For the first time ever, total Valentine’s Day spending is projected to top $20 billion in the United States — despite falling participation. Just 51% of American adults plan to celebrate the holiday, the smallest share in at least a decade and down from 55% last year.
In a statement from Matthew Shay, CEO of industry advocacy group National Retail Federation, greater spending among those participating in the holiday is likely driven by the strong economy. While some of that spending will go towards friends, coworkers, and family, the vast majority of Valentine’s Day spending will be between spouses and significant others.
Specific Valentine’s Day plans vary by couple, but many will be sticking to tried and true traditions. According to an NRF survey, 15% of American adults plan on buying a gift certificate, 18% plan to buy clothing and jewelry, more than a third plan on an evening out, 35% plan on buying flowers, 44% will buy a greeting card, and more than half plan on buying candy.
Based on the popularity of those gifts and average anticipated spending on them, 24/7 Wall St. created a weighted average to determine how much a couple is likely to spend on the holiday this year. We adjusted that figure for inflation to determine how much the holiday would cost every year going back to 1948. Because going to the movies is also a popular way to celebrate Valentine’s, we also included the average cost of a movie ticket each year from the National Association of Theatre Owners.
With costs rising every year, it may be no coincidence that Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record high in 2019 — even as participation is expected to hit a decade low.
Click here to see the cost of Valentine’s date the year you were born.
Source: Drew Angerer / Getty Images
2018
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $70.32 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2018: $9.11
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Source: dapuglet / Flickr
2017
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $70.32 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2017: $8.97
Source: Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images
2016
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $69.15 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2016: $8.65
Source: Ian Gavan / Getty Images
2015
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $68.34 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2015: $8.43
Source: Brendon Thorne / Getty Images
2014
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $68.14 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2014: $8.17
Source: Handout / Getty Images
2013
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $67.12 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2013: $8.13
Source: Feng Li / Getty Images
2012
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $66.24 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2012: $7.96
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Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
2011
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $65.01 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2011: $7.93
Source: Thos Robinson / Getty Images
2010
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $63.45 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2010: $7.89
Source: Joe Raedle / Getty Images
2009
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $62.42 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2009: $7.50
Source: Chris Jackson / Getty Images
2008
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $62.46 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2008: $7.18
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Source: Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
2007
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $60.61 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2007: $6.88
Source: China Photos / Getty Images
2006
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $59.13 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2006: $6.55
Source: Tim Boyle / Getty Images
2005
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $57.59 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2005: $6.41
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Source: Jessica Rinaldi / Getty Images
2004
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $55.99 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2004: $6.21
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
2003
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $54.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2003: $6.03
Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images
2002
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $53.60 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2002: $5.80
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Source: Spencer Platt / Getty Images
2001
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $52.89 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2001: $5.65
Source: Scott Gries / Getty Images
2000
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $51.89 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 2000: $5.39
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures
1999
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $50.63 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1999: $5.06
Source: Brian Bahr / Getty Images
1998
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $49.90 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1998: $4.69
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
1997
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $49.52 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1997: $4.59
Source: eli_asenova / Getty Images
1996
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $48.68 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1996: $4.42
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
1995
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $47.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1995: $4.35
Source: Freddycat1 / Flickr
1994
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $46.69 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1994: $4.08
Source: George Rose / Getty Images
1993
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $45.74 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1993: $4.14
Source: Ruby ran from California / Wikimedia Commons
1992
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $44.63 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1992: $4.15
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Source: Graham Racher / Wikimedia Commons
1991
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $43.48 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1991: $4.21
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
1990
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $42.10 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1990: $4.22
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
1989
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $40.35 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1989: $4.17
Source: Courtesy of Orion Pictures
1988
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $38.68 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1988: $4.11
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Source: Courtesy of Vestron Pictures
1987
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $37.23 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1987: $3.91
Source: RFStock / Getty Images
1986
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $36.13 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1986: $3.71
Source: Antiv3D / Getty Images
1985
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $35.37 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1985: $3.55
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Source: Courtesy of MCA
1984
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $34.16 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1984: $3.36
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
1983
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $32.91 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1983: $3.15
Source: 51764518@N02 / Flickr
1982
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $31.56 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1982: $2.94
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Source: Graham Turner / Getty Images
1981
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $29.90 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1981: $2.78
Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1980
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $27.45 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1980: $2.69
Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1979
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $24.79 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1979: $2.47
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
1978
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $22.77 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1978: $2.34
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Source: 51764518@N02 / Flickr
1977
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $21.28 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1977: $2.23
Source: Courtesy of ITC Entertainment
1976
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $19.98 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1976: $2.13
Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1975
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $18.94 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1975: $2.03
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Source: AVRO / Wikimedia Commons
1974
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $17.48 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1974: $1.89
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
1973
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $15.83 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1973: $1.81
Source: Evening Standard / Getty Images
1972
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $15.02 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1972: $1.73
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures Corporation
1971
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $14.53 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1971: $1.65
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1970
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $13.94 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1970: $1.54
Source: Dennis Oulds / Central Press / Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1969
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $13.31 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1969: $1.44
Source: Courtesy of Embassy Pictures
1968
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $12.73 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1968: $1.33
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Source: 58follow / Wikimedia Commons
1967
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $12.26 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1967: $1.22
Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
1966
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.96 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1966: $1.13
Source: Bsheridan1959 / Getty Images
1965
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.66 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1965: $1.04
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Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1964
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.49 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1964: 95 cents
Source: Joe Haupt / Flickr
1963
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.33 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1963: 86 cents
Source: Photo By Getty Images
1962
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.20 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1962: 82 cents
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Source: ABC Television / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1961
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $11.07 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1961: 78 cents
Source: New York Public Library / Wikimedia Commons
1960
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.95 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1960: 75 cents
Source: seb_ra / Getty Images
1959
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.77 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1959: 71 cents
Source: Chris Ware / Getty Images
1958
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.62 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1958: 68 cents
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Source: Photo by Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1957
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.37 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1957: 63 cents
Source: The Library of Virginia from USA / Wikimedia Commons
1956
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $10.07 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1956: 58 cents
Source: Amanda / Wikimedia Commons
1955
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.87 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1955: 53 cents
Source: MonicaNinker / Getty Images
1954
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.83 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1954: 49 cents
Source: juliannafunk / Getty Images
1953
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.75 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1953: 46 cents
Source: neirfy / Getty Images
1952
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.62 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1952: 44 cents
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Source: pictore / Getty Images
1951
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $9.42 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1951: 42 cents
Source: Al Barry / Getty Images
1950
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.82 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1950: 40 cents
Source: Photo by Chris Ware / Keystone Features / Getty Images
1949
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.72 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1949: 38 cents
Source: Internet Archive Book Images / Flickr
1948
> Avg. cost of Valentine’s Day: $8.79 per couple
> Avg. cost of a movie ticket in 1948: 36 cents
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