Top 10 Not-So-Surprising Facts About Valentine’s Day

While most women consider Valentine’s Day to be a celebration of love and intimacy, many men consider it nothing more than an artificial holiday cooked up by the floral and greeting card industries. While the reality might rest somewhere in between, a few interesting statistics prove that February 14 is a significant day. However, exactly what makes it significant may surprise you.

10. Women Spend Half As Much As Men

Although women tend to make a bigger deal about Valentine’s Day than men, when it comes to money spent, they are only half as committed to the holiday as their masculine counterparts. Last year, on average, each American male spent over $150 dollars on Valentine’s day gifts on his respective love interest. The average woman, on the other hand, dolled out only 85 bucks.

9. Condom Sales Are Highest on Valentine’s Day

According to condom giant Durex, prophylactic sales are about 25 percent higher than usual on Valentine’s Day. This interesting fact may help explain the statistics reported in fact ten. The reality is that men become awfully generous around February 14 and fact number nine seems to reveal why.

8. March and Pregnancy Tests go Hand in Hand

This interesting fact seems to follow naturally from number nine. Statistically, at-home pregnancy test sales reach their zenith in the month following Valentine’s Day as the consequences of all those romantic couplings are realized.

7. Florists Make A Killing Around Valentine’s Day

It may come as no surprise to learn that florists tend to jack up their prices around February 14. However, the actual dollar amounts are eye-popping. The cost of a dozen roses skyrockets as much as 30 percent around the romantic season reaching as high as $100 when individual stocks run low.

6. Millions Purchase Valentines for Their Pets

You may think the day of love is only for those in romantic relationships. However, single people need love too, and when a suitable human is not available, they turn to the next best thing. According to several surveys, as many as nine million people purchase Valentine’s Day presents for their pets each year.

5. Women Don’t Need Men on Valentine’s Day

If you’ve ever seen women comparing Valentine’s Day bouquets at the office, you know size does matter. However, as far as many women are concerned, anything is better than nothing. Surprisingly, as much as 15 percent of American women send themselves roses on February 14 to save face in front of their judging co-workers.

4. Romance is Only A Tiny Part Valentine’s Day

Although it may seem like the greeting card industry relies on the promise of sex for much of its sales, romantic encounters have nothing to do with the majority of their profits. Statistically, most Valentine money is spent on teachers, followed by children, moms and, finally, wives and girlfriends.

3. Women Prefer Cards to Flowers

When it comes to Valentines Day, women are relatively miserly compared to their free-spending husbands and boyfriends. However, they do appear to rank higher in sentimentality. Of the one billion valentines purchased every year, females are responsible for over 80 percent of all sales.

2. Flowers Are A Man’s Best Friend

While women prefer to express their romantic feelings through a carefully-selected greeting card, men seem to prefer the traditional means. Husbands and boyfriends buy over seventy percent of all the flowers bought on Valentine’s Day each year.

1. In Japan, Men Receive More Valentines

Just as mega-jeweler De Beers used clever marketing to cultivated the traditional presentation of a diamond as an engagement present in the U.S., Japanese companies have forged a similar campaign to encourage spending on Valentine’s Day. Except their marketing ploy is aimed at women. Thanks to a powerful campaign by the Japan’s chocolate industry, Japanese women are now traditionally expected to purchase chocolate for their men every Valentine’s Day.

by Ryan Lawrence

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