Question Of The Week

By Timothy Darnell
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February 7, 2013

News

What Do You Plan to Do on Valentine's Day?

The average person will spend about $131 to show their love. What about you?

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The National Retail Federation says Valentine's Day is one of the nation's biggest commercial shopping days, with the average American expected to spend close to $131 this year to woo that someone special.

“Valentine’s Day remains one of the biggest gift-giving holidays of the year, and although consumers will be conscientious with their spending, it’s great to see that millions of Americans are still looking forward to celebrating with their loved ones,” said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the Federation.

According to the NACS website, Americans are willing to spend a wee bit more on romance compared to last year. The average person is expected to spend $130.97 on candy, cards, gifts and more, up from $126.03 last year. Total spending is projected to reach $18.6 billion.

Of course, not everyone is a fan of Valentine's Day. The 4th Annual Cupid is Stupid Anti-Valentine's Day Party is planned for Feb. 15 at Buckhead's Havana Club.

For those who do want to wine and dine that special someone, there are lots of options in metro Atlanta. In Buckhead, for example, several restaurants are offering romantic specials on Feb. 14. For folks looking to get away from the city, destinations such as Chateau Elan offer unique experiences.

And there's the opportunity to participate in community-oriented Valentine's Day activities.

E CUBED,a Christian service organization, is hosting a Valentine’s party and giving 600 gift bags to seniors. In Stone Mountain, the Antioch AME Church is hosting a major Valentine's Day event, with proceeds going to help support a scholarship fund.

Another family-oriented event occurs each year in Chamblee, with the city-sponsored Daddy/Daughter Dance. And many parents may just take an extra hour or so to read to their kids on Valentine's Day with some longtime children's classical tales.

What does Valentine's Day mean to you? Do you have any plans for the holiday? And how much do you plan to spend? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

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About this column: Patch asks your opinion on a hot topic in the news. Related Topics: Valentine's Day

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Anna Varela

10:42 am on Thursday, February 7, 2013

What do you think of Valentine's Day? Do you love it? Or is it just too much pressure?

Anna

2:49 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013

Well, to save oney, take off the pressure and have a little fun at the expense of my heritage, we and 2 other couples are celebrating "Greek Valentine's Day" on February 15th. It's a nod to Greek Easter, which usually falls a week or two after the American Easter. Greeks love this little tradition, because they can get their kids' Easter clothes, toys and candy on sale after the American holiday! So we're starting a new tradition of Greek Valentine's Day on the 15th! I bet reservations are easier, and meals are cheaper for GVD, too :-) Opa!