For many couples, Valentine’s Day 2021 wasn’t quite what they would have wished. Around the world, restrictions on travel, rules about mask-wearing and local and national lockdowns served to dampen the romance. Finder reports that people in the UK went from spending an average of £35 per person on Valentine’s Day in 2020 to spending £23 in 2021. This was mirrored in many other countries.
Time for some romance
As such, there’s now plenty of enthusiasm for making up for last year. According to the National Retail Federation, 53% of people in the US plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day in 2022. That’s over half the population thinking about flowers, cards, jewelry and all the other trappings of modern-day romance.
Individuals are thinking about their appearance too, with 54% of people in a recent All Things Hair survey reporting they plan to try a new style for Valentine’s Day. After 2021’s subdued celebrations, many individuals are clearly ready for a change.
Bloggers get in on the action
Of course, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about couples enjoying a romantic dinner together. There’s a vast industry that serves this popular holiday. In the US, for example, Americans collectively spent $21.8 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2021 (even spending a whopping $1.7 billion on gifts for pets, according to the National Retail Federation). Spending in 2022 is expected to rise to a total of $23.9 billion.
Retailers and the hospitality industry have been gearing up enthusiastically for Valentine’s Day, which in many countries marks the first major post-Christmas/New Year spending splurge. Bloggers too have been getting ready, with everything from listicles to gift recommendations climbing the rankings. According to Google Trends, the most searched-for terms this year have included ‘unique Valentine’s Day gifts’, ‘Valentine’s Day gifts for him’ and ‘Valentine’s Day gifts for her’. Unsurprising perhaps, but nonetheless a clear indication that couples are ready to embrace the romance once more this year – and to splash out while doing so.
The face of romance in 2022
So, what will couples be doing to show their affection this year? Well, in addition to planning new hairstyles, gifts will play a major role when it comes to romancing in 2022. The National Retail Federation reports that 56% of people plan to give chocolates, while 37% intend to give flowers and 22% jewelry. 31% of people, meanwhile, will be going out on the town to enjoy some of the freedoms that so few of us were able to take for granted last year.
Clearly, retailers, restauranteurs, bar owners and the like can look forward to bumper sales this year as couples make up for lost time when it comes to their Valentine’s Day plans for 2022.
