Yahoo Finance Here’s How the Top 1 Percent Celebrate Valentine’s Day
Money can’t buy love, but it sure can buy lavish, envy-inducing Valentine’s Day gifts.
This year, Americans plan to spend a record $18.9 billion for their valentine, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation by Prosper Insights and Analytics. That translates to $142.31 per person on average, up from $133.91 last year. The most common gifts are candy, flowers, romantic dinners and jewelry, according to the survey.
“It’s great to see consumers coming out of their shell this year, looking to spend discretionary budgets on those they love once again,” said Prosper’s principal analyst Pam Goodfellow in a statement.
Slideshow: 25 Flirtatious Valentine’s Day Gifts Under $50
But when money is no object, Valentine’s Day gifts can become quite extravagant.
For instance, last year on Valentine’s Day, Lady Gaga’s boyfriend popped the question with a six-carat, heart-shaped diamond ring worth an estimated $400,000.
Brad Pitt gave his daughters, Zahara, Shiloh and Vivienne, Neil Lane diamond heart necklaces totaling $12,000. In 2010, Angelina Jolie bought Pitt a 200-year-old olive tree worth between $18,000 and $30,000 to plant at their French chateau.
If you’re looking to make that kind of starry-eyed statement, here are 14 other extravagant gifts, ranging from the mildly expensive to the outlandishly posh.
Slideshow: 14 Luxurious Ways to Spoil Your Valentine
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