Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Kranich's Jewelers sales associate Jenny Jameson shows emerald and diamond earrings to Joshua Lower of Hollidaysburg.

Once again, candy appears at the top of the list among Valentine’s Day gift giving, with 56% of consumers saying they’ll buy candy for their sweetheart.

Consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The amount is up from last year’s $25.8 billion and slightly above the previous record of $27.4 billion set in 2020.

“Whether they are celebrating a significant other or someone else in their lives, Valentine’s Day is meaningful for many people,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said. “Consumers are looking for special ways to treat their loved ones and can expect retailers to provide the best gift options and deals.”

Valentine’s Day makes up about 25% of annual business at Dutch Hill Chocolates, Altoona.

Co-owner Hannah Moore said the chocolatiers are ready for a busy leadup and a hectic finale on Valentine’s Day. She said that over the business’s 37-year history, when the holiday falls on a Friday, that is the busiest day of the year.

“It is important that we are well prepared going into the week of as most of our business happens in a few short days due to the importance of chocolate covered strawberries which we wash, dip, and pack all the same day as the purchase to ensure we do our part in making sure customers are receiving the best product possible,” Moore said.

For MarCia’s Chocolates, Thursday and Friday figure to be extremely busy. The business has already received many preorders, according to owner Marcia Cumming. But repeat customers will likely come right back, based on previous years.

“If past sales trends repeat themselves, we expect a high volume of customers walking in on Saturday looking to order more of our chocolate-covered strawberries,” Cumming said.

Valentine’s Day also makes up a large part of business at Tyrone-based Gardners Candies, which is known for its peanut butter meltaways.

“We expect to see an uptick in business due to the holiday falling on a Friday which will give our consumers the time they need to select the right Gardners gift for their family or significant other. We also expect to see higher sales with Easter arriving later than usual this year,” said Jim Westover, chief operating officer.

Jewelry always popular

While candy is the top gift for Valentine’s Day, 22% of shoppers are expected to spend $6.5 billion on jewelry, according to the survey. Kranich’s Jewelry is anticipating a strong period of diamond sales, but also engagement rings.

“Based on the holiday season we are anticipating increased sales this Valentine’s Day. Being that the holiday is on a Friday, we expect there will be increased engagements that Friday night,” said President Michael Kranich Jr.

Michael Dorman, owner of Dorman’s Jewelry, said he isn’t sure what to expect.

“The past couple of years have not been fantastic Valentine’s Day, I have no reason why. It can depend on the placement in the week.This year it’s on a Friday and that may be date night, I am not sure what that will bring. People may go out to dinner and not buy jewelry,” Dorman said. “We focus on items between $75 and $250. Hearts are always a go-to item.”

Bouquets, dinner hits

Flower sales are expected to hit $2.9 billion and Peterman’s Flower Shop relies heavily on the holiday. Like for other businesses, this year figures to be especially important, due to it falling on Friday.

“Since it falls on a Friday, we expect to be busy all weekend. Lots of people will celebrate Friday and Saturday,” owner Andrea Hammel said. “Red roses, lilies, chocolates and balloons are all big sellers and of course, gorgeous red roses are the all-stars.”

The survey said consumers will spend $5.4 billion on an evening out, which is good news for local restaurants such as the Allegro Restaurant. Weekends are already popular for going out to eat, according to marketing manager Brenda Ajay, so Valentine’s Day on a Friday means more people than ever should come out to celebrate.

She said the restaurant tries to turn the celebration into a weekend-long event, which leads to more business overall.

“Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest nights of the year at Allegro. It’s not quite on the level of New Year’s Eve, but it’s definitely a top-tier holiday for us. We always expect a full house,” marketing manager Brenda Ajay said. “While it’s hard to put an exact percentage on it, Valentine’s Day plays a significant role in our first-quarter revenue and sets the tone for the rest of the year.”

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.