It's the best day of the year

treat yo self !!

There are a few iconic things Parks and Rec is known for: L’il Sebastian. Galentine’s Day. Leslie Knope herself. Aaaaand, maybe most notably, “Treat Yo’ Self” Day. And like our good friend L’il Sebastian (L’il Sebastian, may he rest in peace), “treat yo’ self” — despite looming large in Parks lore — only actually apears in two episodes of Parks.

I normally try not to judge if you haven’t watched Parks until now, but if you don’t know what “Treat Yo’ Self” Day is, it’s high time to FIO. It’s the OG “girls deserve a little treat.” It’s self care before self care was all the rage. It’s millennial girl math. It’s a day where you can buy whatever you want, so long as it brings you even a little bit of happiness (to me, your average Tuesday).

“Treat Yo’ Self” Day is apparently October 13th — a day invented by Tom and Donna when, once a year, they can be as absolutely extravagant as they want to be. This scene explains it all:

Tom: “Once a year, Donna and I spend a day treating ourselves. What do we treat ourselves to?”

Donna: “Clothes.”

Tom: “Treat yo’ self”

Donna: “Fragrances”

Tom: “Treat yo’ self”

Donna: “Massages”

Tom: “Treat yo’ self”

Donna: “Mimosas”

Tom: “Treat yo’ self”

Donna: “Fine leather goods”

Tom: “Treat yo’ self”

Donna: “It’s the best day of the year.”

Despite my personal feelings that “treat yo’ self” has become slightly over-memed in recent years, I looove the gimmick of Treat Yo’ Self Day. It’s Tom and Donna at their absolute best. These two extravagant, bougie, indulgent fools don’t care at all that Treat Yo’ Self Day falls on a work day — or that they drop thousands of dollars at the Eagleton mall on cashmere, velvet, leather, etc. They’re just here to ball out. For one night and one night only.

I absolutely subscribe to the “treat yo self” ideology, although in much less extravagant ways. I generally love to spend money on fun little things (my pal

Lindsey Stanberry

at The Purse is going to have an absolute heart attack if she reads this). I’m less the type to need a sweet treat every time I leave the house for my mental health — although sometimes a little cone of Salt and Straw’s flavor of the month really just slaps, despite the fact that I’m mostly lactose intolerant.

I’m more the type to never hold back from an adventure because I’m trying to save money, the type to ALWAYS bring home a little souvenir for me and my friends no matter where I go (seriously … I almost brought home a sweatshirt from Taco Bell the other day). I’m pretty much always down to order a few oysters as an appetizer even if they add an extra $20 on my bill because I really, really love oysters. I have to restrict myself from popping into bookstores until I actually need a new book unless I want to leave with three (3) new ones.

Simply put: I’m just a little bit indulgent! I know it. My friends know it. I have a little bit of Donna and Tom in me. Sue me.

Part of the reason Treat Yo’ Self Day works in this episode is because we have the foil of Ben, who’s real down bad after having broken up with Leslie so she can run for City Council. Tom and Donna pick him up eating soup on a bench outside the office (for some reason I really love this gag) and drag him along for massages, acupuncture, and luxury shopping. Ben, to the shock of no one, is the biggest wet blanket alive all day. He is a tight little bundle of stress. And it just makes Tom and Donna’s antics that much more fun.

They finally crack poor Ben at the end by getting him to ball out on an authentic Batman suit — which they make them wear out of the store — before he breaks down and spills about his breakup (but doesn’t name Leslie’s name). And I know that Ben and Leslie can’t be together right now because she has to pursue her big time government dreams but let me tell ya: it still hurts.

I always thought that Ben and Leslie broke up just so she can pursue running for office. It shows how badly she wants it and how much he understands her, that he’s willing to give her up so that she can chase this dream. But I’ve never thought before about how their breakup is also formative for Ben’s character. It gives him the time and space to form relationships with other characters who may have misjudged him — and ultimately shows him how unhappy he is without Leslie. It’s a crucial plot device and it’s not one-sided. Before this episode, he really only has Leslie and Chris in his corner vouching for him — but now he has a few new friends.

Treat Yo’ Self, Ben.

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Treat Yo’ Self is the B plot in this episode, but I have to give credit where credit is due to the A and the C plots. They’re excellent. In the A plot, Leslie and Ron go head to head trying to prove their respective all girls’ and all boys’ wilderness clubs are better than the other. It was actually a struggle choosing to write about Treat Yo’ Self instead of the Pawnee Rangers — it’s so so so excellent as a storyline.

And in the C plot: pooooooor Jerry! Chris Traeger meets Jerry’s daughter (who is, objectively, hot) and strong arms Jerry into taking Chris out to lunch with her. He requests Jerry’s permission to take her on a date afterwards, and the next day reveals that that they had a lovely evening …. and that she spent the night at his house afterwards. Jerry: