Valentine’s Day in US 2026
Every February 14, the United States transforms into a sea of red roses, heart-shaped boxes, and glittering jewelry displays — and the numbers behind this annual celebration have never been bigger. Valentine’s Day 2026 is on track to shatter every spending record ever set, with Americans projected to collectively spend a jaw-dropping $29.1 billion on gifts, dining experiences, flowers, and more. That figure represents a 5.8% increase over 2025’s previous record of $27.5 billion, and it’s growing at nearly twice the pace of overall U.S. retail sales — a stat that tells you everything you need to know about how seriously Americans take this holiday. What’s remarkable isn’t just the size of the number, but who’s driving it. Middle- and high-income consumers are expanding their gift lists well beyond romantic partners, now buying for friends, coworkers, and even pets at record rates. The average American is budgeting $199.78 this year — the highest average spend ever recorded, topping even the 2020 peak of $196.31.
What’s also shifted is the cultural definition of the holiday itself. A YouGov survey conducted February 2026 found that 59% of Americans now believe Valentine’s Day celebrates both romantic and platonic relationships — not just couples. That sentiment is reshaping how retailers market the occasion and how consumers shop for it. Galentine’s Day Google searches are up 12% year over year, and spending by single consumers during the Valentine’s season reached $3.2 billion in 2025, up 14% from five years prior. Whether you’re celebrating with a partner, your best friends, your kids, or your pet, February 14 has firmly cemented itself as America’s second-biggest consumer holiday after Christmas — and the data proves it.
Interesting Valentine’s Day Facts (2026)
Before we get into the deep statistics, here are some of the most eye-catching and surprising Valentine’s Day facts that define the holiday in America today.
| # | Valentine’s Day Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valentine’s Day 2026 total U.S. spending is projected at a record $29.1 billion | NRF / Prosper Insights & Analytics, Jan 2026 |
| 2 | Jewelry has topped Valentine’s Day spending by dollar value for 10 consecutive years | NRF, 2026 |
| 3 | Approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually in the U.S. | Greeting Card Association / U.S. Postal Service |
| 4 | 250 million roses are grown specifically for Valentine’s Day each year | Society of American Florists |
| 5 | A record 35% of consumers plan to buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets in 2026 | NRF / Prosper Insights & Analytics, Jan 2026 |
| 6 | 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men | U.S. Greeting Card Association |
| 7 | Women purchase approximately 85% of all Valentine’s Day cards sold in the U.S. | U.S. Greeting Card Association |
| 8 | Valentine’s Day is the 2nd largest card-sending holiday in America, behind only Christmas | Greeting Card Association |
| 9 | The Italian city of Verona (Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day | Verona Tourism Office |
| 10 | 59% of Americans now say Valentine’s Day celebrates both romantic AND platonic love | YouGov Survey, February 2026 |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF), Prosper Insights & Analytics, Greeting Card Association, Society of American Florists, YouGov (2026)
These facts tell a story that goes far beyond candy and roses. The holiday has evolved from a narrowly romantic occasion into a broad celebration of human connection. The sheer volume of 145 million cards exchanged each year — second only to Christmas — underscores how deeply embedded card-giving is in American culture. Meanwhile, the fact that jewelry has held the #1 spending spot for 10 straight years despite never being the most popular gift category (candy holds that crown) shows the powerful gap between what people give most often and what they spend most on. And the pet gifting statistic — $2.1 billion projected for 2026 — is no quirky sidebar. It’s a full-blown cultural shift, one where Americans increasingly view their animals as family members deserving of February 14 recognition.
Valentine’s Day Fun Facts 2026 — History, Traditions
Long before greeting cards came in glossy red envelopes and roses arrived in cellophane, Valentine’s Day was being shaped by Roman priests, medieval poets, Victorian chocolatiers, and a Boston pharmacist who accidentally invented candy. Here’s a look at the most fascinating, verified fun facts behind one of the world’s most beloved holidays.
| # | Category | Valentine’s Day Fun Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Origin / History | Valentine’s Day is believed to have been established as a feast day on February 14 in 496 A.D. by Pope Gelasius I to honor Saint Valentine of Rome, a 3rd-century Christian martyr executed around 270 A.D. by Emperor Claudius II | Britannica; History.com |
| 2 | Multiple Saints | There were actually at least two Christian martyrs named Valentine — both executed by Emperor Claudius II on February 14 in different years of the 3rd century A.D. | NPR; History.com |
| 3 | First Love Poem | The first literary connection between Valentine’s Day and romantic love appears in Geoffrey Chaucer’s 1382 poem Parliament of Fowls, in which he wrote about birds choosing their mates on “Seynt Valentynes day” | History.com; Smithsonian Magazine |
| 4 | Oldest Surviving Valentine | The oldest known surviving Valentine in the English language is a love poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after the Battle of Agincourt — it is now held in the British Library, London | Northern Wilds Magazine; British Library |
| 5 | Heart-Shaped Chocolate Box | Richard Cadbury (son of Cadbury founder John Cadbury) invented the world’s first heart-shaped box of chocolates in 1861 to market excess cocoa butter, and hand-painted many of the lids himself | History.com; Guinness World Records; Smithsonian |
| 6 | Conversation Hearts | Candy conversation hearts originated in 1847 when Boston pharmacist Oliver Chase invented a lozenge-making machine; his brother Daniel started printing messages on them in 1866, and they got their iconic heart shape in 1901 | History.com |
| 7 | Cupid’s Origin | Cupid — the winged cherub of Valentine’s Day — traces back to ancient Greece’s Eros, believed to have first appeared in mythology around 700 B.C. He was originally depicted as a handsome young man, not a chubby baby | History.com; Time |
| 8 | First Mass-Produced Cards (U.S.) | American Esther Howland began producing the first mass-manufactured Valentine’s Day cards in the United States in the 1840s, using embossed paper lace and colorful scraps, earning her the title “Mother of the American Valentine” | Greeting Card Association; History.com |
| 9 | The “From Your Valentine” Phrase | According to legend, Saint Valentine signed a farewell letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter before his execution — creating the enduring phrase still used today, over 1,750 years later | Britannica; Northern Wilds Magazine |
| 10 | Valentine’s Day & Birds | In medieval Europe, it was widely believed that February 14 was the first day birds began choosing their mates for the spring — a belief that helped cement the holiday’s romantic associations centuries before commercial greeting cards existed | Britannica; History.com |
| 11 | Japan’s Reverse Tradition | In Japan, a unique reversal applies: women give chocolate to men on Valentine’s Day (February 14), and men reciprocate exactly one month later on White Day (March 14) — a custom established by Japanese candy companies in 1978 | Industry / cultural records |
| 12 | Heart-Shaped Boxes Today | More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are sold in the United States every year, a tradition that traces its origin directly to Richard Cadbury’s 1861 innovation | Good Housekeeping; Industry data |
Source: History.com, Britannica, Smithsonian Magazine, NPR, British Library, Guinness World Records, Greeting Card Association, Northern Wilds Magazine, Good Housekeeping
What makes these fun facts so compelling is the enormous stretch of time they span — from ancient Rome’s Lupercalia festival around 700 B.C. all the way to a Boston pharmacy bench in 1847 and a Victorian chocolate factory floor in 1861. The holiday we know today as Valentine’s Day wasn’t built by a single act of commercial invention; it was assembled piece by piece over nearly two millennia. Geoffrey Chaucer gave it its first romantic literary framing. Charles, Duke of Orleans, gave it its first surviving written valentine while sitting in a prison cell. Esther Howland gave it the mass-market greeting card. And Richard Cadbury gave it the heart-shaped chocolate box — a format so perfect it is still the dominant Valentine’s gift packaging 163 years later. These aren’t just quirky footnotes to a commercial holiday. They’re evidence of how deeply human the impulse to express love actually is, threading its way through war, imprisonment, religious politics, and Victorian-era marketing alike.
The cultural variations are equally fascinating. Japan’s reverse Valentine’s tradition — where women give, men receive, then reciprocate on White Day a full month later — shows how the same holiday can be completely reimagined by a different culture’s social norms and reshaped by the candy industry in a single generation. The “from your Valentine” phrase, if the legend holds, has been in continuous human use for over 1,750 years — making it arguably one of the oldest recurring phrases in the English-speaking world’s love vocabulary. And the conversation heart, now a $45-million-per-season candy category, began as a medicine lozenge for sore throats. Every element of Valentine’s Day as Americans know it today has an origin story worth knowing — and most of them are stranger, older, and more human than the holiday’s modern commercial surface would suggest.
Valentine’s Day Trivia 2026 — Surprising, Strange & Totally True
Valentine’s Day holds more hidden trivia than almost any other holiday on the calendar — from gangster massacres and Victorian insult cards to a website that accidentally launched on February 14. Here are the most fascinating, verified trivia facts that will surprise even the most devoted Valentine’s fan.
| # | Trivia Category | Valentine’s Day Trivia Fact | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve” | The phrase traces back to a Roman festival honoring Juno, goddess of love and marriage, where men drew women’s names and wore them pinned to their sleeve for a week — making their chosen valentine publicly visible | Smithsonian Magazine; History.com |
| 2 | Hallmark’s Origin | Hallmark began selling Valentine’s Day postcards in 1910, added greeting cards in 1913, and printed its very first own-design Valentine’s Day card in 1916 — all after a fire in 1915 destroyed its postcard inventory | Hallmark Corporate; History.com |
| 3 | “Vinegar Valentines” | In the Victorian era, alongside romantic cards, a thriving market existed for “Vinegar Valentines” (also called penny dreadfuls) — anonymous, deliberately cruel cards mailed to insult a recipient’s appearance, profession, or marital status. The Chicago Post Office in the early 1900s refused to deliver over 25,000 postcards deemed too offensive to handle | History.com; HISTORY.com |
| 4 | YouTube Founded on Valentine’s Day | YouTube was registered as a domain and officially launched as a dating website on February 14, 2005 by founders Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim — making one of the internet’s biggest platforms technically a Valentine’s Day creation | Nerdist; multiple tech history sources |
| 5 | St. Valentine’s Day Massacre | On February 14, 1929, notorious Chicago gangster Al Capone orchestrated the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, in which 7 members of rival Bugs Moran’s gang were executed in a Chicago warehouse — one of the most infamous crimes in American history | History.com; TIME |
| 6 | 220,000 Proposals | An average of 220,000 marriage proposals take place in the United States on Valentine’s Day each year, making it one of the top two most popular proposal days alongside Christmas | Parade; Quizlet / multiple survey sources |
| 7 | King Henry VIII Made It Official | King Henry VIII of England officially declared February 14 a holiday in 1537 via a Royal Charter — giving the day its first formal governmental recognition in the English-speaking world | Hallmark; South Florida Reporter |
| 8 | California Leads U.S. Rose Growing | California is the leading U.S. rose-producing state — but accounts for only about 20% of roses sold on Valentine’s Day in America. The remaining ~80% are imported, primarily from Colombia and Ecuador | Fun Fact Co.; Society of American Florists |
| 9 | Red Is Proven More Attractive | Peer-reviewed psychology studies have shown that both men and women perceive members of the opposite sex as more attractive when they are wearing red or standing in front of a red background — giving science-backed evidence to why Valentine’s Day red dominates the holiday’s aesthetic | SignUpGenius; academic sources |
| 10 | Conversation Hearts’ 5-Year Shelf Life | Conversation hearts (Sweethearts) have a shelf life of up to 5 years — meaning the chalky candy hearts you buy in February 2026 could technically still be edible in 2031 | North County Daily Star; multiple confectionery sources |
| 11 | Shakespeare Referenced Valentine’s Day | William Shakespeare referenced the holiday in Hamlet (written around 1600), with Ophelia singing “Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day” — placing Valentine’s in one of the greatest literary works in history | TIME; History.com |
| 12 | Hershey’s Kisses Were Born in 1907 | Hershey’s Kisses, now one of the most popular Valentine’s Day treats in America, were introduced by Milton S. Hershey in 1907 — just 14 years after he founded the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 | Nerdist; History.com |
| 13 | February 14 Banned in Some Countries | Valentine’s Day is officially banned in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Indonesia on religious or cultural grounds — yet underground gifting of flowers and chocolates still occurs widely in each country every year | North County Daily Star; PatPat Trivia 2026 |
| 14 | Facebook Relationship Changes Peak | February 14 sees the highest number of “In a Relationship” status changes on Facebook of any day of the year — while February 15 records the highest number of changes to “Single” of any single day | Fun Fact Co. / social data research |
Source: History.com, Smithsonian Magazine, Hallmark Corporate, HISTORY.com, TIME Magazine, Nerdist, Parade, Fun Fact Co., PatPat Trivia 2026, North County Daily Star, South Florida Reporter
Some of the best Valentine’s Day trivia sits at the intersection of romance and chaos. The fact that YouTube — now used by over 2 billion people — was technically launched as a Valentine’s Day dating site in 2005 before pivoting to become the world’s dominant video platform is the kind of origin story that even most tech insiders don’t know. Similarly, the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929 permanently attached the holiday’s name to one of the most notorious criminal acts in U.S. history, creating a strange duality where February 14 carries both the world’s most romantic associations and one of its most chilling headlines. King Henry VIII’s 1537 Royal Charter establishing the holiday adds royal gravitas to what many dismiss as a purely commercial occasion — and the “Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve” phrase tracing back to a literal Roman festival lottery is a reminder that the language of Valentine’s Day is older than most people ever realize.
The consumer and pop-culture trivia is equally rich. 220,000 proposals happen on a single day every year, putting enormous pressure on one of the most important decisions a person will ever make into a 24-hour window. California dominates U.S. rose production but still covers less than one-fifth of the roses Americans demand on February 14 — meaning the holiday’s floral industry is genuinely global, with Colombia and Ecuador supplying the majority of stems. And the Conversation Heart’s 5-year shelf life means that the same chalky candy texture people have complained about for generations isn’t a freshness issue — it’s baked into the product by design. Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a pop-culture fanatic, or simply someone who wants to have the best dinner conversation on February 14, these trivia facts prove the holiday has layers that its red-and-pink commercial surface barely hints at.
Valentine’s Day Total Spending Statistics 2026 — Year-by-Year Trend (NRF Data)
| Year | Total U.S. Spending | Average Spend Per Person | % Celebrating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $20.7 billion | $161.96 | 55% |
| 2020 | $27.4 billion | $196.31 | 52% |
| 2021 | $21.8 billion | $164.76 | 52% |
| 2022 | $23.9 billion | $175.41 | 53% |
| 2023 | $25.9 billion | $192.80 | 52% |
| 2024 | $25.8 billion | $185.81 | 53% |
| 2025 | $27.5 billion | $188.81 | 56% |
| 2026 | $29.1 billion | $199.78 | 55% |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) & Prosper Insights & Analytics Annual Valentine’s Day Consumer Spending Surveys, 2019–2026
The Valentine’s Day spending trend from 2019 to 2026 is one of the more fascinating economic stories in U.S. retail. Spending hit a then-record $27.4 billion in 2020 — right before the pandemic — then dropped sharply to $21.8 billion in 2021 as dining restrictions and lockdowns decimated the “evening out” category. The recovery was swift: 2022 through 2025 saw consistent year-over-year growth, and 2026 smashes all prior records at $29.1 billion. The average per-person budget of $199.78 is particularly telling — it’s the first time this figure has approached the $200 mark, and it marks a 5.8% jump from 2025’s $188.81. What’s worth noting is that the percentage of Americans celebrating the holiday has remained relatively stable in the 52–56% range over this entire period. The spending growth isn’t coming from more people joining in — it’s coming from existing celebrants spending significantly more, particularly those in middle- and high-income brackets expanding their gift lists.
Valentine’s Day Gift Category Spending Statistics 2026 — What Americans Are Buying
| Gift Category | % of Consumers Buying | Total Projected Spend (2026) | Total Projected Spend (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candy / Sweets | 56% | Not separately disclosed | $2.5 billion |
| Flowers | 41% | $3.1 billion | $2.9 billion |
| Greeting Cards | 41% | Approx. $1.4 billion | $1.4 billion |
| Evening Out / Dining | 39% | $6.3 billion | $5.4 billion |
| Jewelry | 25% | $7.0 billion | $6.5 billion |
| Clothing / Apparel | Included | $3.5 billion | Not separately listed |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) & Prosper Insights & Analytics, January 2026 Survey (n=7,791 adult U.S. consumers)
There’s a fascinating paradox at the heart of Valentine’s Day gift statistics that this table makes crystal clear: candy is the most popular gift (chosen by 56% of consumers), but jewelry commands the most dollars at $7 billion. This is not a new phenomenon — jewelry has topped Valentine’s Day spending by dollar value for 10 consecutive years, per the NRF. The reason is simple math: candy might be purchased by more people, but the average jewelry purchase is dramatically higher in value. The $7 billion jewelry figure for 2026 represents an 8% jump from the $6.5 billion recorded in 2025, driven in part by gold prices rising 66% year-over-year according to LendingTree data. Meanwhile, dining out at $6.3 billion reflects a significant rebound from pandemic-era lows — full-service restaurant prices are up 4.9% from a year ago per the National Restaurant Association, yet consumers are clearly willing to pay more for the experience. Flowers at $3.1 billion also face inflationary headwinds, with extreme weather in early 2026 pushing some bouquet prices up 15% according to the Society of American Florists.
Valentine’s Day Spending by Gift Recipient 2026 — Who Gets the Most Love?
| Gift Recipient | % of Celebrants Buying | Total Expected Spend (2026) | Total Expected Spend (2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Significant Other / Spouse | 83% | $14.5 billion | $14.6 billion |
| Other Family Members | Majority | $4.5 billion | $4.3 billion |
| Friends | 32% | Included in total | Included |
| Co-Workers / Colleagues | 19% | Included in total | Included |
| Pets | 35% (record) | $2.1 billion | $1.7 billion |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) & Prosper Insights & Analytics, January 2026; Empower Personal Dashboard, 2026
The $14.5 billion that Americans plan to spend on significant others in 2026 remains the single largest chunk of Valentine’s Day spending — representing roughly half of total projected expenditure. But what’s arguably more interesting is what’s happening on the margins. Pet gifting hit a record $2.1 billion in 2026, a massive $400 million jump from 2025’s $1.7 billion — a 23.5% year-over-year increase that reflects the explosive growth of the pet humanization trend. At the same time, co-worker gifting at 19% and friend gifting at 32% are both at or near record highs. The holiday’s definition has genuinely expanded. When 83% of celebrants are buying for a significant other but the remaining gift budget is increasingly spread across pets, friends, and colleagues, the data tells a clear cultural story: Valentine’s Day in 2026 is less about romantic exclusivity and more about celebrating every meaningful relationship in your life. This shift is also visible in the YouGov finding that 59% of Americans now see the holiday as a celebration of both romantic and platonic bonds.
Valentine’s Day Flowers & Roses Statistics 2026
| Flowers Statistic | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| % of consumers buying flowers | 41% | NRF, 2026 |
| Total flower spending (2026) | $3.1 billion | NRF, 2026 |
| % of annual holiday flower purchases | 30% of all holiday floral sales | Society of American Florists |
| Roses grown specifically for Valentine’s Day | ~250 million stems | Society of American Florists |
| % of Valentine’s Day floral sales that are cut flowers | 79% | Society of American Florists |
| Valentine’s Day rose price increase (pre-holiday) | 30–50% higher (Feb 10–14) | Industry average |
| % of men who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day | 73% | U.S. Greeting Card Association |
| Expected bouquet price increase (2026, weather impact) | Up to 15% | Society of American Florists |
Source: Society of American Florists; National Retail Federation (NRF) 2026; U.S. Greeting Card Association
Valentine’s Day is, without question, the single most important moment in the U.S. floral industry calendar. The fact that 30% of all holiday flower purchases happen on or around February 14 — outpacing Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Thanksgiving — gives florists their most concentrated revenue window of the year. The $3.1 billion projected for 2026 in flower spending is a number built on a supply chain that plans months in advance. Those 250 million roses grown specifically for this one day represent an enormous agricultural commitment, one that’s particularly vulnerable to weather disruption. In 2026, early February cold snaps across southern growing regions pushed some bouquet prices up to 15% higher, according to the Society of American Florists. The gender breakdown is stark: 73% of Valentine’s flower buyers are men, making red roses one of the most gender-skewed purchasing categories in all of retail. Cut flowers dominate the category at 79% of floral sales, with flowering plants, bedding plants, and green plants accounting for the remainder.
Valentine’s Day Greeting Card Statistics 2026
| Greeting Cards Statistic | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cards exchanged annually in the U.S. | ~145 million | Greeting Card Association / USPS |
| Rank among card-sending holidays | #2 (behind Christmas) | Greeting Card Association |
| % of cards purchased by women | ~85% | U.S. Greeting Card Association |
| % purchased in the 6 days before the holiday | Over 50% | Greeting Card Association |
| % of Valentine’s cards sent to friends (not romantic partners) | ~25% | Greeting Card Association |
| Most cards received by (any group) | Teachers | Greeting Card Association |
| Global cards exchanged annually | Over 1 billion | Industry estimates |
Source: Greeting Card Association (GCA); U.S. Postal Service; Spectrio / GCA industry reports
The greeting card remains one of the most enduring Valentine’s Day traditions, with 145 million cards changing hands in the United States every year — a figure that places the holiday firmly in second place on the national card-sending calendar, behind only Christmas. The 85% female purchasing rate is one of the most striking statistics in all of Valentine’s Day data: women are overwhelmingly the ones buying and sending cards, even though men are more likely to be the bigger overall spenders on the holiday. The fact that over 50% of all cards are purchased in the six days immediately before February 14 creates a genuinely intense retail sprint for greeting card companies and retailers alike. Perhaps the most surprising card fact is about recipients — teachers receive more Valentine’s Day cards than any other single group, driven by classroom traditions where students give cards to every classmate and their teacher. This classroom dynamic also explains why the raw volume of 145 million is actually a conservative figure; packaged kids’ classroom valentines are often excluded from official counts.
Valentine’s Day Pet Spending Statistics 2026
| Pet Spending Statistic | 2026 Data | 2025 Data | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total pet Valentine’s spending | $2.1 billion | $1.7 billion | +23.5% |
| % of consumers buying gifts for pets | 35% (record) | 32% | +3 pts |
| Average spend per pet owner | $31.24 (dogs) / $27.42 (cats) | Similar | Slight increase |
| Consumers spending on pets AND friends | Record levels | Previous record | New high |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) & Prosper Insights & Analytics, January 2026; Capital One Shopping Research, 2026
Pet gifting on Valentine’s Day has moved from a quirky trend into a genuine retail category worth over $2 billion. The $400 million year-over-year increase from 2025 to 2026 is not a statistical blip — it’s the continuation of a multi-year acceleration in pet humanization spending. 35% of all Valentine’s Day celebrants now plan to buy something for their pet, whether that’s a treat, a toy, a bandana, or an elaborate gift set. This is a record high, surpassing the previous peak from 2025. For context, the average pet owner spends $31.24 on their dog and $27.42 on their cat for Valentine’s Day, per Capital One Shopping research. Empower Personal Dashboard data adds a broader picture: consumers spent an average of $350 per month on pets and pet care in 2025, an 11.5% increase from 2024 — meaning the Valentine’s Day spike doesn’t exist in isolation; it sits atop a broader cultural trend of elevated pet spending year-round. As Phil Rist of Prosper Insights & Analytics put it in the NRF’s 2026 report, “Whether it’s a dog, cat or other animal, consumers are looking to celebrate their pets this Valentine’s Day with a special toy, accessory or treat.”
Valentine’s Day Shopping Location Statistics 2026 — Where Americans Buy Their Gifts
| Shopping Channel | % of Shoppers Using (2026) | % of Shoppers Using (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Online (e-commerce) | 38% | 38% |
| Department Stores | 35% | 34% |
| Discount Stores | 30% | 29% |
| Specialty Stores | 21% | 18% |
| Florists | 18% | 18% |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) & Prosper Insights & Analytics, January 2026 (n=7,791 adult U.S. consumers)
Online shopping holds steady as the top Valentine’s Day purchase channel in 2026, with 38% of shoppers choosing to buy digitally — consistent with 2025. What’s notable is that this figure has stabilized after years of rapid growth, suggesting that the shift to online Valentine’s gifting has largely matured. Department stores (35%) and discount stores (30%) remain firmly in the mix, reflecting that not all Valentine’s Day shoppers are premium spenders — a large swath of consumers are hunting for deals and convenience at big-box and mass-market retail environments. Specialty stores saw the biggest year-over-year gain, jumping from 18% to 21%, potentially reflecting consumer interest in more curated, artisan, or personalized gifts. The florist channel at 18% holds steady and remains important for its concentration of last-minute, high-margin purchases. The overall picture here is one of multi-channel shopping behavior: the average Valentine’s Day shopper isn’t exclusively online or in-store — they’re likely hitting two or three channels in the days leading up to February 14.
Valentine’s Day Demographics — Who Celebrates & Spends the Most in 2026
| Demographic Group | Participation Rate | Average Spend | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults aged 18–34 | ~78% | ~$196 per person | Highest participation group |
| Adults aged 35–44 | ~67% | Highest dollar spend | Top spenders by age group |
| Adults aged 45–54 | ~60% | Moderate | Declining with age |
| Adults 55–64 | ~56% | ~$145 | Steady participants |
| Adults 65+ | ~44% | ~$102 | Lowest participation |
| Men | 55% plan to celebrate | ~$235 (historically) | Up from 51% in 2024 |
| Women | ~50% | ~$115 (historically) | Higher card/gift purchase rate |
| Consumers 18–44 (combined) | Most likely to celebrate | Above average | NRF / Numerator, 2026 |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF); Numerator Annual Survey 2026; YouGov February 2026; Capital One Shopping Research 2026
The age and gender breakdown of Valentine’s Day participation reveals a holiday with a very clear demographic profile. Adults aged 18–34 are the most likely to celebrate (roughly 78% participation), driven by active dating culture, heavy social media exposure to Valentine’s Day content, and susceptibility to holiday marketing. But in terms of spending, it’s the 35–44 age group that consistently outspends everyone else — individuals in this bracket are typically at peak earning years, often in established relationships, and statistically the most willing to spend significantly on their partners. The gender gap in spending is one of the most consistently reported statistics in Valentine’s Day research: men historically spend nearly twice as much as women on the holiday, with male averages around $235 versus female averages of $115. Yet women drive the card and gift purchasing behavior — buying 85% of greeting cards and the majority of friend and family gifts. The 55% of men who plan to celebrate in 2026 is at a multi-year high, up from 51% in 2024, suggesting growing male engagement with the holiday across all its forms.
Valentine’s Day Candy & Chocolate Statistics 2026
| Candy Statistic | Data Point | Source |
|---|---|---|
| % of consumers buying candy | 56% (most popular gift) | NRF, 2026 |
| Pounds of candy & chocolate sold in Valentine’s week | ~58 million pounds | Industry estimates |
| Chocolate/candy price increase (2026 vs. 2025) | ~30% for premium brands | NRF / Retail analysts |
| Valentine’s week share of annual U.S. chocolate revenue | ~10% | Industry data |
| % of consumers buying candy for themselves | ~47% | Capital One Shopping Research |
Source: National Retail Federation (NRF) 2026; Capital One Shopping Research; ScalaHosting Valentine’s Day Research 2025–2026
Candy remains the single most popular Valentine’s Day gift for the seventh consecutive year, chosen by 56% of all consumers who plan to celebrate in 2026. The sheer volume — approximately 58 million pounds of candy and chocolate sold during Valentine’s week — makes this one of the most significant seasonal events in the U.S. confectionery calendar. Roughly 10% of annual U.S. chocolate revenue is generated in the two weeks surrounding February 14. But 2026 brings a notable complication: premium chocolate prices are up roughly 30% year-over-year for brands like Lindt and Russell Stover, driven by cocoa price surges that began in 2024. This is making the classic heart-shaped box more expensive than ever, yet consumer demand remains strong. Perhaps the most interesting data point in this category is self-purchase behavior: 47% of Valentine’s Day consumers plan to buy themselves candy, reflecting a broader “self-love” trend that has reshaped the holiday. Valentine’s Day candy is no longer just a gift — it’s increasingly a personal indulgence, and retailers and confectioners have adapted their marketing accordingly.
Valentine’s Day 2026 — Key WalletHub & YouGov Consumer Sentiment Data
| Sentiment Statistic | Data Point | Survey Source |
|---|---|---|
| % who say Valentine’s Day is unaffordable | 2 in 5 (40%) | WalletHub, 2026 |
| % who say holiday celebrates romantic + platonic love | 59% | YouGov, Feb 2026 |
| % who enjoy Valentine’s Day MORE than an average day | 16% | YouGov, Feb 2026 |
| % who enjoy Valentine’s Day LESS than an average day | 22% | YouGov, Feb 2026 |
| % who have been disappointed by partner’s celebration | 26% | YouGov, Feb 2026 |
| Women disappointed by partner’s Valentine’s effort | 39% | YouGov, Feb 2026 |
| % of non-celebrants still marking the occasion | 31% | NRF, 2026 |
| Galentine’s Day search growth (YoY) | +12% | Google Trends / Empower, Feb 2026 |
Source: WalletHub Valentine’s Day Survey 2026; YouGov Survey (n=1,114 U.S. adults, Jan 29–Feb 1, 2026); NRF & Prosper Insights & Analytics Jan 2026; Google Trends via Empower, February 2026
Behind the record-breaking spending headlines, a more nuanced picture of Valentine’s Day sentiment emerges from 2026 survey data. While the aggregate numbers are at all-time highs, 2 in 5 Americans (40%) told WalletHub that Valentine’s Day activities are simply not affordable this year — a reflection of persistent inflationary pressure on dining, flowers, and jewelry prices. The YouGov data adds further texture: only 16% of Americans say they genuinely enjoy Valentine’s Day more than a regular day, while 22% actually enjoy it less. The holiday pressure component is real, and women feel it most acutely — 39% of women say they’ve been disappointed by a partner who didn’t do enough to celebrate, versus only 13% of men. And yet, the cultural momentum is clearly positive overall: Galentine’s Day searches are up 12% year over year, 31% of non-celebrants still plan to mark the occasion in some way, and the $3.2 billion in spending by single consumers shows that even those without romantic partners are finding meaningful ways to participate. The data paints a holiday in healthy evolution — more inclusive, more expensive, more emotionally complicated, and more commercially powerful than ever.
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