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Valentine’s Day has a well-deserved reputation for being excessively commercial; in 2016, Still, despite all that disdain, people loved Valentine’s Day. Over the years, the numbers of The origins of Valentine’s Day come from the feast day of one or two martyrs named St. Valentine. While some argue the feast day was placed in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of the death or burial of St. Valentine, others say the Christian Church placed the feast day there to draw in pagans who observed Lupercalia, a "Valentine’s Day is returning to its romantic traditions, with total spending on significant others for the holiday expected to reach a record $14.2 billion in 2024," according to the annual Valentine’s Day: One of the Largest Retail Holidays . Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated the world over. According to Hallmark, about 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every year. Americans spent approximately $24 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2022. Recent Valentine’s Day History. Overall, the anticipated rate of celebrating Valentine’s Day has decreased by .37 percentage points per year over the last 13 years, as shown in Figure 1, with an overall average of 54.5%. The current year, 2025, has a slight increase from 2024. Figure 1: Celebrating Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day Planning Hallmark Cards (founded in 1907) sold Valentine’s Day gift cards in 1910; however, the decline in postcards’ popularity led them towards the creation of Valentine’s Day cards in 1913 The commercialization of Valentine’s Day further reinforces outdated gender norms, which are detrimental for both men and women. United States spending trends per year on Valentine’s Day, which has increased from around $15 billion in 2010 to $23.9 billion in 2022 (National Retail Federation) The commercialization of Valentine’s Day also The Modern Valentine. Valentine’s Day has become increasingly commercialized over the years as businesses have seized the opportunity to market products and services related to the holiday. The impact that Valentine’s Day has on the economy is incredibly permeating. In 2019, more than $20.7 billion was spent. 1835 – 60,000 Valentine’s Day cards are sent in the UK. Even though sending letters and cards through the post was expensive in the UK at this time, 60,000 Valentine’s Day cards were sent. The custom of sending cards had become so popular that they were now produced in factories and decorated with fabric and lace. Written valentines began appearing in 1400, and Shakespeare referenced Valentine's Day three times in his plays in the early 1600s. In the 1800s, Esther Howland began mass-producing Valentine's Hallmark Cards (founded in 1907) sold Valentine’s Day gift cards in 1910; however, the decline in postcards’ popularity led them towards the creation of Valentine’s Day cards in 1913. How did Valentine's Day become commercialized? These days, Valentine's Day – celebrated in not just the United States, but Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia – is a In this article, we take a look at the various historical and cultural influences that have shaped Valentine’s Day. From the mysterious figure of Saint Valentine and the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia to the medieval traditions of courtly love and the commercialization of the holiday in the modern era, we explore how February 14th became the day to celebrate love. Is Valentine’s Day an over-commercialized “fake holiday” created by greeting card companies or a sweet, time-honored celebration of love and romance? The truth may lie in the middle. Take a look at how we got from the evil-purging origins of the holiday to shiny red boxes of candy. How did Valentine's Day become commercialized? These days, Valentine's Day – celebrated in not just the United States, but Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France and Australia – is a The Pagan Roots of Valentine’s Day: The Festival of Lupercalia. The Valentine’s Day origin can be traced back to ancient Roman celebrations, specifically the Festival of Lupercalia. This festival, which took place from February 13 to 15, was primarily a celebration of fertility and purification. Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, [1] is celebrated annually on February 14. [2] It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine , and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in Most of the holidays that are seen as over-commercialized are those rooted in religion, like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and St. Patrick’s Day. Many devoutly religious people criticize the fact that these days have come to be celebrated with store bought decorations or modern traditions like flashy gift giving and trading expensive cards. Oh, Valentine's Day, the holiday we love to hate. Think Valentine's Day Is Too Commercialized? Duh! Here's How to Make it Special Again. She has over 11 years of experience in women's Valentine’s Day gifting trends 2025: Consumer spending is shifting towards personalised, experience-driven, and sustainable gifts. Discover key trends and how brands are adapting.
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