Valentine's Day in Spain

Although it is not a traditional Spanish holiday, Valentine's Day in Spain is celebrated, as in most countries, with all kinds of sweet heart-shaped gifts, bouquets of flowers, postcards and romantic dinners in trendy restaurants.

Shop windows are decorated with hearts in all shades of red and pink; bars and cafes are creative with Valentine's Day offerings; and many events are organized across the country.

El Dia de San Valentin was first introduced in Spain in 1948 by Jose Pepin Fernandez, the founder of Galerías Preciados, who, like any smart businessman, saw this event as a great opportunity to increase sales in his (then) newly opened department store. The famous motto of the campaign was "Practice the Social Elegance of a Gift" (Practice the social elegance of a gift), a phrase that has since shaped the behavior of the Spanish consumer.

Convinced that this is a holiday invented to encourage consumerism, Spaniards often call Valentine's Day the Day of Corte Ingles (Corte Ingles Day), their main department store. According to Statista, Spain tops the list when it comes to the average amount of money spent on Valentine's Day gifts, spending an average of 123 Euros per person on a gift, which is very generous for a minor holiday.