Valentine's Day gets bigger and bigger every year.

It's damn near recession and $16 egg-proof, with Americans projected to spend a record $27.5 billion this year, averaging $188.81 per person.

This is up from last year's $25.8 billion and slightly surpasses the previous record of $27.4 billion set in 2020.

Here's a breakdown of the anticipated spending according to The NRF

• Significant other or spouse: $14.6 billion
• Other family members: $4.3 billion
• Friends: $1.1 billion
• Children's classmates/teachers: $870 million
• Co-workers: $580 million
• Pets: $1.7 billion

The most popular gift categories this year include:

• Candy: 56% of consumers plan to purchase, totaling $2.5 billion
• Flowers: 40% plan to buy, with spending expected to reach $2.9 billion
• Greeting Cards: 40% intend to give, amounting to $1.4 billion
• An Evening Out: 35% plan to spend on this, totaling $5.4 billion
• Jewelry: 22% plan to purchase, with spending projected at $6.5 billion

Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me? When a guy can do that NO days a year.

- Ryan Howard ( The Office)

I’m with you Ryan from the office.

Utilities are up. I’ve just come off a miserable string of losses on Draft Kings Sportsbook, and once again, eggs are like $16.

So get ready for this same speech at Easter.

Then again, Valentine’s Day is a Friday this year so the usual “Let’s wait until Payday” excuse isn’t going to cut it..

But $188!?!  That’s almost half my delivery fee from Mid-Hudson G&E.

So maybe just this one year we suck it up, shell out the $200 and help perpetuate this yearly studies facts and figures.

Or we go see the newest Marvel Film and spring for the commemorative popcorn bucket.