Some dread it, some people love it but one thing's for sure - Valentine's Day makes retailers cheerful.
Card shops, gift and flower shops across the UAE have been preparing for Valentine's Day at least a month in advance.
"We started putting up our Valentines display since January 15th to meet consumer demand. It's a fantastic and fun period for us and the customer," said Jaya Thilakan, retail manager for Gulf Greetings, Middle East.
Gulf Greetings offer various gifts including cards, teddy bears, candles and red roses.
The store has seen a 20 per cent increase in sales, with Valentines Day cards being bought off the shelves like hot cakes. Some customers have even spent Dh350 on cards.
Flowers are also one of the most popular gifts with stores already booked for the red-letter day.
"Valentine's Day is the busiest time of year. Everybody in the world seems to be in love. We are completely booked," says Purnnima Mehta, general manager for emiratesflowers.com.
Sales increase for emiratesflowers.com have risen by 20 per cent compared to the same period last year, with customers requesting flowers and chocolates the most.
At emiratesflowers.com, there are at least 100 items ranging from flowers and jewellery to heart shaped sweets.
The company is preparing for around 200 deliveries around the GCC on the day.
"The best thing about Valentine's Day is that people understand it is a celebration of love, not just between couples but also friends," adds Mehta.
For those who prefer to buy jewellery, Damas is offering customers the chance to whisk their partners away with a promotion.
Further promotions are being held at BurJuman where most stores offer a gift with each purchase, as well as a radio competition on Dubai Eye where winners receive gift vouchers for the mall.
"There is heavy traffic of sales during this period, especially at our flowers, cards and chocolate stores," said Martina Boor, marketing support manager for BurJuman.
