Forget cards, flowers and chocolates, most singles want a special experience rather than a gift for Valentine's Day and although the economy is stagnating¹, most romantics will spend as much, or more, on the day this year than last.

今年情人节，大多数单身者最想要的礼物不是贺卡、鲜花和巧克力，而是一段特别的经历。尽管经济停滞不前，多数追求浪漫的人在这一天仍然不会少花钱，甚至会花得比去年更多。

Nearly half of single and divorced people questioned in a new poll said they view the day as an opportunity to show someone how much they care but a similar number without a significant other don't feel any pressure to celebrate Cupid's big day.

"People are really interested in experience gifts, rather than object gifts," said Gian Gonzaga, a social psychologist with the dating website eHarmony, which conducted the online survey.

"The more you have experiences with someone, the more you are able to build memories and share histories that help to make the relationship more intimate（亲密的） ."

Unlike material gifts, he added, an experience, whether it is an outing, a vacation or a special meal, is something unique to the couple, especially if it reflects both people's interests.

But not everyone questioned in the poll of 730 singles is making a fuss（大惊小怪） about Valentine's Day. About a third of men and women think the holiday is just too commercial.

US consumers are expected to spend about $126 each this year for Valentine's Day, an increase of 8.5 percent from 2011. Total spending for the day, which is one of the biggest gift-giving holidays of the year, is expected to reach $17.6 billion.

Traditional gifts will make up most of the outlay²（经费，支出） . About 20 percent of people will buy jewelry³ for their Valentine with the price tag for bling expected to exceed $4.1 billion. Gift cards are also primed to be a popular token of affection with 17.3 percent of people choosing them.

Candy and flowers are still popular with nearly a third of people expected to opt⁴ for them and a similar number will dig deep into their pockets for an evening out（使平坦，使均衡） .

Spouses⁵, partners and sweethearts will not be the only ones receiving presents. Pet owners will dispense⁶ about $4.52 for their furry⁷ friends for Valentine's Day, according to the NRF(National Retail⁸ Federation).

Although Valentine's Day is eagerly anticipated by many, some singles dread⁹ the day while others remain optimistic. Seventy percent of singles said they would even go out on a first or blind date on Valentine's Day.