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Valentine's Day ... Celebrating the day with a gift of love
By Andrea Harry
(CNN) -- February 14 has long been associated with love, romance and gifts. For those who live in the countries that celebrate Valentine's Day -- the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, France and Australia -- there's a lot of pressure to acknowledge the day with a love token. The modern Valentine's Day celebration contains remnants of Christian and ancient Roman tradition, but it's best-known as a day for going out to dinner and showering the special people in our lives with chocolate, candy and lingerie. "My basic observation would be that as with Christmas and other holidays, Valentine's Day has been commercialized basically and that's the most important thing," says Gordon Clanton, sociology professor at San Diego State University. "[We live in] a capitalist system that's controlled by wealth and anything that can be commercialized will be commercialized." Last-minute holidayThe importance of Valentine's Day varies from person to person, but one thing is usually consistent: Not many people prepare ahead of time. "Valentine's Day is a very last minute holiday," says Eva Jeanbart Lorenzotti, CEO of luxury e-tailer Vivre.com. "Few people really plan for the gifting part ... the gifting part is more and more last minute." About 30 percent of men wait until Valentine's Day or the day before to order or purchase gifts, according to a 1998 survey by the Society for American Florists. Despite this hastiness, a recent National Retail Federation (NRF) survey shows that cupid will strike the wallets of men harder than the purses of women. Men are ready to spend about $126 on their partners while women will only shell out about $38 for their loved ones, the survey found. Gift ideas for men
When shopping for the man in your life, Lorenzotti suggests thinking beyond ties and shirts. "For Valentine's Day you may want to think a little untraditionally and get a man a game that you could play together because men generally like to play games. [Games] like backgammon or chess [are] a great way to initiate something a little different," says Lorenzotti. If you want to go the more traditional route, Ellin Saltzman, fashion director at Bluefly.com, suggests a luxurious red cashmere sweater or barware. A unique looking martini glass and shaker can be fun. Lorenzotti suggests including drink recipes for the two of you to make together later that evening. Grooming is another way to go for men's Valentine's gifts. One such example is Woody's Grooming Company's "Bulldog Set." It includes a cigar guard/humidor, Woody's Daily Shampoo and Woody's styling stick. Gift ideas for women
When it comes to shopping for women, Salzman suggests looking for anything luxurious such as cashmere, silk or silver jewelry. Lorenzotti suggests items that show a little thought, such as uniquely shaped vases or crystal mementos -- items that can be cherished beyond the day. But of course, as the song goes, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Diamond studs or a necklace should keep your mate smiling beyond February 14. You can't go wrong with sending a bouquet of flowers. Valentine's Day ranks as the No. 1 holiday for florists. The Society of American Florists estimates that more than 130 million roses were sold on Valentine's Day in 2002. According to a study conducted for the American Floral Endowment, 62 percent of the purchasers are male and 78 percent of them are buying flowers for their wife or girlfriend. Women tend to relish pastel tones of pinks, peaches and lavenders, rather than red, according to the Society of American Florists. Chocolate and candy paves the way to the heart
Of course, chocolate and candy are the tried and true Valentine's gifts. According to the National Retail Federation, they account for 32 percent of gifts. From drug store chocolate and candies to decadent truffles, there are hundreds of different brands and types to choose from. Don Montuori, editor of Packaged Facts magazine, reports a trend toward indulgence within the chocolate industry this Valentine's season. "Low-fat, non-fat foods have really bottomed in the United States," says Montuori. "Very few people would probably give their loved one a box of 'Snackwells' for Valentine's Day." If you're looking to indulge that special person in your life with chocolate year-round, Godiva offers a new Valentine's Day gift package that includes a year's worth of the luxury chocolatier's finest treats. Each month, your Valentine will receive a different assortment of chocolate, biscuits or truffles. The No. 1 selling Valentine's Day candy is Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, made by The New England Confectionary Co. (NECCO). Each of these heart-shaped candies, originally called Motto Hearts, carries a timeless message of love and friendship. Terms such as "Be Mine," "Kiss Me" and "Sweet Talk" have brought many smiles over the years. "One of the ways we preserve the same quality Valentine's Day treat Americans have enjoyed throughout the century is by not tampering with what works," explains NECCO President Domenic M. Antonellis. And that doctrine has proved successful. NECCO manufactures approximately 8 billion of the candies a year, with the majority of those sold during the 6-week period between January 1 and Valentine's Day. In 2002, NECCO launched the Hispanic Sweethearts Conversation Starters nationwide. Montouri believes this illustrates the changing demographic of the United States. Valentines not just for significant others
Although Valentine's Day is widely celebrated as the "day of romance for lovers," the day can also be spent cherishing friends, children -- and yourself. "Many of us do not give valentines only to the person who's our most significant other," says Clanton. "When you're in the third grade everyone gets a valentine from everyone else" Lorenzotti suggests purchasing or making festive gifts for your friends. She also suggests buying things that you wouldn't ordinarily buy as a Valentine's gift for yourself. Tony&Tina cosmetics company offers a gift set this holiday to "give yourself the love you would receive." Their "Love Within Set" consists of three products including an "empathy herbal char' kohl" for the eyes, a vibrant color powder with a metallic edge and the Inner Love Nail Paint with two-toned effect that combines gold and pink. There's even a ring marketed as "the single woman's diamond." The Ah Ring, reportedly seen on the pinkies of celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Biel and tennis phenom Serena Williams, was created for "confident and joyful single women to show the world they're available (A) and happy (H)." Jewelry designer Ruta Fox is the creator of this pinkie ring, which features 11 round full-cut diamonds and is engraved "Ah."
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