Valentine's Day misery
whoooommmm????
Why do we do it anyway? Do you want to participate in that commercial misery? Isn't love complicated enough? And okay, when you receive something, life is fantastic. But how many times have you looked at the mailbox in vain? Or worse, did you expect to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers from your guy, every other day, you go to bed half-crying at 8 o'clock, because he forgot, because your secret love really just showed 0 interest, or because your guy thinks it's nonsense and so conveniently skips the whole day. No roses, no card, nothing at all. And yet, there remains that hope. That silent hope that this year is different, that what you always see in romantic films will happen to you this year. And that is exactly what keeps Valentine's Day great, hope! 
did you participate?
Last week I conducted a survey via Instagram. A lot of questions about the do's and don'ts on Valentine's Day, what annoys most ladies. What makes them very happy and is anything expected at all on the 14th ? En masse (read: 150 ladies) participated and what emerged was partly surprising... and partly also completely predictable! Because honestly, men will be men... Are you reading along?
the ladies
Ok, first a brief overview of the participants. The vast majority of my followers are women, especially ladies between 25-45 years old. The majority (86%) of these indicated that they were in a serious relationship. Then you would think, they are baked…. Because come on, men (and women) aren't that aromantic, are they...? Well yes! Because of all these ladies (read, those in serious relationships), only 13% expect to receive something for Valentine's Day. Of course I also belong to the other 87%, which is quite logical for those who have been following me for a while, given Flip's track record in gift misses (or missing, rather).
Then there was a small group that (secretly) has a crush on someone. Valentine's Day would of course be an excellent opportunity for these ladies. Because that's what the whole day is really about, right? Not so, because only 28% of these ladies indicate that they are going to take action. The remaining 72% plan to sit behind the geraniums and wait for this prince on a white horse to arrive at their doorstep. Such a shame if you ask me!
history lesson?
Because, although much is still unclear about the origin of this romantic day (I won't bore you with a 3-sided history lesson, just Google it 😉), one thing has been proven: anonymous cards and flowers have been sent for hundreds of years. 
to unknowing recipients. The oldest Valentine's Day card ever found dates from around 1400 and can still be found in the British Museum in England. The approach was clear, you have a crush on someone, you don't dare say it to his or her face, so you wait for this beautiful day and write all your emotions on a card... Hoping that the recipient, yes what exactly? Recognized your handwriting? Do you get visions of your face after receiving the card? Just feel like it's your card? No, you hope that the feeling is completely mutual and that the recipient will be on your doorstep within 10 minutes of receipt.
And that is exactly what it all started about, expressing love to unconscious recipients. Of course, it has now gotten completely out of hand and has become a major commercial mess. But why not take advantage of what this day is intended for? It can really bring so much beauty. Unfortunately, this romantic trend is lagging behind. According to the survey, only 39% of ladies have ever received a card from a secret admirer. Too bad, such a shame. Gentlemen, if you read this: WE LIKE THIS, REALLY! But ladies, we are of course now emancipated enough to take matters into our own hands, right?
just do it!
So send that card! Leave a note. Or, as one of the ladies sent to me: have a kid from your ski class give a note with your phone number to that nice guy who works at the gondola and see where the ship ends up. No idea what kind of card you should send? Keep it light! Most men are shocked when they receive an over-romantic declaration of love. So keep it fun, a little humor goes a long way. The survey also shows that 53% of ladies indicated that they would rather go for humor than sweeter than sweet. Just look at these cards, a smile is guaranteed.
the balls
To the question: what would you really like to get for Valentine's Day? Most ladies replied: a card and secondly: REST! See, we actually become happy very quickly. A card and a day without puss and we are very happy. To the question: what do you think the gentlemen would like to receive? All the ladies agreed on this: they couldn't care less. And yet, I'm sure that those dry balls are secretly happy with that extra bit of attention.
And it doesn't have to be big and expensive, right. According to the survey, the average woman spends between $10 and $25 on a Valentine's Day gift. In most cases this applies to cards, chocolate and romantic small gifts such as bears. I have to say that bears might be better replaced by a job card or a screwdriver. Because, looking at my guy, that bear ends up in a corner somewhere, dusty or worse. Men generally lack that gene completely. And do you have a brother, friend or other single man in your area who really has no idea how to deal with the ladies? Then this book is the ultimate (Valentine's) gift. See, a man (or woman) with humor has half the world!missing genes
The fact that they lack that gene is also evident from the question: what annoys you most about men on Valentine's Day? The vast majority of ladies answered: that they forget or assume that I don't care. This way they come off very easily. There were also a lot of ladies who simply never received anything sweet from their guy for Valentine's Day. Fortunately, there are also men who make an effort. For example, I read about 2 marriage proposals and yes, admittedly, you can only get away with that once, but it is still the best gift ever. Roses were thrown fanatically, there was cooking, cards were sent and my own sister received the same balloon not once, not twice, but three times for Valentine's Day. But she can't complain, because she did get a balloon for three years! And then there are the Valentine's Day bloopers, like the lady who should have received a nice bottle of perfume for Valentine's Day. This was delivered to the neighbors further away, but the lady who received the package kept insisting that she had not received anything. Shall we just say: It's the thought that counts? 
friends rule
What is striking is that more than half of the ladies also do something nice for their friends on Valentine's Day. And honestly, we all should! Because let's face it, at least they appreciate it! No, it's not romantic and no, not how Valentine's Day was ever intended, but it's about love, right? And family is also increasingly involved. There was also a lady who not only gave her husband Valentine's chocolates, but also her two sons. And I would like to adopt that example. Because I feel more love for those two brats than any card can describe.
Whatever you do this Valentine's Day, do it with love (and a wink)!
Lots of love,
Bianca
