5th largest consumer spending event of the year //
Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day, began as a Western Christian feast day honoring an early Christian martyr named Saint Valentine. It became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries when courtly love flourished, and in association with the “lovebirds” of early spring. In 18th-century England, couples began marking the occasion by presenting flowers, confections, and valentines, or greeting cards, that expressed their love. It occurs annually on February 14th.
Consumer Insights
Valentine’s Day comes in at #5 on the National Retail Foundation’s (NRF’s) list of top consumer spending events. The NRF partners with Prosper Insights & Analytics to conduct annual surveys gauging consumers’ spending intentions and celebration plans around major holidays and collective milestones. The following information is from their Valentine’s Day survey in 2024.
Timing
According to historical Google Trends data from 2023, interest in Valentine’s Day gifts begins right after Christmas with a steady increase up to Valentine’s Day when it peaks with those last minute shoppers.
Retail Promotions
Retailers roll out plenty of deals for Valentine’s Day in the weeks leading up to Feb. 14. Beyond the traditional gifts for spouses and significant others, savvy brands promote gifts for pets, coworkers, friends, family, and for those celebrating self-love or “me time.” From self-care products and boxes by beauty brands to boxes of cupcakes for the office, it’s all about sharing the love.
Marketing Resources
To help you pull together your promotional content and marketing materials quickly we’ve curated some resources to inspire your planning.
Valentine’s Day Hashtags
Help your content get discovered on social media with relevant hashtags. Popular hashtags include: #ValentinesDay #GalentinesDay #BeMyValentine #BeMine #Love #Valentine #HugAndKisses
Valentine’s Day Pictures
There are a number of wonderful websites that offer free photos for both commercial and noncommercial use, one of our favorites is Unsplash. Below is a small selection of the images we have curated for Valentine’s Day.
Click below to view and download free photos from our full Unsplash Collection. Find out more about their free to use license and how to give the photographer credit, not required, but appreciated.
Valentine’s Day Sayings
Celebrate romance and friendship with Valentine’s Day quotes and sayings.
“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones, Engineer
“Grow old with me! The best is yet to be.” – Robert Browning, Poet
“Without Valentine’s Day, February would be…well, January.” – Jim Gaffigan, Comedian
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” – Helen Keller, Author
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” – Charles M. Schulz, Cartoonist
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” – Wiliam Shakespeare, Poet
“Loving is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Poet
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Lao Tzu, Philosopher
“The heart has its reasons, which reason knows not.” – Blaise Pascal, Mathematician
“There is nothing better than a friend unless it is a friend with chocolate.” – Linda Grayson, Author
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