On Valentine’s Day, February 14, whether single or in a relationship, today’s youth have very different perspectives on this holiday.
According to data from YPulse, 61% of young people from Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) plan to celebrate this holiday. However, while Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) typically view their partners or spouses as their dating focus, Gen Z broadens their options to include friends and even family.
Gen Z has a different perspective on Valentine’s Day.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day with Friends
For the younger generation, Valentine’s Day is about appreciating love, which is why 28% of Gen Z choose to throw parties with their friends on this day, compared to just 15% of Millennials.
While the environment and age of each generation play a significant role in these differing choices, they also reflect a different approach to holidays among young people.
YPulse data indicates that approximately 50% of Gen Z fully agree with the statement: “I prefer celebrating Valentine’s Day with friends rather than with someone I’m dating.”
Many choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day with close friends
Therefore, it’s not just that they lack long-term romantic relationships; in fact, many prefer to spend holidays and celebrations with friends. This also contributes to their spending habits differing from those of previous generations.
YPulse suggests that the percentage of Gen Z spending money on gifts for friends and family is around 40%, whereas only 20% of Millennials would do the same. Additionally, Gen Z does not place much importance on the necessity of gifting during this holiday, as they believe that sometimes simply spending quality time with friends is enough for them.
Is Gen Z Redefining Valentine’s Day?
Overall, Valentine’s Day is still regarded as a holiday to celebrate romantic love between couples. Hence, 63% of Gen Z respondents stated that “brands do not understand how Gen Z perceives love.”
The data clearly shows that for young people, their friendships hold equal importance to romantic relationships, if not more, with 58% of Gen Z agreeing that friendship is more important than love.
For many in Gen Z, friendship is even valued more than romantic love
A prime example of Gen Z redefining Valentine’s Day is the emergence of the concept of “Galentine’s Day.” Known to combine “gals” (girlfriends) and “valentine” (Valentine’s Day), Galentine’s Day is typically celebrated on February 13-14.
During this time, Gen Z girls host parties to celebrate and appreciate their friends. Among the 61% of Gen Z who plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, 18% indicated they are planning a Galentine’s celebration with their friends.
In addition, while Galentine’s Day is exclusively for girlfriends, the concept of “Palentine’s Day” is also gaining popularity, referring to a day dedicated to friends in general, regardless of gender identity. Similar to the purpose of Galentine’s Day, Palentine’s Day is an occasion for close friends to gather, enjoy food, share stories, and exchange gifts to honor their friendship.
New concepts like “Galentine” and “Palentine” emerge as Gen Z redefines Valentine’s Day
