We love getting a colorful batch of freshies from our loved ones, but we don't love how quickly they die! Marci Rasmussen from local shop Especially for You Flowers showed us her tricks for making that Valentine's bouquet last longer.
There's a way to extend the life of our local economy come Feb. 14th, too!
Kristen Lavelett, executive director of Local First Utah, said how important it is to shop local this Valentine's Day, whether you're in the market for flowers or other romantic gifts.
According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend on average $196.31 on Valentine's Day this year.
"People are spending more, because the ways people celebrate Valentine's Day have changed," Kristen said. "Increasingly, particularly among younger consumers, people few the holiday as one to celebrate love in general, rather than with a specific significant other. Therefore, people are buying gifts for friends, family members, co-workers and even pets."
She said that when you buy from a locally owned, independent business, 55 cents on the dollar stays here in Utah.
"If Utahns bought our Valentine's Day gifts from locals, $74 million would stay right here in Utah," she added. "Maybe you're a more conservative spender. You're not dropping $200 on Valentine's Day, just $20. Even if we held fast to our state's reputation for being thrifty, buying our Valentine's Day gifts from local would keep upwards of $7 million dollars in Utah's local economy."
