Oh, love is in the air! Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the top 30 ways Brits show their love for their partner have been published, with making dinner and complementing their appearance at the top of the list.
The research was commissioned by Hallmark, as the family-owned greeting card company aims to know the top ways that British couples express their love and admiration for their significant other.
According to the research, celebrating their small wins, holding their hand in public, and telling them you miss them are all ways that Brits in a romantic relationship show their love for their other half.
When it comes to the most popular romantic statements exchanged in a relationship, a simple “I love you” ranked first, followed by “you mean the world to me” and “I can’t imagine life without you.”
Here’s the list of the top 30 ways on how Brits express their love for someone:
Top 30 Ways Brits Express Love, Based on Research
- Cooking dinner for them
- Making food you know they’ll like
- Complimenting how they look
- Celebrating their small achievements
- Telling them you miss them
- Putting them first in situations
- Holding their hand in public
- Completing tasks without being asked
- Doing the washing-up
- Helping them bring in the shopping
- Leaving them the last snack
- Offering to drive them places
- Taking out the bins
- Sending good morning texts
- Buying them small, silly things that remind you of them, when you are out and about
- Making the bed
- Writing letters or cards
- Sending flowers
- Planning spontaneous date nights/days out
- Trying really hard with their family
- Taking the time to get to know their friends
- Letting them decide what to watch on Netflix
- Completing DIY tasks for them
- Sticking up for them, even if they’re in the wrong
- Giving them massages
- Getting rid of spider and bugs
- Pampering them after a long day at work
- Fixing appliances
- Paying for their beauty maintenance (e.g. skincare, nails, haircut, etc.)
- Sending video messages
The research went on to investigate the UK’s top “love language” – a term used to describe the ways in which romantic partners express and experience love.
Physical touch was the most popular love language (34%), which involves expressing affection with gestures such as hugs and kisses. This was closely followed by quality time (22%), which entails bonding emotionally through meaningful time together.
How to Express Love to Someone, According to Dating Experts
- Cuddle them. Rather than focusing on physical intimacy, a morning cuddle in bed, or even a group hug with your children, will allow everyone to feel the love.
- Write them a card. Take the time to write an extended, thoughtful message to your loved one, or buy one with a message that expresses how you feel. Or, if words aren’t your thing, draw an illustration or a funny cartoon inside to show you care.
- Say “I love you”. If you’ve been focusing your energy on DIY tasks, and your partner isn’t feeling the love, opt for verbal communication instead.
- Make a surprise reservation. Relish your role as the planner in the relationship, and book a fun date night.
- Share a video diary of your day. This “behind-the-scenes” look into your life is emotionally intimate, and brilliant if you’re doing a long-distance relationship.
- Spend time together – as a group. It’s okay to swap out the occasional date night for time spent with their family. For lots of people, inviting you into their inner circle is how they will show they care.
- Send them a song that made you think of them. Share a song that reminds you of them, and let the lyrics do the talking.
- Cook their favourite meal. Romance doesn’t have to mean fine dining – taking the time to cook your loved one their favourite meal shows effort and thoughtfulness.
- Turn off your phones together for the day. Leave your phones at home, and spend some distraction-free time together.
- Send a picture of one of your early dates. Send a photo to your partner of the early days to remind them of your courtship, and show that even now you still feel the same.
Emma Bragg, writing director from Hallmark, said: “There are plenty of ways we can show we care about someone, and make them feel special. In this modern, digital world, the time it takes to send a handwritten note or card can make the recipient feel loved and appreciated.
“From traditional things such as writing a love letter, to practical things like making the bed and mending something around the house, the research shows Brits have done it all.
“But whoever you love, and however you love, the most important thing is to make sure the people you love know it.”