The most common Valentine's Day gift throughout history has been a red rose, which is often associated with love, and romance, and has long been a potent emblem of passion for many cultures. Nowadays, giving a bouquet of flowers is thought to be a classic Valentine's Day gift. According to Luth Research, 91% of men who give their significant other flowers on Valentine's Day do so out of pure love.
Similar to the history of Cupid and Valentine's Day, the custom of presenting roses as a Valentine's Day gift has a number of origin legends that can all be traced back to Greek mythology. According to some legends, the first red rose appeared when the Greek goddess Aphrodite was pricked by the thorn of a white rose, turning it red. Some claim that the first red rose sprouted from the spot where Aphrodite's beloved Adonis died and the goddess shed her tears.
In terms of the tradition of sending rose on Valentine's Day gift, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, the wife of a British ambassador to Turkey in the 1700s, is a historical figure who is occasionally linked to the connection between roses and romance. However, Lady Montagu seems to have misunderstood this regional practice, which had more to do with rhyming words than the significance of the flowers themselves. However, the idea of "flower languages" became popular, particularly in 19th-century England, and throughout the course of that century, roses began to be associated with romantic love more and more closely.
Roses are both beautiful and durable, so that's a big part of why this practice has persisted. Flowers are typically delivered over large distances.
Flowers are a traditional option for presents and gestures of love. The red rose, however, is the flower most closely linked with Valentine's Day out of all those offered on special occasions. Even if you don't pay attention to this event in the middle of February, it's difficult to overlook the sales displays with dozens of Valentine's Day roses that are prominently displayed in supermarkets, drugstores, and even mini-marts at gas stations. None of the other Valentine's Day presents is as well-known as the rose.
Valentine's Day roses can be used to convey feelings beyond romantic love. Roses are timeless beauties that also make wonderful Valentine's Day gifts for friends and family because of the various color meanings associated with them.
According to the National Retail Federation, people spent $23.9 billion on Valentine's Day in 2022 alone. Flowers for Valentine's Day cost $2.3 billion, or around $17 per person, on average. There is a good likelihood that the number will be higher in 2023 because it normally rises each year. Even if rose prices spike around Valentine's Day, Americans are willing to pay a premium for the flower that best represents love, despite their complaints.
Red is the color most closely linked with passion and romantic love, making it the ideal rose for Valentine's Day gift. Part of this is presumably because the red dye used to be very expensive, challenging to produce, and occasionally synonymous with royalty. All these things made red feel very enticing and opulent.
While everyone has their favorite types of flowers, Samourai roses are the best for Valentine's Day gifts. The big, velvety petals of this flower, which is the ideal shade of vivid red and exudes luxury, are nicely contrasted by the surrounding dark green leaves. The oval buds open to a massive double-bloom flower that is full and striking, making the shape of the bloom ideal for a romantic arrangement. Another benefit of this specific rose is that it is thornless, making it ideal for gift-giving.
If you're celebrating platonic love, you should choose an item that represents friendship. Choose yellow roses instead of red ones.
Final word
The most common Valentine's Day gift is still red flowers, by far. You are more likely to buy red roses if you are younger. Hot pink mixed-stem bunches are becoming more popular. But a blood red, red rose expresses love more than anything else.