.8 billion and slightly above the previous record of $27.4 billion set in 2020. Shoppers plan to spend $188.81 on average on the holiday, up from $185.81 in 2024.  NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics’s report revealed that the most popular gift categories this year are candy (56 per cent), flowers (40 per cent), greeting cards (40 per cent), an evening out (35 per cent) and jewelry (22 per cent). Across these categories, Americans plan to spend a total of $6.5 billion on jewelry, $5.4 billion on an evening out, $2.9 billion on flowers, $2.5 billion on candy and $1.4 billion on greeting cards. While the report confirmed that items like chocolate and jewelry remain popular gifting options for romantic partners, the standard rules for retailers leaning into this festive holiday have largely been thrown out the window.  From Lego “flower” bouquets to adult-themed cookie sets, many consumers are seeking out more unique and personal gifting options this Valentine’s Day.  Additionally, while Valentine’s Day has traditionally been seen as a holiday to celebrate romantic partnerships, a growing number of retailers are focusing on single consumers with Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day-focused events and gifting opportunities, or via self-care-focused marketing promotions.  The rise of self-love and self-care this Valentine’s Day As Melissa Minkow, the director of retail strategy at CI&T, told Inside Retail, “Given the large percentages of Gen Z and Millennials that are single, and the fact that the singles population is on the rise, a smart route for brands this year would have been to launch singles-specific Valentine’s campaigns leveraging the ‘treat yourself’ ethos and offering deals and discounts in that vein.” In fact, a survey conducted by consumer analytics platform CivicScience confirmed that one in two US adults planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2025 by buying themselves a gift.  Gen Z especially has been leaning into the trend, with 60 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 24 saying they were likely to buy themselves a gift this year, up from 58 per cent last year.  One brand that thoroughly tapped into the power of self-care in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day was the New York City-based edibles brand Sundae Flowers.  In partnership with the dating app Yuzu, Sundae Flowers hosted a pilates workshop followed by a floral arrangement class to create an evening focused on relaxation and self-care.  Cindy Lim, Yuzu’s head of brand and marketing and the sister of Dae Lim, the founder of Sundae Flowers, explained that both brands wanted to encourage consumers to focus on self-love through exercise and self-gifting opportunities, regardless of whether or not they are single.  For those choosing to spend the day celebrating with friends, many retailers have tapped into marketing centered around Galentine’s and Palentine’s Day. For instance, Sugar Wood, an adult-themed confectionery brand based in New York City, launched cookie and waffle-decorating kits for couples and satisfied singles to enjoy the holiday by participating in a group activity. Another retailer taking an inclusive approach to Valentine’s Day is the luxury fragrance retailer Twisted Lily.  As Olya Bar, Twisted Lily’s head of digital strategy and communications, told Inside Retail, “At Twisted Lily, we wanted to rethink Valentine’s Day, because love isn’t just about romance, and fragrance is meant to be shared.” To promote the idea of sharing perfume amongst pals, Twisted Lily is offering free shipping on all discovery sets for shoppers to “plan that Palentine’s perfume sniffing party with your crew”. It is also gifting a fragrance sample of Jusbox Perfumes scent ‘Carioca Heart’.  “This year, instead of exclusivity, we chose inclusivity,” Bar elaborated. “We made it bigger: Palentine’s Day – a celebration of friendship, togetherness, self-love and, of course, a deep love for perfume. It’s still about love, but in all its forms.” Creating an emotional connection with consumers  A unique product offering or an attractive sales promotion aren’t the only elements required to effectively connect with consumers during the love-filled shopping season.  “2025 has already been a very uncertain and volatile year for consumers when it comes to prices and budgeting,” Minkow observed. “If shoppers are going to be moved to spend at all on a ‘Hallmark Holiday,’ they’re going to need to see prices that are actually worthwhile.”  One way to create a campaign that resonates with consumers is by focusing on the experience a brand provides, rather than the product in itself. The Danish toy brand Lego’s Le Florist Flower Truck pop-ups are a good example of this. In its mission to champion togetherness and the joy of play, Lego hosted several “flower trucks” in cities like New York, London, Toronto, Paris, Hamburg and Milan this February to encourage customers to step away from the digital screen and interact with one another IRL.  As Alexandra Zamfir, Lego Botanicals’ marketing lead, stated, “Valentine’s Day is a moment to celebrate those important relationships in your life, especially when we’re feeling more disconnected than ever.” The brand’s flower trucks allowed consumers to craft their own Lego Botanicals stems at free workshops and to take playful selfies against picturesque backdrops “to capture joyful moments and celebrate the beauty of connection – petal by petal.” “What is special about the Lego Botanicals collection is that it is not only the perfect gift to surprise and delight your loved ones, but it’s also an opportunity for you to build and spend meaningful quality time together,” Zamfir added.