Valentine’s Day is a highly anticipated day in many people’s lives. It celebrates romantic feelings as well as provides the opportunity to express the love between families, friends, and loved ones. While cards and roses are commonly exchanged, candy, particularly chocolate, is another staple of the popular holiday. 

Chocolate packaged in heart-shaped boxes, red lollipops, and Sweet Tarts are delicious treats and a great way to bring a smile to those you care about. 

“My favorite Valentine’s Day treat are those candy hearts with sweet messages printed on them,” said freshman Amber Kakkar.  “I love how they are small and have fun, sweet messages on them! They are also really good to share and the surprise messages make them even more fun.”  

Many people, including Schreiber students, enjoy giving, receiving, and eating Valentine-themed candy, and most choose to buy the candy a few days prior to Valentine’s Day. 

At our local Target, which is conveniently located on Shore Road, there is a wide variety of candy in stock for Valentine’s Day, including York Peppermint Patties, Kit Kats, and Reese’s Hearts. They’re all appropriately designed with pink and red wrappers, which are overwhelmingly decorated with hearts. 

“I don’t like the chocolates with nuts,” said junior Laura Zion. “I like straight up Valentine’s Day chocolate.”

Starting from the end of January, these brands of candy are all priced at $3.59 a bag, or $10 for three bags. The manager at the local Target in Soundview kindly shared that during the week leading up to Feb. 14, the prices of Valentine’s Day candy began to decrease slightly. For example, candy will be sold at approximately 10 percent to 25 percent off each individual bag. 

As Feb. 12 and 13 drew closer, though, the discounts grew even greater. They reached 50 percent off each individual bag, and Target ran a buy one bag get one 25 percent off. 

Although these sales were very appealing for customers, the best sales have just begun. On Valentine’s Day, discounts reached 70 percent off individual bags of candy, and there was a buy one get one 50 percent off. Furthermore, with the passing of this holiday, the prices of candy will be extremely low and can even reach the price of $1 a bag! 

Come Feb. 21, Valentine’s Day candy that remains at Target will either be donated or brought to a warehouse. The week following Valentine’s Day seems like the perfect time to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to candy.

At other local drug stories, sales are expected to mirror the same discounts at Target. Like buying Halloween candy, it is evident that procrastinating buying candy for Valentine’s Day, and even waiting until the holiday passes, yields the best results. 

“Though I know that there are great sales after Valentine’s day, I still like to get candy before the holiday  so that I have something to give to others on the actual holiday,” said Kakkar. 

Since gifts are a common part of this special holiday, many students prefer to give their friends, family, and loved ones gifts on Valentine’s Day as opposed to waiting for the amazing sales after Feb. 14. However, if we choose to wait until after the holiday to buy Valentine’s Day candy, we will get to take advantage of the amazing sales and discounts that are present at many stores.