Canadians to spend big bucks on Valentine's Day

When it comes to Valentine's Day, men feel the pressure.

Three times as many men than women feel they must buy their significant other a gift on Feb. 14, according to a new MasterCard Canada study.

Of the 1,013 Canadians surveyed, 19 % of men said they feel obliged to spend money on their lover for Valentine's Day, while only 7% of women said they feel the same way.

Women are increasingly treating Valentine's Day as a communal holiday, according to the survey, sending out cards and gifts to family, friends and colleagues.

Alex Fox, 20, a fashion student at Toronto's Ryerson University, says she usually buys a small gift, like chocolate, for her beau.

But when it comes to receiving, it's less about the money, and more about the thought.

“I think men feel like they have to buy expensive gifts and things to show the woman they're with that they love them, but I find that most women don't care about how much money is spent or what is bought, but that something is done,” Fox told QMI Agency.

“What I want is to really feel that my boyfriend loves me, and gifts aren't the way he has to do that,” she added. “I'd be happy if he wanted to spend all day cuddling.”

Ryan Pike, 24, a political science and economics student at the University of Calgary, says men and women's different perspectives about Valentine's Day signals a lack of communication.

“I think men and women would have similar ideas about Valentine's Day if they just discussed it more beforehand,” Pike said.

He and his girlfriend talked about it and decided just going out to dinner and a movie would be more than enough.

He's not alone. Canadians are poised to spend on traditional romance this February.

In fact, 77% of Canadians will spend at least as much this year as they did last year, while 11% plan to up the ante.

Overall, Valentine's plans will be run-of-the-mill, with 36% of those surveyed planning to give cards, 32% planning a romantic dinner and candy, 30% giving chocolate, 19% buying flowers, and 16% going with wine or alcohol.