Some 254 of 465 residents in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong Province in the survey said they would buy gifts, and 217 of the polled said they would make some special arrangements to celebrate the day.

Seventy-one people said they would buy a bouquet of flowers, 131 said they would dine-out, 62 people would buy chocolates, only 51 of them said they would make phone calls or send e-cards to their beloved or friends.

The average expenditure of those surveyed on the lovers' day is estimated at about 192 yuan (US$23), only two dollars less than the figure for the Americans on the same day. The figure for men was 263 yuan, twice that for women.

According to the survey, 199 people would send gifts to their partner, and 77 would send gifts to their friends or the ones they care about.

Among the 25 to 29 year age group, 60 percent would buy presents on the day, while the proportion fell to 38.9 percent among people between 35 and 39.

(Xinhua 02/15/2001)