That Romantic Gift, Going Classic or Getting Creative?
Couples have the same thoughts and discussions every year around the end of January. What are we going to do for Valentine’s Day?
Our sympathies go out to anyone recently separated or divorced around this time of year, as we are bombarded with catchy slogans and photos promoting everything from romantic dinner cruises, picnic ideas, and champagne brunch specials, to weekend getaways in the mountains or at the beach.
After you have made plans on what to do (if anything) on the special day, the next question is what to buy. You have plenty of options; most people are faced with a red-pink-white visual array of shiny gifts and presents upon entering their favorite store by mid-January, reminding them what holiday is around the corner.
First of all, make sure you don’t spend too little or too much on a romantic partner, as I wrote in a previous column. But when you have money to spend, what do you spend it on?
The options are overwhelming, and the advertisements are everywhere.
Jewelry, flowers, clothing, perfume, and a host of other "gifts she’ll love."
But if you are with a partner who seems to already “have it all,” or you run out of time to shop (or both), the question you ask every year, is whether it is really ok to buy chocolates and red roses, again. The answer might surprise you.
Viewing Valentine Gifts Through Rose Colored Glasses
People view red roses and chocolate more positively during the first two weeks of February. And the reason has nothing to do with relationship status, whether someone is single or married, or even gender. Vivian Zayas et al. (2017) found that evaluations of red roses and chocolate were evaluated more positively as Valentine’s Day approached.
They note that research reveals that approximately $1.7 billion are spent on chocolates and $2.1 billion on flowers annually around Valentine’s Day.
But is there something special about the annual romantic holiday that causes people to suddenly see chocolate and roses through rose colored glasses? Zayas et al. (ibid.) explored that question by acknowledging both items as everyday objects as well as iconic representations of Valentine’s Day in the United States, one of the nation’s most popular holidays.
Perhaps not surprisingly, they found these common presents were evaluated differently when their "cultural relevance is peaking."
One of the key features of their study was that they did not remind respondents about Valentine’s Day; they simply had them evaluate images of chocolates and roses close in time to the romantic holiday, or farther away.
They explain the results as a "demonstration of naturally occurring cultural priming."
They also found that overall evaluative judgments were predictably linked to demographics; women had more favorable judgments of chocolates and roses than men.
But none of the demographics moderated proximity, both roses and chocolates were judged more favorably closer to Valentine’s Day by both men and women, with any type of relationship status.
Exploring and debunking alternative explanations, they note that the allure of roses and chocolates could not be explained by mere exposure, since Valentine’s Day marketing campaigns begin around Jan. 2, each year, when we begin to see shelves being stocked with red and white fare.
Their data still showed a marked increase in positivity judging roses and chocolates the week before the actual holiday.
So don’t worry about buying your Valentine roses or chocolate, again.
Research suggests they will be well received, as usual.
This article was originally published in Psychology Today.
Wendy L. Patrick, JD, MDiv, Ph.D., is an award-winning career trial attorney and media commentator. She is host of "Live with Dr. Wendy" on KCBQ, and a daily guest on other media outlets, delivering a lively mix of flash, substance, and style. Read Dr. Wendy L. Patrick's Reports — More Here.
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