Looking for heart-shaped pizza, doughnuts, nuggets, and other Valentine’s Day treats in 2025? Wondering when Valentine’s Day falls this year? The romantic holiday always lands on February 14th, with 2025 placing it on the Friday before a long weekend for many, as President’s Day follows on Monday, February 17.
The history behind why Valentine’s Day is celebrated in February is shrouded in various theories. While some attribute it to the commemoration of St. Valentine’s death, the patron saint of lovers, epilepsy patients, and beekeepers, others suggest that the Catholic Church strategically placed the holiday to coincide with the pagan festival of Lupercalia in an effort to Christianize the celebration.
Lupercalia, an ancient Roman festival, was known for its wild festivities, including animal sacrifices and matchmaking lotteries leading to marriages. Over time, the Christianization of Lupercalia saw the transformation of the festival into the Valentine’s Day we know today.
The modern-day celebration of Valentine’s Day, characterized by the exchange of romantic gestures like flowers, chocolates, and cards, can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Geoffrey Chaucer’s “Parlement of Foules” is often credited with popularizing the idea of Valentine’s Day as a romantic tradition.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, retailers capitalize on the occasion, with sales of flowers, cards, candies, and gifts contributing to a significant boost in revenue. The tradition of gift-giving on Valentine’s Day continues to thrive, keeping the spirit of love and romance alive.
Valentine’s Day is approaching, and this year, Gen Z is gearing up to splurge the most on this romantic occasion. According to a survey conducted by CouponFollow, they are planning to allocate an average budget of approximately $235 for Valentine’s Day. Surprisingly, one out of every ten Zoomers confessed to going overboard with their spending.
Looking ahead to 2025, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts that consumers are set to collectively spend a whopping $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day. This figure reflects a substantial increase compared to previous years, with an expected $10.2 billion surge from 2014. Despite this significant leap in spending, it is noted that the jump from the expenditure in 2020 isn’t as dramatic.
In 2020, consumers shelled out a total of $27.4 billion on Valentine’s Day, which was $6.7 billion more than the previous year and a notable $5.6 billion higher than the following year. Wondering what items top the shopping lists on Valentine’s Day? The NRF suggests that the three most sought-after gifts this year will be candy, flowers, and cards.
The tradition of exchanging Valentine’s Day cards traces its origins back to the 1500s, as per Britannica. During the 18th century, it became customary for individuals from all walks of life to exchange tokens of affection or handwritten notes. The concept of commercially produced valentines blossomed in the United States during the 1840s, thanks to Esther A. Howland, recognized as the “Mother of the Valentine.”
By 1900, printed cards featuring iconic symbols like Cupid were gaining popularity, gradually replacing handwritten letters. Notably, the printing technology advancements spearheaded by a company that later evolved into Hallmark played a pivotal role in this shift. Presently, Hallmark estimates that a staggering 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, ranking Valentine’s Day as the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.
Valentine’s Day is not confined to the United States, as it is also celebrated in countries like Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia. February 14 serves as a universal day for people worldwide to express their feelings of love and romance.
