British men are shying away from romantic gestures with 38 per cent of men admitting they have never sent a love letter - voted the most wanted romantic expression of love by one in five women (21 per cent).
Relationships on Female First
The new study out today from QVC reveals that one in eight men (12 per cent) in Britain say they never show their feelings for their loved ones and a further one in four (25 per cent) admit they are only romantic on special occasions when they feel they have to be.
Half of the women surveyed admitted they wanted their partner to be more romantic and 52 per cent named romance as the most important factor in a committed relationship, ahead of intelligence (40 percent), money (4 per cent) or even a good sex life (4 per cent).
Particularly popular during the renaissance period, the love letter has survived through the decades until now.
Research out today revealed that 44 per cent of 21st century women have never received a love letter as an adult. With only 10 per cent of men sending love letters, this old fashioned way of saying ‘I love you’ is facing extinction.
To help bring back old-fashioned romance this Valentine’s Day, QVC has hired illustrator Kate Forrester to create a beautiful romance-inspired design for Brits to write their love letters on.
The British Library has published an anthology of 2000 Love Letters showing Bronte, Dickens and Wilde lead the way in romance but with 33 per cent of men opting to text or tweet their sweet nothings and only 15 per cent of men sending flowers, British men have lost all their creativity when it comes to showing their feelings.
One in three men (31 per cent) claim that the recession has made them less romantic as they don’t have the money to spoil their other halves. 26 per cent of men admitted their lack of creative skills made being romantic too difficult, whilst 25 per cent claimed they didn’t have the time, with a further 10 per cent admitting they were too embarrassed to show their softer side.
Christine Miller, professional poet, comments: "The main reason we don’t write love letters now is fear; fear of rejection or fear of losing face.
"To overcome this, put yourself in the position of your loved one and imagine how you would feel if they were to write a few precious lines dedicated just to you.
"Set aside the fear and be bold and courageous; pick up your pen and share the love. After all, it’s what makes the world go round!"
Italian men were voted the nationality most likely to be romantic (44 per cent) by British women, followed by the French (23 per cent), with British men falling way behind, achieving only 16 per cent of the vote.
Thankfully, British men and women agree on one thing in the romance stakes; both sexes named a love letter as the most romantic gesture:
Top 5 romantic gestures voted by women:
1. Being sent a love letter (21 per cent)2. Receiving flowers (18 per cent)
3. Being cooked for (16 per cent)
4. Having a poem or song written for you (14 per cent)
5. Being taken on holiday (9 per cent)
Top 5 romantic gestures voted by men:
1. Being sent a love letter (20 per cent)2. Being taken on holiday (15 per cent)
3. Being cooked for (13 per cent)
4. Having a poem or song written for you (12 per cent)
5. Night in a hotel (9 per cent)
Sue Leeson from QVC comments, "Romantic gestures don’t have to break the bank - the most important thing is that they are thought through.
"Whether it means getting artistic and making something special like a card or shopping for things that your loved one mentioned a long time before, a little bit of effort can go a long way."
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