Valentine’s Day Is for Rule Breakers (and Lovers)
Tradition and conventional wisdom tell us that February 14 is all about love (honestly, we think it’s sort of all about this swoon-worthy Valentine’s Day nail art), but new information from OpenTable has shed some light on something else people tend to celebrate on that date. According to the results of a December 2016 study by the online restaurant reservation provider, many of us also take Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to break some of our normal rules and practice a little extra leniency. Even if it’s for just one day, it seems that our best-intentioned New Year’s resolutions go out the window as part of the romantic celebrations.
“In spite of the rules… we often set for ourselves, especially at the start of a new year, we found that many Americans would be willing to give themselves license to let go and enjoy the holiday without restraint,” says Caroline Potter, Chief Dining Officer at OpenTable. “More than a celebration of love, Valentine’s Day will serve as a reprieve from the daily grind, a day to gather around the table and treat ourselves as well as loved ones.”
OpenTable’s online survey queried 2,000 American adults to get to the heart (see what we did there?) of their Valentine’s Day habits. Scroll down to read more about some of the “cheats” participants admitted to — the stats may surprise you!
1. Diets: According to the survey, the vast majority of people give themselves the green light to bend their healthy eating rules on Valentine’s Day — nearly 90 percent of Americans admit to doing just that! Singles are less likely to indulge than those in a relationship — 79 percent of people without a Valentine say they planned to cheat on their healthy resolutions this year, compared to 90 percent of people celebrating the holiday with bae.
2. Budgets: Nearly half of Americans are willing to splurge on Valentine’s Day by ordering menu items that would normally be too pricey for their liking. Men are especially open to breaking the bank for one night only — 55 percent of male respondents say they would purchase a more decadent meal for Valentine’s Day.
3. Dates: Apparently, you don’t need to have a super serious relationship with someone for them to qualify as a Valentine — which is great news for those of us still in search of our OTP. Half of Americans say it’s okay to go on a Valentine’s Day date with someone after less than a month of dating — and 20 percent think February 14 is a good time for a first date!
Do you break your own rules on Valentine’s Day? Tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)