Valentine’s Day may be about celebrating love, but the fact remains that money, and lots of it, is spent to show that love. A survey, The True Cost of Love, by RetailMeNot found that people also have some hefty Valentine's Day expectations, too. It appears, at least according to the survey, that as much as we might say, “Oh, you don’t have to get me anything,” deep down we don’t agree with the sentiment. In fact, 78 percent of people plan to spend an average of $93.30 on Valentine’s Day and 80 percent expect to get at least something from their partner.
According to the National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day spending is expected to reach $19.7 billion this year. Of the 54.8 percent of those who will be celebrating it, average spending on flowers, candy, jewelry, and all that stuff is up to $146.84 per person from the $142.31 it was last year. The one product that will see the most revenue will be candy, with an expected $1.7 billion to be spent on sweets alone ― which is great news for dentists.
But as for what men and women are secretly craving to get this year differs quite a bit by gender. Here are five Valentine’s Day expectations, so you know you’re not alone in wanting the fanciest flowers on the block.
1. More Women Than Men Expect Dinner
According to the survey, women are more into dinner than men. While 52 percent of people are expecting dinner, that percentage broken down is 57 percent of women and 46 percent of men. Basically, most people want to wait in those treacherous Valentine’s Day dinner lines at the top restaurants in town. However, making dinner at home can be pretty romantic, too.
2. Most People Expect Valentine's Day Sex
Of those surveyed, 51 percent of both men and women want a Valentine’s Day lay… it is the holiday of love, so you making it seems fair. But while most people want it, men, at 54 percent, want it more than women. Only 48 percent are expecting to get laid this holiday.
3. More Women Are Expecting A Card
Valentine’s Day is a major Hallmark holiday. If it weren’t for Valentine’s Day, the card and stuffed animal business might cease to exist! That being said, 48 percent of women and 40 percent of men are expecting to get a Valentine's Day card this year from their partner.
4. Most Men Aren’t Interested In Candy
While candy is a huge business, at that whopping $1.7 billion, very few men are expecting to get one of those heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. Of the 36 percent who are expecting candy, only 26 percent are men. Women, too, aren’t severely concerned with candy, but at 47 percent, more of them are hoping for it.
5. A Third Of People Are Expecting Flowers
Flowers, in general, are always a good idea because flowers make people happy. I mean, that’s just science. And apparently the people most positively affected by flowers are women, because 47 percent of them are expecting them on Valentine’s Day. In contrast, only 21 percent of men have the flower expectation in their brain.
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