They say love doesn’t cost a thing - and while that may be true on most days – on Valentine’s Day it isn’t. It is the one day in the year when the words “I love you” just don’t cut it – roses, chocolates, and jewelry are more like it. And that’s why today was the busiest day of the year for florists, jewelry stores, and candy shops. Keith Swift tried to find out the price of love.
Man #1,
“It is an exciting moment – the day we express our love for the person we cherish the most.”
An exciting and expensive moment with shoppers buying roses, flowers, chocolates, and jewelry – all in the name of love.
Man #1,
“The expression of love carries a cost. Look at all the roses that have been bought today and then the different gift shopping and so you need to try and enhance and express the love some more and that makes it a little bit more expensive…I didn’t budget and I don’t want to say how much I will spend.”
Man #2,
“I have one special young lady I am getting my roses for obviously. She is very special to me, dear, and I do wish her great love… right now it is just a rose I am taking to her but I believe that later on I will get her another gift…love is in the air.”
Woman #1,
“Very important, especially like how a baby is coming so today is very special for me and my husband.”
Man #3,
“It’s just basically a day when you show the love for one of your friends or it could be your romantic other. For me it is one of my friends, just showing the love and it is a day dedicated to showing your love so you go all out on that day.”
Woman #2,
“I am looking for a bouquet of plain flowers. Everybody is getting roses and I wanted to do something different…my aunts, my mom, my dad, sister, and boyfriend…creativity is the key to a big budget.”
Man #4,
“It is important to show your love…my wife…I have to please here.”
Keith Swift,
What has the day been like here?
Leroy Woods, Laurine’s Chocolates
“The day’s been hectic, been very been hectic. It is the most beautiful Valentine’s Day we’ve had in years. The people are in a better mood than they were last year and I think they have a little more energy.”
Keith Swift,
I see you are almost sold out.
Leroy Woods,
“We’re almost sold out. We got a lot of stuffed animals and a lot of gifts left but our assorted chocolates, that you may notice, is going fast fast fast. I notice that Belize people are full of love and they are full of, this moment here stands out in a person’s life. It is that feeling you get Keith that you can’t get on no other day.”
To give you an idea of how much love costs, well a single long stem rose is $10, an average bouquet is about $35, and a box of chocolate starts at $30.
