KEY POINTS:
A Wellington florist is taking a stand against red roses on Valentine's Day, saying the prices are a rip off.
Next Stop Earth owner Jeanie McCafferty has told her Newtown customers she does not agree with the commercialisation of the day.
She told NZPA red roses cost about six times more to buy on Valentine's Day than any other time of the year.
"I just don't think it's value for money basically."
Ms McCafferty would normally sell a bunch of red roses for $10-$14, but on Valentine's Day, to make a profit, she would have to sell them for about $65.
"You can get a fantastic bunch of flowers from us for that price."
She also refused to deliver flowers to workplaces as it put pressure on her staff and couriers.
She advised people to buy flowers for loved ones "next month as a surprise" or just do something little such as writing out a poem.
And if you don't get a rose tomorrow, you might very well get a text message of love with Telecom expecting more than 16 million texts to be sent by their romantic customers.
Valentine's Day was third only to Christmas Day - 21 million text messages sent last year - and New Year's Day -17 million texts sent this year - as the day when the most text messages were sent over the network.
Telecom's general manager of marketing David Craig said they expected there would be over 11 million minutes of talk time clocked up from midnight tonight until the same time tomorrow.
Meanwhile the National Library has discovered how New Zealanders felt about Valentine's Day more than 100 years ago.
A North Otago Times newspaper article from 1876 wrote: "Many of our readers, especially among the fair sex, will scarcely need reminding that to-day is Valentine's Day; as the postman will bring to their doors much more attractive and romantic reminders than a newspaper can hope to give..."
It was thought the first written Valentine was sent in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, who passed his time while imprisoned in the Tower of London writing romantic verses to his wife.
- NZPA
