Believe it or not we are quickly approaching another American tradition that we celebrate in earnest - Valentine’s Day.

Yes, Valentine’s Day 2011 will be here before you know it and to prove it Proflowers and other online florist are already promoting Valentine’s Day Flowers and gifts. We are still several weeks away from Valentine’s Day but online retailers are making sure they are ready for the early shoppers.

If you venture online you’ll start to see the tell-tale signs of Valentine’s Day with deep colors of red and fancy shape hearts symbolizing love.

Why the need to get consumers thinking about Valentines Day already? Well just like their are last minute shoppers their are early shoppers kind of like the Black Friday shoppers or Cyber Monday shoppers. The early bird gets the early worm! 

So if you are planning on making someone your Valentine this year here are 5 Good Reasons to Buy your Valentine’s Day gift early:

1. Limited Supply - You can pre-order your Valentine’s Day gift or flowers before they sell-out. Often popular Valentine’s day gift are in limited supply so order early.
2. Change of Heart - If you order early and change your mind you still have time get a refund and buy something else you see thats better.
3. Price Hikes – Lock in your purchase price before florist start to hike their prices on roses plus get pre valentines flower delivery discounts and coupon codes.
4. Budgeting  - Early shopping gives you an idea of what’s out there and how much you will need to spend. For instance you can plan for those whopping Six Foot Rose Bouquets. They retail for about $239.99.
5. Peace of Mind - Have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve pre ordered and have everything arranged for your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day.  

Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year so flower and gift delivery shouldn’t be a problem since most florist and gift stores will be open. But getting a jump start on what usually is a fun and exciting event can save you a lot of time and money.

Okay so Feb 14 is the day we get all mushy and romantic with our significant others or those who we want to be our significant others. I certainly don’t have a problem with Valentine’s Day.  After all it’s only one day.

Yet some are so cynical and cerebral that they only see Valentine’s Day as a consumer feast by big and small business. But how is it so different from any other Holiday we celibrate in the USA. Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day on and on and on.

The haters of Valentine’s Day are primarily jealous because they are single – okay maybe they aren’t jealous but there has to be some form of resentment! Apparently this is very serious and some have gone to the extreme of putting up anti valetines day websites and blogs to express their resentment. One blogger made some anti-valentines day cupcakes.

Big business has even jumped on the bandwagon and carve out a new niche market to cater to the haters. Check out Blue Moutains anti valentines day e-cards.  What other holiday gets so much flack? One site even bosted of throwing a anti-valentines day party. An anti love celebration.

But it’s not just the single people who are coming out against Valentine’s Day.  Nationally syndicated columnist and  CNN Contributor Roland Martin just wrote an op-ed “Commentary: Don’t be my Valentine”  listing his displeasure with Valentine’s Day.  Although happily married Martin still sees Feb 14 not as a day to celebrate love and romance but a day retailers have encourgaed and  just so we can spend more money between Christmas and Easter. 

There might be some truth to that.  But everything is comercialized in our culture and we have to spend money on something. Have you ever just said Happy brithday to your mother, or father without giving them at least a birthday card. You don’t dear go empty handed. It’s the way it is!  

Do you agree!

Valentines Day is almost here. Retailers are preparing their stores with plenty of Valentines day themed items. Flower shops are arranging elaborate bouquets of red roses that symbolize romance, and jewelers are looking to find some extra romantics looking to buy a little bling.

While Valentines Day has become heavily commercialized it’s nonethless a tradition in America and also a handful of other countries. Valenties day can be a fun day and is now not exclusively celebrated by lovers or secret admirers. Valentines day cards are given to mothers, grandparents and even teachers.

If you have ever wondered how Valentines day originated and how we have come to celebrate the day as we do, then take a few minutes and watch this entertaining history lesson on the legend of St. Valentine: History of Valentine’s Day  or this quick snippet:

Saw this post on BrandWeek.com. Floral retailer Teleflora will be going prime time during the Super Bowl.  Commercial spots are lengendary during the Super Bowl for not only raising brand awareness but for their entertainment value. The best commercials tend to have the greatest impact for a brands bottom line. I can’t wait to hear the response of  viewers on this. 

By Becky Ebenkamp

Hoping to remind male viewers that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, Teleflora will run its first ever Super Bowl ad during the 2009 game. Florists, in general, have shied away from the championship game for the past two decades. FTD, was the last floral company to buy into the big game with spots featuring NFL Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen.

Teleflora is taking a decidedly different tack. Its spot, which is reminiscent of office sitcoms, shows a man giving a box of flowers to a mousy female coworker. Soon, the flowers start insulting her. In the unfinalized commercial the flowers said: “Have you ever considered rhinoplasty?”

“Don’t send flowers in a box,” the ad warns. “You don’t know what they’ll say.” The commercial, which will run in the game’s second quarter, is tagged with “The Teleflora Difference.” It directs viewers to Teleflora.com.

Lynda Resnick, owner of Teleflora parent company Roll International, said, “Sixty percent of the flowers today are delivered in a box. Our flowers are hand-designed and hand-delivered right to your doorstep. That’s the difference.”

Resnick likened the indignity of a woman having to arrange her own Valentine’s Day bouquet to having to cook her own romantic dinner. The spot will tout its Rubies & Roses Bouquet in a keepsake vase.

Florists have taken a hit because so many wire services sell impersonal boxed flowers direct to the consumer, according to Resnick, who also runs Pom Wonderful and Fiji Water. “It’s taken about half a billion out of the floral industry, and that’s a lot in a $6 billion or $7 billion industry. Our motto is to support the local florist.”

These aren’t you’re ordinary red, white or pink roses. Rainbow Roses are an incredible creation to say the least and would make your valentines day memorable when your special love sets their eyes on a bouquet of these flowers. Roses are supposed to spark passion, love and romance. (Language of Flowers) but the rainbow roses seem to elicit feelings of happiness and a zest for life.

These highly colourful flowers have been developed by a Dutch businessman who dyes each bloom in the colours of the rainbow. The dyes are produced from natural plant extracts and are absorbed by the flowers as they grow.

The rainbow roses were developed as a alternative to the traditional Valentine’s gift of red roses. But these eye catching petals will cost as much as $65 for a set of 12 roses. $Cha Ching!$

They’re not as popular in the U.S. but supposedly enjoy a strong following in Japan and in parts of Europe. 

To order some Rainbow Roses you can go to any of these sites:

• Happy Roses – Netherlands: http://www.happy-roses.com
• It’s a Blooming Business – Los Angles (USA): http://www.itsabloomingbusiness.com

Valentine’s Day is almost here and once again flower shops are gearing up for the flood of orders and request for flowers of all sorts. Roses in particular will no doubt still be the most popular but lilies and other romantic gifts like choclate dipped strawberries will also be hot items. Flower shops are rolling out the discounts and special offers to intice customers with money saving deals. So far the best deals are coming from PorFlowers.com who offering an assortment of great deals especially if you order early – so check them out.

Engagements are also big around this time of the year and jewelry deals are’nt hard to find. You can see some of our featured merchants right on our jewelry and gifts section.