Top 2026 Valentine’s Day Trends

Valentine’s Day boasts a rich and fascinating history, evolving from its humble medieval origins into today’s global celebration marked by heart-shaped chocolates, themed décor, and mass-produced candy displays for Saint Valentine’s festivities.  As we look ahead to the 2026 Valentine’s Day trend, the holiday continues to blend tradition with innovation, creating fresh opportunities for retailers and event planners.

 

Looking for standout Valentine’s party supplies that truly sell? Sunbeauty Factory, with decades of expertise in paper décor manufacturing, in-house die-cutting, printing, and rapid prototyping, delivers customizable, flat-pack Valentine’s decorations and gift-ready bundles designed specifically for wholesalers and retailers preparing for the 2026 season.

 

 

Valentine’s Day 2025 Overview

 

In 2025, consumer preferences will lean toward flowers, everyday essentials, and perfumes. Falling on a Friday, many shoppers will purchase gifts on Valentine’s Day itself. Beauty, perfume, and cosmetics stores emerge as the most popular retail category, making bath gift sets and fragrances top choices.

Related: Valentine’s Day Top Retailers + Foot Traffic Data 2025

Compared to the previous year, foot traffic at chocolate retailers steadily increased in 2025. During the week surrounding Valentine’s Day, foot traffic at chocolate retailers grew by 12.48% year-over-year, making it one of the fastest-growing categories. On Valentine’s Day itself, numerous customers visited chocolate retailers, with store foot traffic surging over 27% compared to the previous year.

 

 

Compared to 2024, the overall performance of the retail sector during Valentine’s Day 2025 was strong. Comparing February 13th and 14th, average foot traffic increased on both days. While Valentine’s Day falling on a Friday may have contributed to the uptick, it remains undeniable that more consumers visited stores. Valentine’s Day continues to be a beloved holiday for both shoppers and retailers.

 

As a professional party supplies manufacturer, Sunbeauty possesses robust in-house production capabilities and is dedicated to original design and OEM development. Beyond manufacturing, our factory’s leading design team closely monitors global party and seasonal trends, transforming emerging themes into scalable, market-ready products. Each year, we systematically analyze popular design directions and visual elements to guide the development of our Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter catalogs. This trend-driven approach enables us to provide design support for our OEM and private label partners—creating designs that not only align with current styles but have proven resonance in the real party market.

Our predictions for 2024 and 2025 have validated our successful assumptions.

Related: 2024 Valentine’s Day Trends from Four Perspectives

Overall, beauty salons, florists, movie theaters, gift shops, chocolate stores, and jewelry stores saw the highest foot traffic on Valentine’s Day.

 

 

 

2. What are the Valentine’s Day trends for 2026?

 

2.1 2026 Valentine’s Day Trend Predictions

Valentine’s Day stands as one of the most significant seasonal sales events annually, and in 2026, it will once again influence consumer behavior across continents. Popular in North America, Europe, and Australia, and increasingly celebrated across Asia and Latin America, it blends romance, friendship, and self-care into an international shopping extravaganza.

 

While peak searches for “Valentine’s Day” occur in January, search volume actually begins rising in December. Though the holiday season is approaching, now is the optimal time to start researching and purchasing Valentine’s Day gifts.

This is no coincidence: Valentine’s Day 2026 is poised to continue the record-breaking spending trends seen in 2025.

Combining these data points, we can make a prediction: next year’s Valentine’s Day spending outlook appears highly optimistic and lucrative.

 

On Faire.com in 2024, searches for greeting cards surged by 90% between December and January. We found that sentimental cards consistently outsell humorous ones, accounting for nearly 97% of all Valentine’s Day card sales. While traditional gifts like candy, cards, and flowers remain popular, there’s a growing preference for personalized, unique gifts and experiential presents. Furthermore, Valentine’s Day celebrations are no longer confined to couples; younger generations increasingly celebrate with friends or focus on self-care.

Related: What’s trending for Valentine’s Day 2026: The jewelry, sweets, and cards they actually want?

 

2.2 Market Size and Growth

Spending Habits: In 2024, consumers spent a record $14.2 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts for partners, averaging $185.81 per person.

This indicates a robust and growing market for Valentine’s Day products and services.

Demographic Spending: Consumers aged 35-44 are projected to spend the most in 2024, averaging $137, highlighting this demographic as a key target for marketing campaigns.

However, younger consumers (18-34 and 25-34) also actively participate in the holiday, often celebrating with friends or focusing on self-care. This indicates a broader market reach beyond traditional romantic couples.

 

 

2.3 Growth Drivers

Personalization and Uniqueness: Growing demand for personalized gifts and unique experiences extends beyond conventional presents.

The rise of print-on-demand services further fuels this trend, enabling customized products to better align with individual preferences.

Convenience of Online Shopping: A significant portion of consumers (40%) opt for online stores due to extensive product variety, easy price comparison, and convenient door-to-door delivery.

This underscores the importance of strong online presence and efficient e-commerce operations for businesses.

Diversified Celebration Methods: Valentine’s Day is no longer exclusively for couples. A significant portion of young people celebrate with friends or focus on self-care.

This expands the potential customer base and product categories beyond traditional romantic gifts.

 

2.4 Competitive Landscape

Traditional vs. Niche Categories: While conventional items like candy (57%), greeting cards (40%), and flowers (39%) dominate sales, niche products and services are steadily gaining market share.

Businesses offering unique, personalized, or experiential gifts gain a competitive edge.

E-commerce Dominance: The shift toward online shopping necessitates robust digital strategies. Businesses leveraging e-commerce platforms and print-on-demand models are better positioned to meet evolving consumer demands and effectively compete.

 

 

2.5 Google Trends Analysis

Google Trends data reveals distinct seasonal patterns for searches of “Valentine’s Day gifts” and “Valentine’s Day jewelry,” with search volume peaking in February, aligning with the holiday period.

Searches for “Valentine’s Day gifts” consistently outpace those for “Valentine’s Day jewelry,” indicating broader consumer interest in general gift categories compared to jewelry.

 

2.6 Time Patterns

Seasonal Peak: Searches for “Valentine’s Day gifts” typically peak in February, reaching 100 in February 2025, while “Valentine’s Day jewelry” searches also hit their highest point in the same month (2).

This pronounced seasonality underscores the importance of pre-holiday marketing and inventory preparation.

Low Baseline: During off-peak periods, search volumes for both terms remain extremely low, typically at 0 or 1, indicating consumer interest is highly concentrated around holidays.

 

 

2.7 Peak-Valley Analysis

“Valentine’s Day Gifts”: Search volume for this keyword peaks in February 2025 (100), reflecting a significant surge in consumer intent to purchase Valentine’s Day gifts.

These trough periods persist throughout most of the year, with values consistently at or near zero, indicating extremely low interest during off-peak seasons.

“Valentine’s Day Jewelry”: Search volume for this term also peaks in February 2025, but its intensity (2) remains significantly lower than general gift searches.

This suggests that while jewelry is an option for Valentine’s Day gifts, it holds a smaller share within the overall gift market.

 

2.8 Strategic Implications

Businesses should intensify marketing efforts and product offerings for “Valentine’s Day gifts” from late January through February to capitalize on the peak consumer interest period.

Although “Valentine’s Day jewelry” searches are lower, they still represent a distinct niche market. Targeted jewelry marketing campaigns should also align with February’s search peak, emphasizing unique designs or personalized customization to stand out.

Given lower attention during off-peak periods, businesses can focus efforts on other popular products beyond Valentine’s Day and reallocate resources closer to the holiday season.

2.9 Amazon Trend Analysis

Despite search volume fluctuations, the “2026 Valentine’s Day Party & Decorations” theme on Amazon demonstrates strong potential, driven by stable retail sales and specific consumer demand.

This market primarily consists of “candle enthusiasts” and ‘homeowners’ seeking “home decor items,” indicating clear target audiences and usage scenarios.

Products still have room for improvement, particularly in quality, size, and brightness, to address common consumer complaints.

Time Patterns

Search Volume Fluctuations: Searches for Valentine’s Day party and decor items declined by approximately 21% from January to July 2025, but rebounded thereafter, peaking in September and October at 391.6 and 391.7 respectively.

This indicates consumers begin planning and searching for these items well in advance of the holiday.

Stable Sales: Despite search fluctuations, retail sales remained steady, indicating robust underlying demand for these products.

Average sales reached 226.0 in July, peaked at 448.875 in November, and maintained strong momentum at 437.25 in December, showing sustained purchasing activity leading up to Valentine’s Day.

 

 

2.10 Customer Sentiment

Positive Feedback: Consumers praised “exquisite design” (52.3%), “generous quantity” (8.1%), and “vibrant lighting” (5.4%).

This highlights the importance of aesthetic appeal and value for money.

Negative Feedback: Primary complaints included “missing instructions” (28.3%), “light malfunctions” (18.3%), “undersized dimensions” (11.7%), “remote control issues” (8.3%), and “cheap materials” (5.0%).

These issues indicate key areas for product refinement to enhance customer satisfaction.

 

 

2.11 Sales Channel Overview Analysis

Personalization is a key driver: All data sources indicate a prominent consumer demand for personalized and unique gifts. Google Trends shows high consumer search volume for gifts; Amazon data reveals a desire for higher-quality, more personalized party supplies; and web trends highlight the popularity of print-on-demand and viral merchandise.

This indicates a widespread consumer preference for distinctive items over generic ones.

E-commerce Dominance: Both Amazon and overall web trends indicate online channels are critical for Valentine’s Day shopping.

The convenience, selection range, and personalization options offered by e-commerce platforms significantly influence consumer choices.

Seasonal Peak: All data consistently shows a substantial surge in Valentine’s Day interest and sales as the holiday approaches, with search volume and sales peaking in January and February.

This underscores the critical importance of timely marketing and inventory management.

 

 

2.12 Strategic Implications

Businesses should focus on enhancing product quality, particularly addressing issues like cheap materials, dim lighting, and undersized items, to transform negative sentiment into positive reviews.

Clear and comprehensive descriptions are vital for reducing high complaint rates related to “missing instructions.”

Marketing campaigns should emphasize exquisite design, ample quantity, and dazzling lighting, as these are powerful positive factors in consumers’ eyes.

Given the earlier peak in search volume, merchants should launch Valentine’s Day party and decoration product marketing campaigns starting in late summer/early fall and ensure sufficient inventory to attract early-planning customers.

 

 

Sunbeauty Factory’s Competitive Advantages

 

Decades of expertise in paper-based home decor and honeycomb structure engineering. We understand precisely which structures appear more robust and durable in photographs and on store shelves.

In-house die-cutting, printing, and sample laboratories. Rapid prototyping: View physical samples before mass production.

Optimized production lines for flat-pack packaging and efficient pallet stacking. Reduces shipping costs for overseas buyers and facilitates retail display.

Flexible OEM/ODM design services. Customizable shapes, colors, printed messaging, and private-label packaging.

Quality control and packaging tailored for retail display. Pre-shipment spot checks, quality inspection reports, and photo verification.

 

 

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trending Bestseller Recommendations

 

The following product concepts consistently perform well in B2B Valentine’s Day portfolios. Each item is flat-pack shippable and leverages the manufacturing advantages of paper goods.

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends:Paper Honeycomb Heart & Ball Ornaments

Reasons for Popularity: Classic shapes, low shipping costs, excellent hanging display effect.

Available Sizes: 6-inch, 10-inch, 14-inch; single-color, two-tone, metallic foil trim.

Packaging: Folded flat with small printed hang tags or top cards.

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends: Multi-Layer Paper Wreaths (Heart, Rose, “LOVE“Letters)

Reasons for Popularity: Easy to display; ideal as checkout add-ons.

Available Sizes: Pre-assembled lengths (2m/5ft, 4m/13ft), DIY kits with or without LED mini lights.

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends: Table Decorations & Pop-Up Cards (Foldable)

Reasons for Popularity: Ideal for event rentals, weddings, cafes, and in-store tabletop displays.

Available Sizes: Pop-up heart bouquets, multi-layer cake toppers, foldable table display stands.

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends: Paper Lanterns & Hanging Decor

Reasons for Popularity: Adds ambiance to event spaces; ideal for bulk decor buyers.

Styles: Heart-shaped lanterns, round lanterns with heart-patterned sleeves.

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends: Valentine’s Day Party Kits & Combos

Reasons for Popularity: Retailers favor simplified SKUs—one UPC code, high perceived value.

Bundle Suggestion: 1 honeycomb heart decoration + 1 garland + 4 napkins + table topper = ready-to-use set.

 

2026 Valentine’s Day Trends: Themed Party Tableware (Plates, Napkins, Cups)

Reasons for Popularity: Consumables drive repeat purchases and impulse buys.

Styles: Premium coated recyclable paper, foil embossing, matching tableware sets.

2026 Valentine’s Day Treads: Gift Wrapping Paper & Cards (Foldable for flat shipping)

Reasons for Popularity: Complements decorations while boosting basket volume.

Styles: Pre-tied ribbon, die-cut window cards, matching sticker seals.

Customization & OEM: How to make your private label a Valentine’s Day hit

 

 

Our Customization Process and Retailer Support

Retailers increasingly require private label products to boost profit margins and brand cohesion. Here is Sunbeauty’s typical OEM workflow:

 

Step 1: Concept and Idea Development. Provide inspirational images, color palettes, logos, target unit pricing, and required packaging quantities.

Step 2: Artwork Creation. We deliver die-cut lines and print proofs; our prepress team optimizes colors to ensure print consistency.

Step 3: Rapid Prototyping. Our factory produces product samples for your approval—simple die-cut prototypes typically take just days to design.

Step 4: Trial Production & Quality Control. Small-batch trial runs validate molds and packaging before full-scale manufacturing.

Step 5: Mass Production & Shipping. Flat-packed with retailer-specific labeling; palletized packaging with retail display racks available upon request.

 

Many retailers and consumers favor eco-friendly Valentine’s Day products. Sunbeauty Factory supports sustainability through multiple initiatives:

Prioritizing paper materials. We prefer FSC-certified paper and recycled paper (when available).

Minimizing adhesive use and adopting single-material structures. Facilitating end-user recycling.

Flat-packed shipping to reduce volume. Reducing transport trips lowers carbon emissions.

Low-waste die-cutting. Optimized nesting reduces scrap material.

 

When marketing to end consumers, use clear labeling: “Made with recyclable paper,” “Flat-packed to reduce carbon footprint,”or “FSC-certified options available”—concise messaging that resonates effectively.

 

 

 

Our Spring/Summer product catalog for this year is now available. To browse our full range of products and latest designs, please visit our online catalog page.

Spring/Summer Party Supplies Catalog / OEM Party Supplies Manufacturer

For pricing, customization options, or OEM collaboration inquiries, feel free to contact our sales team at any time. We are committed to providing you with detailed support.

 

To set the mood for your Valentine’s Day event, the party theme is crucial. If you’re looking for ideas on Valentine’s Day event themes, this article might help you.

Related: Valentine’s Day Trending Party Themes for 2026

 

Frequently Asked Questions for Valentine’s Day

 

Q: Are your honeycomb decorations recyclable?

A: Yes—our standard honeycomb heart decorations are made from recyclable cardboard. FSC-certified options are also available upon request.

 

Q: What is the minimum order quantity for custom Valentine’s Day designs?

A: Minimum order quantities vary by product. For simple print changes, minimums may be relatively low; for fully customized die-cut shapes, please contact us for specific MOQ details.

 

Q: How long does it take to receive samples?

A: Our in-house sample lab provides rapid prototyping—typical turnaround for simple products is 3-7 days (excluding international shipping time).

 

Q: Can you provide private label packaging?

A: Absolutely—we offer OEM packaging and can print your logo, hang tags, and top cards.

 

Q: What’s the best shipping method for Valentine’s Day inventory?

A: Ocean freight is most cost-effective for bulk shipments; air freight suits urgent orders. Many buyers choose sea-air consolidation to balance cost and time.

 

 

Make this Valentine’s Day your most efficient and successful sales season yet.

 

Valentine’s Day is fleeting, emotionally charged, and visually impactful—qualities that premium paper products embody. As a manufacturer with extensive expertise in honeycomb structures, die-cutting, printing, and flat-pack logistics, Sunbeauty Factory empowers wholesalers and retailers to win this season: from rapid prototyping in our sample lab to cost-effective pallet shipping and retail-ready packaging solutions.

 

If needed, we can:

Send curated Valentine’s Day sample packs,

Create wholesale catalog pricing with tiered products,

Prepare private-label samples for your brand.

 

Contact our B2B sales team to request samples and discuss delivery timelines. Let us help you achieve product success effortlessly, free from shipping hassles.