Valentine's Day Statistics

According to the Nation Retail Federation, we have had quite a spending curve over the last five years. Since 2007 marked the last sales figures pre-recession, it's a great benchmark to work towards again.

So how much does the average Joe/Jane spend each year on Valentine's Day merchandise? Take a look:

2007 - $119.67

2008 - $122.98

2009 - $102.50

2010 - $103.00

2011 - $116.21

Seems after bottoming out at a still impressive $102.50, we are on the climb again -- love is in the air!  

1. 53% of American girlfriends would kick their boyfriends to the curb if they didn't get something for Valentine's Day.
2. Despite it being a holiday about "romantic love". the top three people to receive Valentine's are 1. Teachers, 2. Children 3. Mothers
3. 15% of American women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day
4. Every Valentine's Day, the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet. 
5. Cupid became popular with Valentine's Day because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. He often appears on Valentine cards with his bow and arrows. It is believed he uses the magical bow and arrows to inspire feelings of love. 
6. The red rose was the favorite flower of Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Red stands for strong feelings which is why a red rose is a flower of love.

According to a survey by the Retail Advertising and Marketing Association in 2011, the following are the percentages of what items (allowing for multiple answers) Valentine's Day gift givers are giving to those on their list:

Candy - 47.5%

Flowers - 34.3%

Cards - 52.1%

Jewelry - 17.3%

Dining/Evening Out - 34.6%

Clothing - 14.4%

Gift Cards - 12.6% 

Other Gifts - 11.2%

These percentages translate into big money for niche retailers. For instance, jewelry may only be at 17.3% as a gift but that translates into $3.5 billion for the jewelry industry. Flowers will account for a cool $1.7 billion on flowers and $3.4 billion in dining out. 

Now you know some statistics and fun facts about Valentine's Day. Get your list ready and start coming up with ideas. It will be here quicker than you think and you don't want to be in the 53% that may be dumped if you forget this romantic holiday!