Australia a nation of hopeless romantics – and contradictions
Announcement posted by WE Buchan 31 Jul 2016
New eHarmony research on romantic habits reveals:
- 60% believe in ‘the One’
- 49% say the best everyday romantic gesture is saying “I love you”
- 47% believe in love at first sight
- 40% need an act of romance daily for relationship satisfaction
- 30% think it's possible to find the type of love depicted in movies
A large proportion of Aussies believe in love at first sight (47%), finding ‘the One’ (60%), and the possibility of finding the type of romance depicted in the movies (30%). Not only do we believe in romance, we also want it at a high frequency, with 40% saying they need at least one romantic gesture daily to feel satisfied and 56% saying they would fall even more in love with a partner they perceived as romantic.
Despite believing in its importance, only 12% of Aussies are convinced their partners are romantic, and, the majority confess they are not the romantic role model in their relationship either, with 81% admitting they themselves could be more romantic.
So what’s preventing romance-starved Australians from being romantic? The top three barriers cited are: lack of money (52%), long working hours (51%), and children (35%).
Interestingly, despite the perceived barriers, eHarmony’s research revealed the acts of romance Aussies appreciate most are free and take minimal effort.
The number one act of romance for Aussies is simply hearing their significant other say “I love you.” This is followed by an act of service such as taking out the garbage without being asked, and physical intimacy like kissing or cuddling.
Even when it comes to grand romantic gestures, Aussies prefer thoughtful over fancy – 83% would choose a home-cooked meal or surprise getaway over an expensive gift, joyride in a flashy plane or car, or public love declaration like a banner or skywriter.
While Australians want to receive small romantic gestures every day, they admit that there are some occasions that are more romantic than others. The happiest day of a couple’s life – a wedding – is seen to be the most romantic occasion (37%).
From the most planned day to just any day, ‘no occasion or a surprise on a regular day of the week’ is ranked the second most romantic occasion (35%). Anniversaries (10%) or Valentine’s Day (8%) didn’t rate highly on the romance scale, indicating that these days might feel forced; and surprisingly, holidays were only rated most romantic by 4%.
Aussie language of love
- Australia’s #1 love language is ‘Words of Affirmation’
- Aussies prefer ‘Quality Time’ over grand gestures
- Aussies aren’t ‘romance materialists’ – ‘Receiving Gifts’ is the language of love least spoken across the nation
“We are all unique in what acts of romance we appreciate, but the underlying idea of romance is always thoughtfulness and understanding your partner’s unique needs. Anyone with a credit card can order some flowers, but the fact that someone has taken the time to order your favourite flowers is what matters most.”
“Whatever your personal preferences, it all starts with finding a compatible partner who will get you and understand your ‘love language’. Using a dating site like eHarmony means you’re more likely to find a partner who’s on the same page as you about the things that matter most – like core values, beliefs and life ambitions. So you’ll have the best chance of developing a deeply compatible, long-lasting romance,” says eHarmony spokesperson Marie-Claire Ducharme Sayers.
Romance Awareness Month provides us with a great opportunity to reignite the romance, but Jacqui recommends couples should initiate romance throughout the whole year. Her top 3 simple tips for keeping the romance alive for the long haul are:
- At least 10 minutes of uninterrupted talking each day
- Compliment and acknowledge each other regularly and speak to each other with kindness
- Make eye contact – sometimes we get caught up in the day-to-day and forget to stop, look and listen to each other
ENDS