Each year, Americans across the country celebrate Valentine’s Day with their loved ones. According to a recent study done by Lovepop, 82 percent of consumers planned to give their significant other a gift this year. However, the study also found there is a wide range in how much people planned to spend, who they bought for, and what they actually wanted for the holiday.
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The pressure to give is on — especially for men
Did you forget your loved one this year? It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that 71 percent of people said they would be upset if their significant other forgot to acknowledge them on Valentine’s Day. However, the recent study found that women are 22 percent more likely than men to be irritated if they aren’t recognized on February 14. Luckily for men, the study shows males are 14 percent more likely to give a gift than females. Additionally, women expect their significant other to spend 20 percent more than men anticipate being spent on them. But the good news is that males already know the expectations are high. Men planned to spend 63 percent more than women did this Valentine’s Day.
Length of your relationship also plays a role in Valentine’s Day giving
According to the study, couples who are dating expected more from their significant others than those who are married. Married consumers believed their spouses would spend 24 percent less on them than those who are currently dating. Those who had been dating for one to three years expected the most to be spent on them this Valentine’s Day. Newlyweds anticipated the least amount spent this Valentine’s Day, with females expecting only $20 and males only looking for $6 gifts.
What do people actually want for this holiday?
Many men stress about what to get their partner for Valentine’s Day, but according to the study, it’s easier than they might think. 86 percent of consumers said that words and acknowledgment meant more to them than receiving gifts. Additionally, consumers were three times as likely to say they wanted a small act of kindness for the holiday than a larger gift. Women were actually 116 percent more likely to wish for something helpful, such as cleaning the house, doing laundry or filling their car with gas, than men were.
Ladies, don’t forget your girls this Galentine’s Day
According to the study, one in five women planned to buy their girlfriends gifts for Valentine’s Day, suggesting the term Galentine’s Day, coined by the popular comedy Parks and Recreation, is alive and well. In fact, 20 percent of women said they would rather spend the holiday with their girls instead of their significant other.