New research has revealed a dramatic surge in searches for friendship celebrations over the past year, with “Palentine’s Day” up 5,700%, Galentine’s Day gifts up 12,900%, and “Friendiversary cards” up 40% since January 2025.
The findings, from greetings card marketplace thortful, raise the question of whether Brits are now investing as much energy into their friendships as their romantic relationships. However, the same research found that 22% of Brits say their friends stop making an effort once they enter a relationship.
Thortful partnered with relationship and dating expert Sophie Personne and long-term friendship advocate Fiona Robinson, 61, from Harrogate, to explore how people can better balance platonic and romantic relationships.
Why long-term friendships matter
Personne emphasises that friendships and romantic relationships serve distinct purposes. “They have different roles and therefore different needs,” she says. “Long-term friendships are built over time and common interests or values. They create a sense of support, loyalty and stability. Because of that shared history and having often seen each other at their worst, there’s less pressure. People just know they have someone they can rely on, regardless of what’s going on in their life. That kind of connection reinforces our sense of familiarity, so the longer the friendship, the deeper the bond grows.”
Why friendships fade and how to stop it
Personne identifies assumption as the silent threat to long-term friendships. “Time is the obvious challenge, but underneath that is assumption — the belief that friendships will always be there. When life gets busy, it becomes easy to put things off. That’s when people start taking each other for granted. Most friendships don’t fall apart because people stop caring but because people stop showing up. The solution isn’t difficult. It’s about making a conscious effort, even if that means scheduling it like a dentist appointment. It doesn’t need to be long or deep, just a quick message — all it needs is to show that we care.”
She also notes that friendships lack the built-in milestones of romantic relationships, making them easier to overlook. “It’s sometimes not even that easy to work out when you meet, let alone a specific date. Recognition reinforces the friendship; it makes it visible and shows appreciation. It doesn’t need to be big. A small gesture or simply telling someone what they mean to you is often enough. The issue isn’t that people don’t care, it’s that they don’t always think to show it.”
55 years of friendship: 1 woman’s approach
Fiona Robinson has maintained a 55-year friendship alongside 32 years of marriage, and credits conscious effort and clear boundaries as the key to both.
On sustaining friendships, she says: “With friends, it’s important to keep in touch. Time is sometimes against us, so even a quick text can do the trick. Show an interest in your friends’ life, whether that’s their family, children, work, any challenges. Ensure a balance is found between being a person to lean on, as well as meeting up and having a laugh whenever you’re both available.”
On managing both relationships simultaneously, Robinson recommends staying organised and intentional. She advises using a diary or phone notes to record important events related to both a partner and friends, and letting social media serve as a prompt for occasions and milestones. Keeping both relationships mentally separate, she adds, helps ensure neither is neglected.
She also highlights how life stage affects the balance. “Energy levels change depending on how long you’ve been with someone. As time progresses in a relationship, you know each other’s boundaries and don’t have to be joined at the hip. There is more freedom to do things for yourself, particularly as children leave home, so it can be easier to balance seeing all of the important people in your life.”
The bottom line
Robinson concludes that both relationships are essential to a fulfilled life. “You have a completely different relationship to your partner and your friend, and both have attributes that are essential to get through life. Valuing independence is important in a long-term marriage. Giving each other space and encouraging certain hobbies and interests goes a long way, and that also gives time for you to communicate with friends.”
Personne echoes the sentiment, urging people not to wait for a milestone to show appreciation. Small, consistent gestures, she says, are what keep friendships alive.