REGINA -- Friday is Valentine’s Day, and many locally owned businesses in Regina have spent the days and weeks leading up to the holiday preparing.

Flowers

Bouquets of a dozen roses are the Wascana Flower Shoppe’s most popular order around Valentine’s Day, but it also specializes in unique flowers.

flowers

Petra Janssen, the owner of Wascana Flower Shoppe, said in the weeks leading up to the holiday, flowers are shipped in from around the world, including Ecuador, Israel, Hawaii and Thailand.

Janssen also said the shop increases its staff from 25 to 40 employees for Valentine’s Day, to make sure there are bouquets for anyone who wants one.

“It’s super busy, but it’s also such a great time of year for spreading love and joy when it’s cold outside,” Janssen said.

Baked goods

For those looking for something a little sweeter to give their loved ones, Le Macaron spends long hours in the kitchen on the days leading up to Valentine’s Day.

macaron

On Feb. 13, staff members started at 5:00 a.m. in order to get everything done that was needed for Friday.

“It’s the biggest holiday, over Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day – everything follows underneath,” Jacqueline Gobin, the co-owner of Le Macaron said.

“It’s a little chaotic, because some of the stuff we do is really fine when you’re coming to the chocolates, and dipping stuff into chocolate,” Gobin said. “Our garnishes and that really speak Valentine’s Day, and our colours, and it looks really beautiful.”

Gobin said over ten years of business, each year Valentine’s Day grows bigger and bigger.

Write the right message

To make sure you’re sharing the perfect message with loved ones on Valentine’s Day, Paper Umbrella offers a variety of stationary.

flowers

“We do get people that want to write a love letter. I suppose that’s classic, but it’s not typical,” Brad Kreutzer, co-owner of Paper Umbrella, said.

The stationary shop stocks up on specialty cards, feather quills and ink ahead of the holiday.

This year also marks its fourth year of its ‘Love Wall Contest.’

Customers can write the name of their loved one on a sticky note, which then gets posted in the store’s front window.

“It’s kind of fun, because we get people coming by – we even notice late at night – coming by to show their partner, or their spouse, or their family members, the sticky note of their name,” Kreutzer said.

“We get people who come in every year and it’s kind of like a tradition to them. They enjoy it, and it’s become part of their Valentine’s routine.”