Men are struggling when it comes to modern day chivalry, a study has found.Despite more than three in four women saying they would love to receive a romantic letter or poem, only half of men have penned either, it found.
Most women claim they would treasure a love letter, or poem, for the time and effort spent writing it, which is perhaps why six per cent of men confessed to passing off existing romantic poetry as their own in order to impress the fair sex.
While the passionately composed love lyric was an important feature of wooing in olden times, more than one in five men today were are more inclined to use their mobiles to dash off a text.
More than one in ten would instinctively an emailed message to their loved one.
The study found that while the majority of women are regular users of Facebook and Twitter, more than half would feel disappointed to receive a wall message or tweet instead of a traditional greetings card this coming Valentine's weekend.
The study, of more than 2100 adults, found two in three women would like to be complimented on their appearance, while a third appreciated a partner with good eye contact, regarding this as a sign of devotion.
The Lindt Lindor "Code of Modern Chivalry" report found some behaviour that would-be modern knights should avoid at all costs:
* If taking one's loved one for dinner, pick up the bill – a third of women admit they do not expect to "go Dutch" on Valentine's Day.
* Focus on the lady one is with, as wandering eyes are a major cause of offence for eight in 10 women.
* Switch off the phone and Blackberry, or even better, leave them at home. Interrupting the evening with a phone call, text or email would almost unanimously irritate women.
Relationship expert Jenni Trent Hughes said: ''We may no longer be knights in shining armour or damsels in distress, but we still want and need romance – it is part of our emotional DNA.
''The beauty of romance in the 21st Century is that it is a blank slate.
''Forget about everyone else and make Valentine's Day work for you and the object of your affection.''
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