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This February 14th, you can forget the flowers and chuck the chocolates – our new survey has revealed what people really want for Valentine’s Day: handwritten love letters. What’s more, far from being a dying art, 82% say they’ve written heartfelt love letters in the past, and Kiwis are still far more likely to treasure a handwritten letter than a love text.¹
Sealed with a kiss: Kiwis are smitten with love letters
It’s official: even in this technological age, love letters are still one of NZ’s most-loved romantic gestures. In fact, in our recent survey of 200 Kiwis, love letters were revealed as the gift-most-wanted for Valentine’s Day 2017. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed – 60% – said that their dream present would be a heartfelt love letter or poem; which means that love letters are a more desired gift than being taken to a fine restaurant (chosen by 26%) or getting flowers and chocolates (picked by 12%).
- Want further ideas for February 14th? Try our best Valentine’s Day ideas here!
What’s more, New Zealanders don’t just want to get love letters, they’re giving them too: 81% of those in the survey said that they believe love letters to be a vital part of a happy relationship, with 77% of men and a whopping 85% of women stating that they’ve written some form of love letter in the past.
The greatest love letters in history
So what makes a love letter so special? Perhaps history can tell us. We asked those in the survey to vote on their favourite love letters of all time, and we’ve collected the best below. They’re the perfect addition to any Valentine’s Day celebrations.
- Need more romance this Valentine’s Day? Try our playlist of the world’s 25 most romantic love songs
Not only are these letters beautiful, they’re the perfect inspiration if you’re thinking of writing something heartfelt of your own. Flick though our slideshow and feel the romance!
- Desire a really dreamy Valentine’s Day at home? Try our romantic dinner ideas!
How to write a love letter
Feeling inspired after those beautiful words? It might be time to join the busy ranks of Kiwi letter writers. Before you do, however, it’s important to remember a few of the factors that go into crafting the perfect love letter:
1. Write from the heart
Don’t fret about finding endlessly creative ways to say I love you – a great love letter doesn’t have to be all polished prose. In fact, 82% of survey respondents said that they actually preferred raw passion to poetic writing, indicating that a letter written straight from the heart is more special than one that focuses on evocative imagery.
2. Honesty is definitely the best policy
Similarly, only 5% of Kiwis think that beautiful writing is the most important part of a romantic letter. Honesty is far more valued: nearly four in five people (77%) say that honesty is the most important thing to try for; followed by 8% who think it’s vulnerability.
3. Use pen and paper
The medium matters when writing to your beloved: 60% of New Zealanders say that handwritten, paper letters are the most romantic. This by far eclipses the 5% of Kiwis who think that text messages are the romantic medium to beat.
4. Send your love letter only once you’re already dating
It’s also important to pay attention to when in the relationship you send your love letters. 23% of Kiwi men said that they would use a love letter to express interest in someone before dating them. However, only 11% of women said this was appropriate, with 89% preferring to wait until they’re exclusively dating someone. Perhaps these eager Romeos are best to err on the side of patience!
5. Know that the recipient might just treasure it forever
One final tip: if you do write your sweetie a love note, know that it might stick around. Indeed, Kiwis are likely to treasure their love letters, sometimes forever: 86% of men and a huge 90% of women think that it’s perfectly acceptable to keep love letters from an old flame. What’s more, 55% of men and 67% of women think it’s fine to keep old letters even when you’re with someone new.
- Read more: writing to someone far away? Let our songs about missing someone inspire you!
EliteSingles editorial, January 2017
Do you have tips for writing the perfect love letter? Or know of a famous romantic letter that didn’t make our shortlist? Let us know! You can tell us in the comments below, say hi on Facebook or Twitter, or drop us a line at [email protected]
Sources:
1. All survey results based on an EliteSingles’ Love Letters’ study, January 2017. Sample size: 200 New Zealand singles.
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