Brits feel it is more important than ever to show loved ones that they care this Valentine’s Day, as half say meaningful gifts which require greater thought have become more valued since the pandemic.
This has led to just under one in five (18%) to spend more on cards and gifts this year than they have done previously. Whilst 41% plan to pen a card to their partner, one in six say they will send one to their family or friends (16%).
Ironically, among those who are least likely to be getting a card this Valentine’s Day are our crushes, especially in the workplace. Gone are the days of singletons sending a card to someone they fancy with just 3% planning to do so, and women are even less likely to write one than men.
The new research by the Post Office found that 18% are likely to spend more money on occasions such as Valentine’s Day this year – with men likely to spend a greater amount than previous years compared to women. Women are also more likely to buy from online marketplaces and be further inclined to get creative by making homemade gifts and cards.
Post Offices have long been the unexpected romantic-hubs of Britain, the first step in the journey of Valentine’s Day. It is encouraging to see from our research that this purpose hasn’t been lost with plenty of Brits planning to celebrate the occasion.
These Post Offices have been carefully selected and are some of the quirkiest, fun and most charming branches in Britain. A lot of people don’t realise how diverse the Post Office network is or how much of a role postmasters play at the heart of communities for events such as Valentine’s Day. We have Post Office’s in churches, pubs, restaurants, chocolatiers, gift shops and florists, so these are places you can date, buy gifts and even marry in!
– Kristian Latham, Head of Letters and Parcels at the Post Office
Younger generations reported the greatest enjoyment of Valentine’s Day with 16–24-year-olds liking it the most (43%). Whereas middle-aged Brits reported the greatest dislike of the day, with nearly a third feeling this way (31%).
To celebrate its often-overlooked role as a romantic hub for Valentine’s Day gifts and letters, the Post Office is shining a light on Britain’s most romantic branches.
Britain’s top five most romantic Post Office branches
Redh Bar, Haslemere Post Office – bar and restaurant
Our Post Office is joined with our bar & restaurant, so you can have a drink, buy gifts produced at our distillery and then post them to your loved ones. I’ve run our branch for a couple of years now and found it to be a winning combination for our regulars who are preparing ahead of Valentine’s Day
– Andrew Robinson, Manager at Redh
Castle Cary Post Office – premium florist
Birnam Post Office – gift shop and tea-room offering breakfast, lunch and homemade cakes
I love this time of year and it’s a fantastic opportunity to decorate my business and bring some romance to an area which is already a popular hot spot for weddings. My gift shop will be very busy as we approach Valentine’s Day and I can always tell when a customer is on a first date in our tearoom from the way they look at each other
– Kelly Annets, Postmistress at Birnam
Barton Seagrave – high-end gift shop
I’ve been running our branch for six years and enjoy seeing the same customers coming in to buy and post gifts each year. We love to get involved with helping people to find the perfect card and gifts. This year we have taken great pleasure in helping our customers choose from our new range of high-end jewellery and accessories.
– Dhaval Gosaliya, Postmaster at Barton Seagrave
Blaby Post Office – which is partnered with Thorntons
I’ve been running the Blaby branch for 17 years and our ability to personalise gifts for people’s loved ones has proved very popular in the run up to Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s a bath bomb gift set, heartwarming card or box of chocolates, I love helping customers to pick the perfect gift and I can provide the same level of support for online customers too through our new website.
Dilesh Naran, Postmaster at Blaby
