Lady in red

Six-year-old Izzy Wallace of Walnut creates homemade cards and hearts in preparation for next Tuesday’s Valentine’s Day holiday.

With less than one week until the big day, school children will need to finish up their Valentine’s Day cards in time for next week’s classroom parties, while teens and adults will hit area stores to select cards, candies, flowers and jewelry for their loved ones.

According to a National Retail Federation survey, consumers are expected to spend $17.6 billion for Valentine’s Day this year, with men expected to spend twice as much as women. The U.S. Greeting Card Association predicts 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards will be sold, with women buying about 85 percent of those cards. School teachers will received the most Valentine’s Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets.

BCR photo/Greg Wallace