The Valentine’s Day Gifts That Have Been Impacted Most (and Least) By Inflation

With Valentine’s Day coming up in a few days, those who choose to celebrate the holiday may opt to shower their loved one(s) with gifts. And while there are no one-size-fits-all tokens of affection, there are certain presents and activities that are considered traditional—or, depending on your point of view, cliché.

Like other goods and services, the cost of some—but not all—of these gifts has increased as a result of inflation. Here’s what to consider when doing your Valentine’s Day shopping this year if you haven’t done so already.

Valentine’s Day gifts that have gone up in price in 2023

Rising costs over the past year have left many of us with sticker shock, and generally speaking, Valentine’s Day gifts will be no exception. To figure out how much the holiday could set people back, experts at Point2 put together a report analyzing price differences of several popular gifts and activities between 2022 and 2023.

According to their data, expect to pay more for:

• Movie tickets (up 6.47% from 2022)
• Wine (a bottle costs 3.52% more than last year)
• Candles (up 8.7%)
• A dozen roses (up 3.94%)
• Silver (up 5.05%)
• A box of chocolates (up 8.47%)
• A romantic dinner (up 16.67%)
• Perfume (up 9.87%)
• Gold (up 5.89%)
• A romantic getaway (up 16.03%)

Valentine’s Day gifts least impacted by inflation in 2023

Fortunately, there are also a few traditional Valentine’s Day gifts that cost the same as or less than last year. Per Point2’s analysis, they are:

• Greeting cards (cost is the same as 2022)
• Diamonds (down 9.6%)
• Platinum (down 0.19%)
• Sirloin steak (down 8%)

Ready to try something new, and also budget-friendly? Check out these creative Valentine’s Day gifts under $30.