Open data and Valentine’s Day: Exploring how data-driven insights shape moments of love

Every year, Valentine’s Day inspires millions of people to exchange gifts, plan special outings, and celebrate their relationships. Behind the chocolates, flowers, and heartfelt messages lies a surprising amount of information that can help us understand how people express affection. Open data offers an accessible way to explore these patterns, revealing how traditions evolve and how seasonal trends shape behaviour across Europe. 

A wide range of publicly available datasets, such as the retail figures or transport flows, can highlight the scale and impact of Valentine’s Day. For example, open economic and consumer spending data can show shifts in popular gifts or changing purchasing habits, whilst mobility datasets can reflect travel peaks as people visit partners, families, or romantic destinations. These insights help illustrate not only how people celebrate but also how businesses and public services respond to this seasonal demand. 

Open data also allows for the exploration of Valentine’s Day in creative and socially meaningful ways. Cultural and demographic datasets can shed light on how different communities celebrate, while environmental data can show the impact of seasonal consumption, such as increased packaging waste or flower imports. By using the European Data Portal to find accessible, high-quality datasets, you can explore and satisfy your curiosity on this topic withopen data. 

Whether used by journalists, researchers, or simply the curious, open data encourages people to look beyond the familiar symbols of Valentine’s Day. It provides a transparent, fact-based way to understand how this celebration changes over time and how shared data can help Europe reflect on love, connection, and community in new and insightful ways. 

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