Love is in the air this February as Valentine's Day slowly approaches, and Cupid- the Roman God of erotic love, draws his bow and arrow. So, this means lots of gift giving and plenty of displays of affection – whether it be romantically or platonically.

And, according to online search data – the UK alone is predicted to spend £990 million this Valentine's Day, increasing by nearly 15% compared to the year before.

So if you're looking for gift ideas this Valentine's Day or alternative ways to celebrate Valentine's Day as a singleton – read on to discover who spends the most money on their favourite person.

Abbott Lyon data reveals that 11% more buy gifts for friends in the month ahead of Valentines.

Which special someone do we buy the most for on Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day falls every year on February 14th as Cupid shoots his bow and arrow filled with lots of love and desire. But Cupid has a little competition as Galentine's Day, which falls on the Day before, is now the UK's favourite way to show its loved ones a little extra love and affection.

Sales data collected by Abbott Lyon reveals that out of our grandparents, grandchildren, parents, siblings, children, partners and friends – results show that in the month before Valentine’s there's an 11% increase in people buying more presents for their friends for Valentine's Day… or should we say Galentine's Day 😉.

Recipient	Percentage of Sales*
Friend	38
Partner	27
Child	17
Sibling	11
Parent	5
Grandchild	1
Grandparent	1

*A Month Before Valentine's Day

Whilst it seems that more people are interested in sending gifts to their friends this Valentine's Day- data reveals that grandparents are most likely to spend on their grandchildren during the month of love by spending an average of £70.48.

What is Galentine's Day?

With Valentine's Day being ingrained in our heads every February – the romantic dates, luxury gifts and flowers – it can get a bit boring for those who want to embrace the single life and show appreciation to those around them. And the perfect way to do this is by spreading the love through Galentine's Day.

To set a little disclaimer Galentine's Day isn't exactly an official day, it was invented by a character in an American sitcom. It falls on February 13th and it's grabbing the attention of 1.9 billion viewers on TikTok and 1.1 million Instagrammers under the hashtag #galentinesday. At Abbott Lyon, we love the concept of Galentine's Day as it's a great way of honouring the people who always have your back and even your ride or die.

When was Galentine's Day Invented?

Galentine's Day was invented by the fictional character, Leslie Knope in the US TV show Parks and Recreation in 2010. She created the day to celebrate her female friends on February 13th, aka Valentine's Day eve, in which the day consisted of bottomless brunches, gift giving and total girl power.

Ideas to Celebrate Galentine's Day

Bottomless Brunches

Whether you're meeting up with your girls at your usual brunch spot or need new ideas for best bottomless brunches, cute captions, giggly gossip, and warm waffles are one way we love to celebrate Galentine's Day!

Spa Date/Pamper Afternoon

Self-love and self-care are just as important as showing your nearest and dearest how much you appreciate them. So why not take the time to host a little spa date/pamper afternoon in the comfort of your own home? Grab a few candles, make a DIY face mask and put on some calming music to enjoy a little catch-up and RnR. And, you never know if this one goes well, you might be looking at your friendship group's annual Galentine's Day tradition.

Flower Deliveries

Your romantic love isn't the only one who can surprise you with your favourite flowers on Valentine's Day; your best friends can too! This Galentine's Day, surprise your darling people or person with a flower delivery. Make it memorable by organising a flower delivery service with a seasonal bouquet right at their doorstep or create your very own flower arrangement and give it to them by hand.

Personalised Valentine’s Day Gifts

Why not surprise your special someone with a personalised gift this Valentine's Day? Not only will you give them a token of your love, but it is also a lovely gesture to let them know how much they mean to you – and there's no better way to show this than by gifting them something sentimental. 

From personalised bracelets to personalised necklaces and jewellery boxes – we take pride in offering your personalised everyday luxury gifts. 

So, if you're on the hunt for the perfect gift for her this Valentine's Day, head on to our Ultimate Personalised Gift Guide for Her for more ideas and inspiration.