A Couponbox survey of 1,000 adults rated flowers and gifts as the two most romantic gestures you can make for your partner. However, Get the Guy blogger Matthew Hussey has other things in mind.
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"There are many cliché romantic things we can do for our partners, but I'm a big believer in the most romantic things being unexpectedly romantic," he wrote on his dating advice blog.
Other bloggers and relationship commentators are on Hussey's side, from Bustle to Boldsky Limitless Living to Elite Daily.
If you'd like to get in on their idea of "so unromantic it's romantic," consider these non-romantic gestures that will make your partner’s heart melt:
Take care of them when they're sick. Bustle reported 87 percent of singles said having a partner take care of them while sick is as romantic as relationships get. Not sexy, no, not with the barfing potential. "Being nurtured by your partner when you're sick isn't as classically romantic as a candlelit dinner overlooking the sunset, but it's a time when you can appreciate your partner's thoughtful gestures the most," Samantha Burns, couples counselor and dating coach at Love Successfully, tells Bustle. "You're in a vulnerable state, have lost some of your independence, and you must rely on your significant other for support. It's times like these that show you that your partner is really there for you."
Run her a nice, warm bath. Get some bubbles going, light a candle, play some music. "Then get the hell out," Hussey suggested. "The whole point of this one is you're not there. Romantic things don't always have to involve the two of you. You can do something romantic by leaving them to it. This one involves them relaxing and you giving them space."
Take her mom out to lunch. Another Hussey idea: spending quality time with the person she cares about the most and footing the bill. "This doesn't seem romantic as it's not with them at all, but it will go massively appreciated," he said.
And for bonus points, mention her name a couple of times during the outing. Bustle reported that 76 percent of singles think mentioning a partner to your parents is super romantic, so it seems even more romantic (in an unromantic way) to mention your partner to her own parent when she's not around.
Wash her car. She's going to love it, Hussey promised. Note that this gesture needs to come out of the blue, not after weeks of her nagging you to get to it.
Order in his lunch. Don't ignore the guys in this world of unromantic romantic gestures, advised Boldsky, adding, "One needs to understand that even the toughest men often appreciate feeling loved and adored." One seemingly unromantic way to relay a message of TLC is having lunch delivered to his work. Just for him, not a lunch date, so you can also prove that you really know his taste by ordering the works from his favorite place, even if it involves onion rings or chicken wings or some other food that ordinarily rates your disapproval.
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Clean the toilet. That's right. You're almost guaranteed a swoon for this unromantic gesture, according to Family Share. "Anyone can buy you a box of chocolates, but cleaning the toilet is true love. Love is about the real, everyday things like the nitty-gritty chores, not the occasional bouquet of flowers."
Grant her a well-worn sweatshirt or oversized button down.Elite Daily suggested this among some more typical romantic gestures as part of a list of tips for Romance 2.0. If you can't see how ancient remnants of your days as a rugby player or supporter of your college football team is going to melt her heart, consider ED's explanation: "When you're not around to cuddle, we like snuggling with your clothes instead. And we're not going to pretend like we don't feel cute wearing your oversized garments. Bonus points if they still smell like you."
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