NORWICH – With the annual celebration of love only a day away, affectionate philanthropists and vendors trafficking tokens of endearment are gearing up to douse significant others with showers of romanticism.

For shop owners who cater to the traditional needs of Valentine’s Day participants, the holiday represents a mad dash for their products.

“It’s the busiest single day of the year,” said Rick Williams, owner of Pires Flower Shop, who added the biggest seller on Valentine’s Day are red roses in a tall vase. “Last Valentine’s Day, we did around 400 deliveries within a 50-mile radius of Norwich.”

In addition to the traditional long stemmed rose, Pires provides customers with a wide variety of other choices, from $30 arrangements to extravagant floral ensembles costing as high as $300 for those who decide to go all out for the holiday of love – or who have a thing or two they need to make amends for.