Guest written by Rain Andersen (@wearenotfriends_) a veteran sworker with nine years in adult entertainment and five years working for Lovers.

Greeting cards, flowers, and chocolates have been popular tokens of affection during Valentines of past. Now decades later, people are redefining the meaning of Valentine’s Day and the expressions of love that are associated with it.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) started documenting trends in consumer behavior related to this sentimental holiday in 2004. Their 2021 Valentine Assessment reported a record-breaking 41% of respondents had planned to celebrate their Valentine’s Day indoors this year.

Today we’ll be discussing three ways that people are celebrating Valentine’s at home in 2022. As you continue reading, you’ll learn about some of the most popular, X-rated gifts of the season: no reservations required.

QUICK LINKS:

1. Food Play
2. Threesomes
3. Roleplay

Food Play

Digital savings destination, RetailMeNot, conducted a Valentine survey that revealed some interesting details about America’s passion for one particular Valentine gift.

Over 50% of American’s surveyed, reported that they had planned to gift their loved one’s chocolate this year, with 44% of respondents claiming that chocolate ranked highest on their Valentine Wishlist. This statistic has increased by nearly 10% over last year, doubling the projected spending on chocolate from $26 to $46.

Food is the foundation for many holiday gatherings, and continues to play a significant role in the way that couples are celebrating Valentine’s Day in the 21^st Century. Valentine foods have gone on to shape our experiences and memories with their great, seasonal flavors, elegant presentations, and romantic iconography. Chocolates, wine, oysters, and other decadent types of food, have become synonymous with Valentine’s Day because of their suspected aphrodisiac qualities and their pleasurable flavor profiles.

Chocolate specifically, contains two chemicals that human’s associate with arousal; tryptophan, an amino acid that helps to produce the neurotransmitter, serotonin, and phenylethylamine, a naturally occurring chemical that helps to stimulate improved mood and attention.

“The neurochemical process is complex,” Dr. Elliot Harmon of the Oregon Health & Science University explains. “The rewards pathway present in consumption of flavorful foods and sexual pleasure, are both associated with the release of dopamine. Whether the dopamine release from the consumption of food, acts synergistically when coupled with sexual acts, or is simply classically conditioned to produce an enhanced response, is speculative, but the resultant effect is beneficial nonetheless.”

Do certain foods make us horny or are they just the icing on an already delicious cake? “Worth a shot, in my opinion,” Dr. Harmon says.

Food and sex trigger very similar responses in the brain, so it’s clear why someone might enjoy coupling these two experiences together. If you’re thinking about serving up a portion of pleasure this Valentine’s Day, we have a few recommended courses to set at the table this year.

Remember that genitals have varying capacities to process ingredients in foods, so it’s important to be mindful of the type of snacks you’re playing with on Valentine’s Day (and where you play with them). Avoid putting sugary, spicy, oily, alcoholic, or creamy products inside the vulva or urethra. A condom or other sexual barrier can heighten sensation and protect your body from irritants if you’d like someone to lick a topping off this area of your body. Naturally sweetened foods can be much gentler on the skin; we recommend the sweet and sticky consistency of honey, that has to be sucked and polished off the surface of the body, or the icy sensation of frozen cherries and strawberries, perfect for reawakening the erogenous zones.

HORS D’OEUVRE
Aphrodisiac Chocolates, ($10.50/pack)

One gives you a boost in energy, two gets you in the mood, and three ignites the senses! Our best-selling aphrodisiac chocolates feature a unique blend of herbs meant to inspire arousal. Looking to maximize the effects of this aphrodisiac? Pair your chocolate with one of our popular performance enhancement supplements to enhance sensitivity and extend your pleasure.

DONA Kissable Massage Oils are pheromone infused body oils, designed to be kissed and transferred across the skin. Choose between three, decadent flavors- perfectly themed to your Valentine celebrations. The DONA Kissable Massage Oil comes in a delicious Vanilla Buttercream, Chocolate Mousse, and Strawberry Souffle flavor, designed for licking and kissing.

MAIN COURSE
Edible Body Paints, ($14.50)

Playtime just got sweeter with the Edible Body Paint Set from Hott Products! This body paint kit is a fun and interactive foreplay tool. Enhance your touch with the creamy, flavored paints, in four delectable flavors. Your palate contains cherry, strawberry, passion fruit, and pina colada paints. Clean up has never been easier- lick the paint off your human canvas with this oral pleasure kit!

DESSERT
Intimate Earth Flavored Glides, ($18.50)

Intimate Earth Flavored Lubricants are made with stevia, for a natural and realistic taste that is never sticky or tacky. These vegan pleasure glides are perfect for enhancing your partners natural flavor without masking it. Unlike other oral glides, Intimate Earth's formulas highlight the taste of bodily fluids- they never cover them up! Made with 100% organic ingredients, you can rest assured that their formulas are edible, vegan, and safe to use with sex toys or condoms.

Menage a Trois

"She asked me what I wished for on my Wish List. Have you ever asked your bitch for other bitches?" – Kanye West

I’ve helped people arrange their Valentine’s Day plans for the last five years and I can confirm: the threesome is the most giftable sex act of all time. It’s fun (theoretically) to give, it’s great to receive, and it satisfies what appears to be an almost universal longing to be desired.

Threesomes require a few prerequisites, and they are not the type of items that you can pick up at a local sex shop (please don’t attempt to acquire them there, either). Looking for a person that is interested in participating in a threesome (AKA: a Unicorn) may require some negotiation. You'll want to talk to your partners about the types of boundaries and rules they'll require to facilitate a fun and sensual evening for three. It can be difficult, if not disastrous, to orchestrate a surprise threesome, when communication is such an integral component of a threeway's success.

Feeld, a dating app that empowers alternative sexual preferences, reported the threesome as the number one fantasy for coupled and single individuals on their app. The dating app reported a 670% increase in the ‘desire ranking’ of the threesome on Feeld profile displays between 2020-2021.

Feeld prophesied a growing interest in threesomes and Ethical Non-Monogamy (ENM) that is approximated to make up roughly 5% of the American public. Ethical Non-Monogamy, the practice where partners maintain more then one sexual or romantic partner with another’s knowledge and consent, is now said to be equally as prevalent in the U.S. as American’s who report to identify as LGBTQIA+.

The rise of ENM Relationships and a pandemic that has left people feeling estranged from valuable connections suggests that the threesome is here to stay. If you’re thinking about participating in a threesome this Valentine’s Day, we located three essential products that can make all the difference in the world:

 

A Happy Life in an Open Relationship, ($24.50)

For anyone curious about open relationships, A Happy Life in an Open Relationship is the handbook to help you explore, understand, and create healthy non-monogamous relationships. Written by relationship therapist and expert, Susan Wenzel, this book offers skillful advice on how to navigate the complex emotional landscape of multi-partner dynamics, from polyamory to swinging. Think of it as your cliff note guide to the ultimate Valentine threesome!

Skyn Elite 10 Pack Condoms, ($11.50)

When planning a threesome, mentioning a potential condom allergy might not be a top priority. Skyn Elite Condoms are a Vegan-friendly, polyisoprene condom with the thin and realistic feeling that you crave. 20% thinner then typical Skyn condoms, the Elite Skyn is our favorite choice for multipartnered intimacy.

The We-Vibe Chorus is our best-selling, hands free couples’ vibrator, designed to be worn independently or during intercourse. This versatile, waterproof, and fully poseable sex toy can be bent to accommodate anyone’s body, making it the ultimate threesome accessory! Equipped with a phone app and squeeze reactive remote, the We-Vibe Chorus can be controlled by a third-party from a distance, so that you can continue to play even when one partner needs to cool down.

Roleplay 

Lingerie has lost some of its luster in recent years ranking lower in priority to traditional gifts like chocolate and flowers. A growing demand for size inclusive products and marketing has made lingerie feel inaccessible to many modern shoppers, and is challenging people redefine what sexiness feels like and looks like to them.

Experiential gifts rose in popularity in the mid-1990’s, and now represent one of the fasting growing segments of the gifting industry. While lingerie continues to rank among some of the most popular gifting options, people have begun to consider certain sexual acts as possible contenders to trending Valentine gifts. Roleplay gives couples the opportunity to offer both of these things- the gift of lingerie and an experience, all in one.

So, what are the top-ranking roleplay fantasies of 2022? We ran a poll on Lovers Instagram to find out what your favorite roleplay looks were for this Valentine’s Day. The results are sure to surprise you!

Ready to turn your fantasy into a reality? We curated the best roleplay outfits to match your user-generated fantasies below. Shop your favorite looks before they are gone!

The Secretary 
Shop the Secretary
We surveyed people on their favorite kinky archetypes, and discovered that the secretary was the most popular roleplay of 2022. The secretary roleplay is incredibly versatile, unrestricted to specific uniforms or gender roles. People interested in look and feel of the secretary roleplay might also explore student/teacher, librarian/reader, or maid/hotel guest roleplays.

The Nurse
Shop the Nurse
Nurses and doctors are another popular roleplay fantasy, and they appear to be more desirable then ever. The nurse/doctor roleplay may be about offering someone orgasmic touch, or it can represent a space for experimentation and exploration of the body. People interested in the nurse/doctor fantasy can purchase different medical props and accessories from their local sex store to add realism to their roleplay.

The Dominatrix
Shop the Dominatrix
Dominatrix/Simp roleplay incorporates different BDSM props and accessories that can be used to punish, reward, or worship your partner, inspired by the real-life practices and lifestyles of dominatrix's and sex workers. People interested in this roleplay should consider speaking to sex workers about the experiences that inspired their fantasies, but should never expect to access this information free of charge.

The Princess
Shop the Princess
Royalty roleplay may involve indulgent sensation tools like feather ticklers, air pulsators, and satin restraints. People interested in this roleplay can interpret their characters outfits and personalities as they see fit, and may enjoy spending an extended amount of time preparing for their roleplay. Those who enjoy this fantasy might also consider dominatrix/simp or muse/artist roleplays designed to keep focus on one individual.

The Cop
Shop the Police Officer
The police officer roleplay has gone out of vouge as controversy over police brutality and reform is debated publicly. A small percentage of people expressed interest in cop/robber roleplays, but this number is expected to decline along with public approval in 2022. People interested in cop/robber roleplays might consider exploring other forms of BDSM that rely on a dominant and submissive participant.

Valentine's Day 2022

How will you spend your Valentine's Day in 2022? As the pandemic rages on, American's are placing greater value on holidays like Valentine's Day that emphasize and make time for human connection and self care. This year promises to inspire the most creative and sensual Valentine gifts yet! Looking for inspiration? Find a local Lovers location near you, or shop with Lovers online to locate the best sex toys, lingerie, and gifts!

Further Readings:
21 Reasons to Fulfill Your Valentine Fantasy: Cosmopolitan
ASMR Valentine Gifts in a Year Devoid of Touch: VICE Magazine
Sex Therapists Give Valentine's Day Tips: She Knows

WITH PLEASURE, 

LOVERS