Why American Retailers Love Valentine's Day
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Valentine's Day may be about love, but it also comes with a hefty price tag. The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates that Americans will spend a record $29.1 billion on February 14 in 2026. That is up from $27.5 billion last year. It is no wonder retailers look forward to the holiday each year.
So who was the saint behind this billion-dollar holiday? According to legend, Valentine was a Christian bishop in Rome around 269 AD during the reign of Claudius II. The emperor had outlawed marriage because he believed single men made better soldiers. But Valentine defied the order and secretly performed several weddings in his church.
When Claudius found out, he sentenced Valentine to death. While in prison, the young bishop fell in love with the warden’s daughter. On February 14, the day of his execution, he sent her a final letter. It was signed, "From Your Valentine." In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius set aside the day to honor Saint Valentine — and the tradition of celebrating love was born.
Over the years, people began exchanging handwritten love notes. But it was Massachusetts businesswoman Esther Howland who cam up with the idea of mass-producing cards with love messages. Today, Valentine's Day is one of the biggest revenue generators for greeting card companies.
In 1861, a British candy maker named Richard Cadbury began packaging bite-sized chocolates in heart-shaped boxes for Valentine’s Day. They were an instant success, and another tradition was born. Americans now spend over $1 billion on candy each February 14.
Flowers, mainly roses, are also very popular. About 40 percent of those who celebrate the holiday buy a bouquet for their loved ones. At inflated Valentine's Day prices, this will add up to $3.1 billion in 2026. The year's most romantic day is a favorite for wedding proposals. Hence, it is not surprising that over $7 billion is expected to be spent on jewelry, followed by about $6 billion on special dinners. Humans are not the only ones to feel the love. One-in-five Americans will also buy gifts for their pets, spending a total of $700 million!
Who would have guessed that a simple love note from a 3rd-century saint would evolve into such an extravagant — and widely celebrated — holiday?
Happy Valentine's Day!
Resources: Wikipedia.org, NRF.com, History.com
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26 Comments
vonahujuciga3 daysi dont get the point of valentines day?- jusilicamuke5 daysMy friends birthday is on Valentine's day😊
- revamiryjedi3 daysNice!
wemucizagihy5 daysand who knows the Valentine's Day started in 248 ACD. starting from the first Valentine's Day then it would come up to at least a trillions of dollars- wemucizagihy5 daysso for what you're spending and all the people in the world are spending you know it's going to make up 21 billion
adury9 daysI love valentine’s Day- revamiryjedi10 daysI honestly like Valentine's, but I'm more of a Halloween person.
vujezygemavu10 daysThis is what I would do
arwen_the_elf10 dayshow i save money: stay single
0wingfeather02 daysi was thinking the same thing😭
starlight4evaaa8 daysLOL so relatable
ohhhyeah10 daysSo true though
bookwermthebard10 daysHappy late Valentine's day!
dog8811 daysThis is my least favorite holiday.- bookwermthebard10 daysHonestly same.
