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Good Valentine’s Day gifts depend on who you’re celebrating and what they enjoy—not on matching a national spending average. In the United States, the leading 2026 planned gifts were candy, flowers, greeting cards and an evening out, but people also planned gifts for family, friends, classmates, teachers, co-workers and pets. Use those trends as ideas, then choose a gift and budget that fit the recipient.
What do people get for Valentine’s Day?
In a January 2026 survey of 7,791 U.S. adults, the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics found that candy was the most frequently planned gift, followed by flowers and greeting cards, an evening out and jewelry. These are survey results about plans, not a ranking of what every recipient wants.
| Gift category | Share planning to give it | Expected U.S. spending |
|---|---|---|
| Candy | 56% | Not stated for this category in the 2026 release |
| Flowers | 41% | $3.1 billion |
| Greeting cards | 41% | Not stated for this category in the 2026 release |
| An evening out | 39% | $6.3 billion |
| Jewelry | 25% | $7 billion |
All shares and spending figures in the table are 2026 U.S. plans and expectations reported by NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics; they are not audited sales. Expected spending was also $3.5 billion on clothing, though the release does not give a corresponding planned-gift share in the figures summarized here. See the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics 2026 release.
Choose a gift for the person, not the statistic
Valentine’s Day gift-giving is not limited to romantic partners. In the 2026 U.S. survey, people who planned to celebrate reported gifts for several kinds of recipients. The percentages below refer to respondents planning gifts for each group; they are not portions of total spending.
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| Recipient | Share planning a gift | Expected spending | Ideas to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Significant other | 83% | $14.5 billion | A shared dinner or activity, a card with a specific personal message, or a gift linked to their interests. |
| Family members | 58% | $4.5 billion | A favorite treat, a card, or a small shared outing suited to the relationship. |
| Friends | 33% | $2.4 billion | A card, a treat chosen for their tastes, or a casual get-together. |
| Classmates and teachers | 27% | $2.2 billion | A modest card or shareable treat, taking any school rules or dietary needs into account. |
| Co-workers | 21% | $1.7 billion | A simple card or something easy to share; consider workplace norms. |
| Pets | 35% | $2.1 billion | A pet-appropriate treat or toy, selected with the animal’s needs in mind. |
These are expected U.S. gift plans and spending reported by NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics for 2026. NRF described the 35% share planning gifts for pets as a record. The same release reported that 55% of U.S. consumers planned to celebrate at all; the recipient shares should not be read as shares of all U.S. adults.
How to decide what to buy
- Start with the relationship. A romantic partner, friend, teacher and co-worker may welcome different gestures. Don’t assume a romantic gift is appropriate for every recipient.
- Set your own budget. NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics reported a $199.78 average planned gift spend per shopper in its 2026 U.S. survey. That is a descriptive average, not a recommended budget or a requirement.
- Personalize one detail. Choose a flavor they like, account for dietary needs, refer to a shared memory in a card, or plan an activity around their interests.
- Choose between an object and an experience. Candy, flowers, cards and jewelry are physical gifts; dinner or an event is an experience. Match the choice to what the recipient values and what you can arrange.
- Check availability before relying on delivery. For flowers and event bookings, confirm the seller’s current local cutoff, delivery window, location coverage and substitution or cancellation terms. Availability and deadlines vary by seller and location.
Where do shoppers plan to buy gifts?
NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics reported these planned U.S. shopping destinations for 2026. The survey figures do not establish that the options are mutually exclusive, so a person may be represented in more than one category.
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| Shopping destination | Share planning to shop there |
|---|---|
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| Department stores | 35% |
| Discount stores | 30% |
| Specialty stores | 21% |
These are 2026 U.S. survey plans, not measured retail sales. For a delivery order, use the seller’s current information rather than assuming a general holiday deadline.
What the spending figures do—and don’t—tell you
NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics said U.S. Valentine’s Day spending was expected to reach $29.1 billion in 2026. That is a pre-holiday forecast, not a final tally. The survey also reported an average planned shopper budget of $199.78, but that figure is not a target for an individual gift-giver.
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For comparison, the organizations’ January 2025 release forecast $27.5 billion in U.S. spending. The figures are year-specific survey estimates, not audited totals; they should not be treated as a verified measure of sales growth or adjusted for prices. The 2025 release also reported planned gift shares of 56% for candy, 40% for flowers, 40% for greeting cards, 35% for an evening out and 22% for jewelry. Those are plans from that year’s survey, not a direct measure of purchases. See the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics 2025 release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do you have to celebrate romantically?
No. The 2026 U.S. survey found that 55% of consumers planned to celebrate, so participation was not universal. Among people who did not plan to celebrate, 31% still planned to mark the occasion in some way, such as through self-care, a gathering or an outing with friends or family. The figures describe U.S. survey respondents, not customs in every country or expectations for every person.
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A brief, documented history of Valentine’s Day cards
Card-sending has a traceable history that is distinct from claims about the holiday’s ultimate origins. The National Park Service says sending Valentine’s cards grew popular in Britain in the early 1800s after postal fees were standardized at one penny for a Valentine’s card. The custom became fashionable in New York beginning in the 1840s and spread elsewhere in the United States. As the National Park Service puts it, “Starting in the 1840s, the British trend caught on, and sending cards became very fashionable in New York.” Read its account, “Historic Valentine’s Day Cards”. This card history does not establish a definitive origin for Valentine’s Day itself.
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