Australian women want romance, their men want sex, according to the University of Melbourne researcher.
Canadians (81 per cent of men and 93 per cent of women )give for Valentines because they want to and not out of obligation. Seventy-two per cent give something to their significant other, 50 per cent to their parents, 47 per cent to friends, 42 per cent to siblings and 10 per cent to colleagues.
Yet it seems that the economy is biting into this highly commercialized love celebration.
It may not sound romantic however the LIFE Organization recently published the results of a survey that found nearly one in four Americans would be happy to receive life insurance as a Valentine’s Day present this year.
I wonder that does sound suspiciously like a survey result that an insurance company would like to have printed.
I doubt it would cut it with my lover.
Neverthless , the bit of economic reality is hitting hard.
Valentine’s Day will be a low-key, low-cost affair for many Aussies, according to a second Australian survey.
21 per cent share a low key activity like a picnic on the beach or a movie at an open-air cinema.
Meanwhile, 17 per cent said they just wanted to spent quality time with their partner at home. While 70 per cent are still planning on giving their partner a gift, 54 per cent won’t be spending more than AUD $150. Meanwhile a Paypal survey found half will spend less than US $50.
According to Paypal 79% plan dinner, 72% cards, 48% gifts, 42% will send flowers and 29% plan entertainment.
Perhaps what matters most, is making her feel special.
But even if you are planning an extravagant night out, there are changes to be felt there too.
It seems a big lobster, good wine and violin music are no longer in vogue.
Only 2 percent of Valentine’s Day diners care about soft music, and 5 percent the candlelight, according to a survey by OpenTable.com.
In order of importance, comes a private table (28 percent), followed by exceptional service (16 percent) and a beautiful view (13 percent).
With Italian food preferred (33 percent), followed by French (29 percent).
Dr Patricia Petersen, Fellow at The University of Melbourne and Director of the Counselling Centre, who conducted the Australian survey found most women said that they would be happy on Valentine’s Day if given inexpensive gestures of love, such as a card with I Love You written on it and spending the night in watching a DVD.
“I’m quietly relieved that despite the differences, if men put in the effort, romance their partners with inexpensive gestures of love, , I’m sure they’ll end up getting what they want for Valentine’s Day’’.
“Some women who had been in long-term relationships with boyfriends reported that the only thing they really wanted for Valentine’s Day was a proposal” Petersen said.
When these same women were asked whether they would be upset if their partners bought them an inexpensive ring and proposed, all said that they wouldn’t be disappointed. “
