Every year on Valentines Day, couples exchange gifts with each other to show their affection. Did you know that Americans are projected to spend 22 Billion dollars as a nation on Valentine’s Day while Canadians are projected to spend only around 37 Million dollars - as far as we can tell online. While more and more people are beginning to give “experiences” like a picnic in the park or a couples cooking class, the old fashioned gift giving is still king - especially when it’s -25 celsius outside…

Here’s some fun facts about the gifts we give each other on Valentines Day:

• Chocolate is the preferred gift by both men and women over flowers. So much so that chocolate makes up 75% of Valentines Day purchases!

• It is common to see boxes of chocolates gifted now, but they weren’t always around to show your loved one how much they mean to you. Richard Cadbury invented the heart shaped box of chocolates in 1868. Since then, they’ve become a Valentines staple, accounting for 10% of all chocolate and candy sales. Good one Richard!

• Part of the fun of the chocolate boxes is the variety of flavors you get. Out of all the different options, caramel was voted the most popular choice.

• In North America we spend $2 billion on chocolates for Valentines Day, and that number is expected to grow. FYI, that’s around 60 million pounds of chocolate. 

• Chocolate isn’t the only sweet treat passed from lover to lover on Valentines Day. $8 million in candy hearts are sold in North America every year.

• The messages weren’t always on hearts though. In 1866, Daniel Chase began printing love messages on wafer candy discs, and they weren’t turned into hearts until 1901. 

• Some messages have been retired, and maybe with good reason. “Fax me”, “Let’s Read”, and “Tell Me How” are among the handful of phrases that have been put on hold.

• While it is hardly surprising that more men buy flowers on Valentine’s Day than women, it may shock you to learn just how many men pick up a bouquet. Around 73% of men will buy flowers on the big day while just over one quarter (27%) of women will do the same.

• Red roses have been associated with love for as long as we can remember, dating back to Ancient Rome. Why are roses so heavily connected to love and to Valentines Day? The origin of this tradition stretches as far back as Ancient Rome when the red rose was the favorite flower of Venus: the Goddess of love.

• On February 14, Finland celebrates Ystavanpaiva which is translated as ‘Friends Day’. Gifts and cards are given and received but by friends rather than lovers. Takes us back to grade school exchanging superhero themed cards with everyone in class!

• Women buy most of Valentine’s gifts – even the ones for themselves! A massive 85% of ALL gifts for Valentine’s Day are bought by women which means a lot of us are picking up our own treats. Maybe this is a sign to all the husbands out there: pick it up!