The most popular Valentine’s Day gifts in the U.S. according to data

The top Valentine’s Day gifts by state

The most popular Valentine's Day gifts

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and if you haven’t made up your mind yet on what to get your special someone for the most romantic day of the year, then you’ve to the right place. Whether you’re a Valentine’s Day newbie or a longtime lover running out of Valentine’s Day gift ideas, a new study by scholarship cloud platform provider Scholaroo can help you pick the right gift for your partner.

What are the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts?

The Scholaroo data team analyzed digital trends in 2023 across the 50 states of America to determine the most popular Valentine’s Day gifts in the country. Below are the items that made it to the top five.

#1 Jewelry

A necklace with heart-shaped pendant. Jewelry is one of the most popular Valentines Day gifts in the U.S.
Jewelry is not a cheap purchase, so gifting one to your Valentine gives them the message that they are truly significant in your life.

Twenty-four states chose jewelry as their main gift option for Valentine’s Day. These 24 states are Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New York, North California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

If it’s your first time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special loved one, gifting them with jewelry is the best way to go if you want to make a good impression. Because of their hefty price tag, jewelry pieces are something that most people won’t buy for themselves, so giving one to your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day will surely surprise and delight them.

One thing that makes jewelry one of the best gifts for Valentine’s Day is the fact that it’s actually a form of a long-term investment. Jewelry is not a simple purchase. Their expensive cost makes them a store of value.

Another factor that might have helped jewelry become the most popular Valentine gift is its customizable nature. With jewelry, you can engrave a heartfelt message to your loved one or, better yet, order a custom-made piece to match their personality. Jewelry is truly one of those personalised gifts that can strengthen the emotional tie between lovers.

For a wide assortment of Valentine’s Day jewelry gifts, check out Pandora.

Lovely jewelry pieces for Valentine's Day | Pandora
$30-$260

Find a jewelry gift as unique as your love or create a classic Valentine's Day surprise with sparkling heart charms and gemstones on Pandora.

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#2 Box of chocolates

Heart-shaped box of chocolates
Almost everyone loves chocolates, so you can never go wrong with gifting your sweetheart with a box of choco this Valentine’s Day.

Eleven states chose a box of chocolates as their primary gift option for Valentine’s Day. These states are Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

A gorgeous heart-shaped box of chocolates is one of the most classic ways to say, “I love you,” so it isn’t surprising that chocolates are the second most popular Valentine’s gift according to Scholaroo’s study. Almost everyone loves chocolate, so buying a box for your Valentine is one of the surest ways to impress them. Compared to jewelry, chocolate is a relatively affordable present, making it the perfect gift idea for Valentine’s Day for those on a budget.

Godiva is currently selling an extensive selection of chocolates for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine's Day Chocolate Gifts | GODIVA
$30-$160

Experience GODIVA's collection of Valentine's Day gifts, including  strawberries, truffles, and Belgian chocolate. Shop today!

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#3 Flowers

bouquet of red flowers
Can’t put your emotions into words? Let a bouquet of flowers do the talking for you this Valentine’s Day.

Seven states prefer flowers as their main gift option for Valentine’s Day. These states are Alaska, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Not all people are good at creating a heartfelt poem or expressing their love in words in love letters and romantic collages, so they choose to gift floral arrangements on Valentine’s Day to help them do the talking. As early as the 17th century, lovers have been exchanging flowers to convey a variety of specific messages and meanings. In fact, florists have curated a list of flowers and their meanings through the ages. For instance, red roses mean deep and passionate love, while tulips symbolize unconditional love and pure attraction.

While roses are the most popular Valentine flowers, there are a bunch of other floral arrangements that are ideal as Valentine’s Day presents. These include the aforementioned tulips, orchids, and even sunflowers. Interestingly, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, sending Valentine house plants as gifts has also become a thing.

Floral arrangements remain one of the most popular gifts for Valentine’s Day partly because they are readily available anywhere. Even if you and your Valentine are in a long-distance relationship, you can easily schedule a delivery of fresh flowers as a Valentine’s Day gift.

If your special someone is all about sustainability, then they would definitely appreciate receiving flowers from you, because nothing could be more eco-friendly than a Valentine’s Day present that emerges from the Earth itself.

You can get your Valentine’s Day flowers from Florists.com. The website offers various flower bouquets and floral arrangements for Valentine’s Day.

Florists.com: Online Gift & Flower Delivery Made Easy
$35-$60

Florists.com has the perfect gift for your Valentine! Choose from beautifully designed Valentine's Day Flowers made up of roses, lilies, and other all-time favorite blooms.

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#4 Gift Cards

Gift card
Many consider Gift Cards to be the most practical Valentine’s Day gift as they give the receiver the freedom of choice.

Fourth on the list of most popular Valentine’s gifts in the U.S. is gift cards, with six states choosing it as their main gift option for the holiday. These states are Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

While some people may find gift cards or gift vouchers a lazy, thoughtless, and insensitive Valentine’s Day present, other lovebirds actually consider them the most practical as they give the receiver the freedom of choice.

“A gift card can transform itself into anything the receiver wants it to be…that’s the beauty of it,” Marisa Losciale of DailyDot.com wrote. “So when the giftee finally spends it on the hotel deposit, face mask, Nintendo Switch controller, sneakers, gel manicure, or whatever else they may be eyeing, they’ll be feeling gratitude all the way.”

Purchasing and gifting gift cards are also super convenient. More consumers now buy virtual gift cards, a.k.a. eGift cards, at various websites, like Amazon, and simply send them to their loved ones in an instant over email.

Since a lot of men are not into jewelry, chocolate, and flower, their partners usually buy them gift cards. Considered by many as one of the most excellent men’s gifts during the love month, gift cards allow men to purchase the things they love most.

Amazon.com: Valentine's Day: Gift Cards
$1-$2000

Amazon offers a great selection of physical and electronic gift cards for Valentine's Day!

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#5 Teddy Bear

Teddy Bear
Soft and huggable, Teddy Bears are one of the most classic and adorable Valentine’s Day gifts ever.

Completing Scholaroo’s top five most popular Valentine’s gifts is a Teddy Bear. Two states pick Teddy Bear as their primary Valentine’s Day gift option: Colorado and Utah.

While Teddy Bears are often associated with kids, the cuteness and cuddliness of stuffed animal toys can easily translate into a romantic gesture for adults. Just like other stuffed toys, Teddy Bears provide comfort and calming effect when hugged. And compared to flowers and boxes of chocolate, Teddy Bears last much longer and make a great remembrance.

Build-a-Bear Workshop has a wide selection of Valentine’s Day-themed Teddy Bears that you can get for your loved ones.

Valentine's Day Teddy Bears & Gifts | Shop at Build-A-Bear
$30-$60

Have hugs delivered this Valentine’s Day with Build-a-Bear Teddy Bears and other stuffed animals!

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Other gifts for Valentine’s Day

Still can’t think of the perfect Valentine’s gift for your loved one? Below are other top gifts that a lot of people usually receive on Valentine’s Day.

  1. Valentine’s Day cards
  2. Candlelit dinner at a romantic restaurant
  3. Wall art
  4. Mug
  5. Underwear
  6. Pajamas
  7. Candles
Sources: Scholaroo, Daily Dot
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