This Valentine’s Day, Gen Z Spreads the Love to Focus on Friends, Self Care and Even Pets — While Parents Turn it Into a Family Occasion

Valentine’s Day is no longer a couples-only holiday. New research from Lightspeed Commerce Inc. (NYSE | TSX: LSPD) (“Lightspeed” or the “Company”), the unified omnichannel platform powering ambitious retail, golf and hospitality businesses in over 100 countries, reveals a widening split in how different shoppers approach the day, with Gen Z rewriting Valentine’s Day to focus on friends and self-care over romance, and older shoppers turning the holiday into a family affair, buying gifts for their children.

Romance still dominates overall — but Gen Z celebrates differently

According to a recent Lightspeed survey Valentine’s Day remains largely partner-focused, with 53% of shoppers planning to celebrate with a romantic partner. Among Gen Z (respondents ages 18-24), that figure drops sharply to 33%. Instead, Gen Z is far more likely to celebrate in non-traditional ways: 42% plan to celebrate with friends, compared to 11% of overall respondents, and 36% say they’ll mark the day solo as a self-care moment, nearly triple the overall rate of 13%.

Gen Z is also twice as likely as shoppers overall to include pets in Valentine’s Day celebrations, at 18% versus 9%. At the same time, these younger shoppers are less likely to opt out of the holiday entirely. Only 12% of Gen Z say they won’t celebrate Valentine’s Day at all, compared with 26% of shoppers overall.

Self-gifting is normalized for Gen Z, not a one-off

Self-gifting remains a minority behavior among the overall population, but it is already mainstream for Gen Z. Just over one quarter of shoppers overall (27%) say they have bought themselves a Valentine’s Day gift, a figure that jumps to 55% among Gen Z. This majority statistic is set to rise further, as an additional 12% of Gen Z say they haven’t previously bought themselves a Valentine’s Day gift but are considering doing so this year, compared to 8% of overall respondents.

What Gen Z buys for themselves also looks different. While chocolates and sweets top the list across age groups, Gen Z is far more likely to turn Valentine’s Day into a full self-care occasion. More than half (56%) of Gen Z self-gifters opt to buy themselves a nice meal or takeout to mark Valentine’s Day, compared with 32% overall. Gen Z is also more likely to buy beauty or self-care products (39% vs. 25%) and jewelry (39% vs. 23%) for themselves.

Valentine’s Day is increasingly about kids — especially for women and midlife parents

Beyond Gen Z, the overall data reveals another shift: Valentine’s Day is increasingly becoming a family occasion. Nearly three in ten shoppers overall (29%) say they usually buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their children.

The trend is driven largely by women, with 38% saying they buy Valentine’s gifts for their kids, compared to just 19% of men. Age also plays a role. Shoppers aged 35-54 are the most likely to buy Valentine’s Day gifts for children, suggesting the holiday is being absorbed into everyday family routines rather than treated solely as a romantic milestone.

Experiences lead overall, while Gen Z favors wearable and flexible gifts

Gift preferences further highlight generational differences. Across all shoppers, food or restaurant experiences are the most popular Valentine’s purchase, chosen by 50%, followed by flowers or plants at 39% and clothing or accessories at 33%.

Gen Z, however, is less focused on dining-led experiences. Only 35% plan to buy food or restaurant experiences, compared with half of shoppers overall. Instead, Gen Z is more likely to choose clothing or accessories (52% vs. 33%), flowers or plants (48% vs. 39%), and gift cards (39% vs. 23%), favoring gifts that feel practical, personal, and flexible.

Spending stays modest, especially among Gen Z

Despite the emotional pull of the holiday, spending remains stable. Across all shoppers, the average expected Valentine’s Day spend is $76. The largest share (41%) expect to spend between $25 and $49, while 26% plan to spend $50–$99. Just 2% expect to spend more than $200, and 6% say they won’t spend money on Valentine’s Day at all.=

With less discretionary income, Gen Z plans to spend slightly less overall – with an average expected spend of $65. Nearly half (44%) expect to spend $25–$49, while none plan to spend more than $200. Eight percent say they won’t spend money on Valentine’s Day at all.

“Valentine’s Day isn’t disappearing, it’s diversifying,” said Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed. “Younger shoppers are redefining the holiday around friendships and self-care, while many parents are turning it into a family moment that includes their kids. For retailers and hospitality businesses, the opportunity is no longer about one big romantic gesture, but about meeting shoppers with smaller, more flexible ways to celebrate.”

To learn more about Lightspeed and how it supports retailers, visit Lightspeed’s website.