Valentine’s Day. Some say it’s to honor St. Valentine from Rome, who in the third century A.D. performed marriages in secret because young men were forbidden to marry because married men did not make for good soldiers. Although it’s unknown if the legend of St. Valentine is true or not, Valentine’s Day has become another holiday where a lot of money – ok, and love – is exchanged. Take a look at these facts:
- An average U.S. consumer spends about $100 on Valentine’s Day gifts, meals and entertainment (reported by the U.S. National Retail Federation).
- 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year, not including the hundreds of millions of cards schoolchildren exchange (reported by the Greeting Card Association).
- An estimated 47% of U.S. consumers will exchange Valentine’s Day candy, which adds up to about a billion dollars in sales (reported by the National Confectioners Association).
Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is everywhere – ads on TV, news stories, stores filled with Valentine-themed cards and gifts, and even on this blog. What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? For me, it’s another reminder to make sure the people around me – my family, friends, employees and clients – feel appreciated. Life moves fast, but it’s not an excuse to not pick up the phone and call your client or peer you need to catch up with. Your attentiveness is a good way to show your appreciation. Whether or not you “celebrate” Valentine’s Day, think about how you show appreciation.
Also, thank you for reading our blog.
