present — no photos, no texts, no nothing,” she says.

“So while that means there’s no actual record of that day occurring, it also means the details became a core memory without it.”

Some celebrate Galentine’s Day by just going out for coffee or playing cards. You might go with a group of women friends to a play or museum, or take a hike or a workout class.

Other ideas include thrift store shopping, country line dancing, roller skating, karaoke, junk journaling, and getting manicures and pedicures.

February is the month for love — and beer — if not necessarily in that order. This month brings the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, then Valentine’s Day and, finally, San Francisco Beer Week, which has been shifted to later this month to accommodate the Super Bowl. It’ll run Feb. 20 to March 1.

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When I think about love, beer is never far behind, and one of the great pairings of culinary history is beer and chocolate. The two work so well together, though the idea of pairing them came about largely after the craft beer movement became more popular in the 1980s and early ’90s. With so many different, new kinds of beer suddenly available, chefs and brewers were looking for new ways to showcase the versatility of craft beer.

Nobody is certain when the first beer and chocolate pairing dinners took place, though undoubtedly pioneering beer writers Fred Eckhardt and Michael Jackson were involved, and so was Bay Area beer chef Bruce Paton, who was creating Valentine’s themed beer dinners with chocolate at least since the 1990s. Since then, beer lovers have discovered numerous wonderful ways to combine chocolate and beer. Here are a few of my favorites.

Pairing with beer

Ales such as stouts and porters are a great place to start because they both use roasted malts, which often will impart chocolate aromas and flavors. There’s even a type of specialty malt known as chocolate malt, which, while not having any chocolate in it, commonly provides roasted coffee — and yes, cacao — notes in the beer. More recently, brewers have realized that using actual chocolate — often in the form of cocoa nibs — does the same but with less burnt or roasted character.

Brewers also use cocoa powder, chocolate syrup and even chocolate bars in the brewing process. Sipping such stouts, porters or chocolate-infused beers while eating pieces of chocolate is a divine experience. The two complement each other quite well, and sometimes magnificently when you find the perfect combination. Milk chocolate works well, but I’ve found that dark chocolate can be even better, especially if the beer has any bitterness.

While dark beer seems made to pair with chocolate, it’s not the only satisfying combination. Thanks to the different ways that chocolate flavors can be introduced into the brewing process, lighter-colored chocolate beers can also be found, though they are less common. Many of these also add orange peel or zest to combine citrus and chocolate flavors. Those are a natural match for chocolate-covered oranges.

You can also pair white chocolate with Belgian golden strong ales or barley wines with hazelnut and chocolate cake. Wheat beers pair well with chocolate that also has cinnamon or spicy notes, and pilsners are a great blend with chocolate that includes nuts (and with white chocolate). Brown ales seem to work great if the chocolate is dark and has almonds, though caramel or toffee notes help, too. Similarly, IPAs will often work with dark chocolate that’s spicy, though this can be tricky because of the huge differences in hop varieties.

Other great combinations are to pair an imperial stout with dark chocolate truffles or mix an amber or red ale with chocolate-flavored honey or caramel.

In a box of bonbons, people can look to secondary flavors or textures for ideas on which beers might pair best: Wheat beers go well with cinnamon or spicy flavors; brown ales with almond notes. (Getty Images)

Pairing with food and beer

Another way to pair chocolate and beer is to also introduce it into the food itself. This can be done in a variety of ways. A personal favorite is to add chocolate shavings to a salad. But any dish that also uses items commonly found in chocolates has the same effect when paired with a beer exhibiting chocolate notes. So foods with fruit, nuts, truffles or caramel elements will be as delightful with a chocolate beer as with the chocolate — and twice and good with both.

Take Mexican mole sauce, which counts chocolate as one of its ingredients. When it’s paired with a chocolatey porter, the combination is divine. Really, almost any stew could be made using a little chocolate and then enjoyed with something like a Belgian strong dark ale, grand cru or tripel. Many Belgian yeasts impart a hint of banana, as well, which works with the chocolate on another level. While it may not be obvious, combinations that contrast sweet with savory, like chocolate and meat, make for an indescribable dining experience.

Naturally, many desserts that use chocolate pair superbly with beer, such as brownies, chocolate cake, fudge, mousse, chocolate soufflés and even chocolate sundaes. Probably the best beer to pair with such desserts is a Belgian fruit lambic, a sour beer fermented a second time with fruit. The most popular ones are framboise (raspberries) and kriek (cherries), which are often perfect partners with chocolate. That said, most fruit beers will work similarly.

You can pair every course of your Valentine’s Day dinner with chocolate and beer that will both amaze and surprise your sweetheart. If that doesn’t show your love, I don’t know what will.

Contact Jay R. Brooks at BrooksOnBeer@gmail.com.

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By Renuka Rayasam, KFF Health News

Health policy changes in Washington will ripple through the country, resulting in millions of Americans losing their Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage. But there are still ways to find care.

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Over the next decade, the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to slash nearly $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid, the state-federal program for people with low incomes and disabilities. The implementation of new work rules will cause some beneficiaries to lose their Medicaid coverage.

Millions of Americans are facing enormous increases in their out-of-pocket costs for ACA coverage. So far, 1.2 million fewer people have signed up for Obamacare plans compared with last year, and health policy analysts estimate more will lose coverage as they fail to pay their premiums.

Health costs are a top concern for Americans. Two-thirds of the public say they are somewhat or very worried about affording health care, more than express the same worries about utilities, food, housing, or gas, according to a January poll from KFF, a health information nonprofit that includes KFF Health News.

“All of this pain just doesn’t have to be there,” said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, director of private coverage at the health consumer group Families USA.

Doctors and health policy researchers say health coverage, of any kind, is the best protection against major medical debt.

Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation, recommends exhausting every available option for health coverage before going uninsured.

Even a high-deductible plan can protect patients from medical bankruptcy “if the absolute worst-case scenario happens,” she said.

Here are five ways that the uninsured can find affordable care.

1. Don’t be afraid to talk with your doctor about money

Patients can be hesitant to tell their doctors they’re uninsured or be wary of expressing concern about being able to afford care.

But some hospitals, physicians, and other providers offer cheaper cash pay options, said Cynthia Cox, a senior vice president and the director of the Program on the ACA at KFF.

Often prices are negotiable. “Always ask,” she said.

Health care providers can make adjustments if they know patients are worried about money, said Ateev Mehrotra, a doctor and researcher at Brown University.

“If my patient tells me, ‘Doc, I’m gonna have to pay for this out-of-pocket,’ I’m gonna make a different risk calculus,” Mehrotra said.

That doesn’t mean a patient won’t get the care they need, he said. A doctor, for instance, might order an ultrasound instead of an MRI, which is more expensive.

2. Search for providers that specifically work with uninsured patients

If your usual provider won’t budge on prices, then search for providers that cater to patients without insurance.

Federally qualified health centers, or FQHCs, and other community clinics offer routine and non-emergency care, such as treatment for flu or infection, for low-income residents and the uninsured. Community health centers charge based on a sliding scale and see 52 million patients annually in some of the country’s most underserved areas, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers.

The Trump administration has made funding cuts that might lead some of the country’s approximately 1,500 FQHCs to close or cut services. But the administration still maintains a site to find a local center.

Planned Parenthood also accepts uninsured patients. Its centers test for sexually transmitted diseases, provide birth control options, and offer postpartum and gender-affirming care and other services.

And the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics also offers a tool to help people find free or low-cost care.

Most community clinics don’t offer specialty care, but they can usually refer patients who need more intensive services to providers willing to work with uninsured patients.

And academic medical centers tend to have more charity care programs that help uninsured patients lower their bills.

“If you’re uninsured or even underinsured, you might be able to qualify for a significant discount on the cost of your care,” Cox said.

Still, be wary of heading to the emergency room, which is the most expensive place to get care. While ERs are federally required to stabilize all patients regardless of their ability to pay, they can still leave you with a big bill — and often do.

3. Call your local health department

Health services vary widely from county to county, but many offer free vaccinations, family planning services, and testing for sexually transmitted infections, as well as for flu, covid, and tuberculosis.

Some county health departments also offer more advanced care, such as dental services and mental health or substance abuse programs. And some states have consumer assistance programs that can guide residents in finding care, Fish-Parcham said.

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program makes free or low-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings available to low-income women in all states and territories. And some states cover screenings for other types of cancer as well.

4. It’s easier to shop around for drugs than doctors

Don’t just fill your prescription at the closest pharmacy. Instead, research generic drug options and look around for the best price on brand names.

A handful of sites such as GoodRx and WellRx offer comparison shopping tools and information on other ways to get drug discounts.

And some retailers offer low-cost access to common prescription drugs — at prices cheaper than you would find if you had insurance. Walmart, for instance, sells 90-day prescriptions of dozens of generic versions of drugs for $10. As does Target, Costco, and a new site called the Cost Plus Drug Company.

Many drugmakers also offer patient assistance programs, coupons, and rebates on some medications. Check their websites for details on how to apply.

States also offer drug assistance programs. The steps to qualify and types of drugs vary, but this tool has a list of programs and how they work.

Joining a clinical trial is another way to access treatment. The National Institutes of Health and its National Cancer Institute have lists, but patients must first meet the criteria. Clinical trials aren’t necessarily free, even with insurance, Donovan said, so be sure to ask about any associated costs.

5. Your diagnosis might lead you to specialized resources

Patients with a specific diagnosis might have additional options for specialty treatment.

For example, someone with breast cancer should check with the American Cancer Society and the nonprofit Susan G. Komen organization, Cox said.

The Patient Advocate Foundation hosts a list of vetted foundations that can help offset the cost of medical bills and provide other resources such as transportation and lodging, Donovan said. Just type in basic information such as age, location, and diagnosis to see what is available.

Disease-specific foundations such as those for lupus or irritable bowel syndrome can also steer patients to free or low-cost resources or cover some costs of care, Donovan said.

“Everything is out there,” she said.

As you research affordable care options, don’t be tricked by plans that look like health insurance but don’t offer guaranteed protection against big bills.

Some short-term plans and health care sharing ministries might seem like good deals, but read the fine print. Some red flags to look for: too-good-to-be-true monthly payments; no coverage for preexisting conditions; morality clauses such as those prohibiting the use of alcohol or drugs; or a lack of coverage for benefits such as mental health counseling that are required in ACA plans.

KFF Health News correspondent Sam Whitehead contributed to this report.

©2026 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, Associated Press Retail Sales

NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers pulled back the pace of their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone.

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The report, issued by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, raised questions about shoppers’ ability to spend this year as they worry about a slowing job market and uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs and their impact on prices.

Retail sales were flat in December from November, when business was up 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department. Economists were expecting a 0.4% increase for December.

The report delayed more than a month because of the 43-day government shutdown.

Sales in October fell 0.1%, rose 0.1% in September, but jumped 0.6% in July and August and 1% in June, according to the Commerce Department.

The retail sales figures, which are not adjusted for inflation, showed that many types of businesses including furniture and home furnishings stores as well as electronics and appliance retailers posted declines.

Among the few bright spots: building materials and garden stores, which had a small sales increase.

The snapshot offers only a partial look at consumer spending and doesn’t include many services, including travel and hotel lodges. But the lone services category – restaurants – registered a dip of 0.1%.

Economists will be closely monitoring a slew of economic reports on jobs and prices due out later this week.

But the economy is in a confusing place.

Growth is robust: Gross domestic product — the nation’s output of goods and services — advanced from July through September at the fastest pace in two years. But the job market is lackluster: Employers have added just 28,000 jobs a month since December.

In the 2021-2023 hiring boom that followed COVID-19 lockdowns, by contrast, they were creating 400,000 jobs a month.

When the agency releases hiring and unemployment numbers for January on Wednesday, they are expected to show that businesses, government agencies and nonprofits added about 80,000 jobs last month — modest but up from 50,000 in December.

Analysts will also be studying consumer price report, to be released Friday. In December, consumer prices matched the 0.3% increase in November. If inflation cools in the coming months, it could increase the likelihood the Federal Reserve will reduce its key interest rate later this year, economists say.

Against this backdrop, some chains like Walmart, whose everyday low prices have pulled in shoppers from rivals, are thriving but others struggle.

A growing number of retailers are closing stores as companies reorganize under bankruptcy protection or pare down their operations to focus on profitable operations.

On Monday, the operator of roughly 180 Eddie Bauer stores across the U.S. and Canada has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, blaming declining sales and a litany of other industry headwinds.

Last month, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue that it was seeking bankruptcy protection, buffeted by rising competition and the massive debt it took on to buy its rival in the luxury sector, Neiman Marcus, just over a year ago. A few days later, the parent company said it was closing most of its Saks Off 5th stores.

Amazon said earlier this month that it was closing almost all of its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh locations within days as it narrows its focus on food delivery and its grocery chain, Whole Foods Market.