Melissa Ferrari Handwritten Love Letters for Valentine's Day Interview

Aussie Men Romantics at Heart, Reveals Survey

Handwriting a love letter, walking on the beach and surprise weekends away are just some of the romantic things Aussie men like to do, reveals a survey of more than 1000 Australians conducted by online dating site, RSVP and Pilot Pen Australia.

"Every year around Valentine's Day we publish our annual 'love monitor' to report on the romantic habits of Australians. This year, we were surprised to find that 80 per cent of Australian men consider themselves to be romantic but the majority of women (65 per cent) disagree," said Mr John Johnston, marketing manager, Pilot Pen Australia.

The survey revealed that 82 per cent of Australian men have handwritten a love letter, 17 per cent have sent flowers, 27 per cent have booked a surprise weekend away and 74 per cent will write a Valentines card; 54 per cent write loving notes to their partner and leave them around the house.

In spite of this, Australian women ranked Italians as the most romantic (41 per cent), closely followed by French men at 36 per cent. Australian men ranked third in the romance stakes at 14 per cent with British men lagging way behind at just 8 per cent.

"The survey suggests that Aussie men are not backward at coming forward with romantic gestures – perhaps it's time we give them a chance to reveal their true romantic natures," commented leading couple counsellor and relationship expert, Melissa Ferrari.

In fact, Aussie men love a love letter, one of the most romantic gestures of all, with 82 per cent having written one and 94 per cent saying that if they received one, they would consider it to be highly romantic and 86 per cent saying they would much prefer a love letter than a text message.

Both men and women agree that even in the age of online dating and new technology, 95 per cent still consider the love letter romantic with just 4 per cent saying it is out-dated. Almost half of all men and women had kept a love letter from an old flame.

"Writing love letters and little notes to your partner is a great way to show you care and it is heart warming to see that so many Aussie men are putting pen to paper to express their feelings this way – Aussie women take note, writing him a love letter might be the way to your man's heart!" laughed Melissa.

John Johnston from Pilot Pen said that it was great to see pen power topping technology on Valentine's Day and said that many people are so used to pressing auto-correct on a key board they worry about making a mistake when handwriting.

"If you would like to try hand writing a love letter but are worried about making a mistake, then choose a pen with erasable ink, such as Pilot's Frixion range, so you can rub it out and start again and your loved one will never know!" he advised.

When asked which TV host they would most like to most like to receive a love letter from, David Campbell from Ch9's Today Extra topped the list of women's favourites at 34 per cent, closely followed by Karl Stefanovic from the Today Show. Joe Hildebrand, from Studio Ten scored just 13 per cent and David Koch, Sunrise, 9 per cent. Samantha Armytage, Ch7 Sunrise, was the male favourite at 26 per cent, followed by Lisa Wilkinson, Ch9 Today Show at 22 per cent and Sylvia Jeffries at the Today Show, 13 per cent.

When it comes to preferred Valentine's Day activities, a weekend away was the most popular (38 per cent), followed by a romantic meal for two (24 per cent) and snuggling up on the sofa together (14 per cent).

"Celebrity love letters aside, the reality is that the majority of us just want to be with the one we love on Valentine's Day and that's the way it should be," said Melissa.

To choose a perfect pen to write a romantic love letter or card with this Valentine's Day, or for a special gift idea, visit: www.pilotpen.com.au.

Interview with Melissa Ferrari

Melissa Ferrari is one of Australia's most sought-after relationship experts and is renowned for her warmth and engaging personality. Through her private counselling sessions, seminars and couples retreats, Melissa has helped thousands of individuals and couples gain insight into their relationship problems and has given them the tools to help them resolve ongoing conflicts and move towards developing and maintaining a loving and connected relationship. For more info visit www.melissaferrari.com.au or follow her on Facebook.

Question: Were you surprised that 82% Australian men admitted to writing a handwritten love letter?

Melissa Ferrari: I must say I was a little surprised, but not because I don't think Australian men aren't romantic, more because I never imagined that writing a letter would be high on their thoughts of what is romantic. We live in a digital age where things like texts and social media are the norm, so it's great that so many guys are still looking to old fashioned romance ideas to keep the spark alive.


Question: What other romantic things have Australian men been known to do?

Melissa Ferrari: In my experience men like to create an experience for their partner, such as a nice picnic or going in a hot air balloon. They're also big on things like walks on the beach, leaving little love notes around the house and sending flowers, which is backed up by the recent survey from Pilot Pen and RSVP.


Question: How can we refresh the romance in our relationship this year?

Melissa Ferrari: There are lots of really simple things you can do; such as learn to pay attention to your partner, linger just that few seconds longer when they're speaking to you, or make sure you look at them like you're really taking in who they are. Feeling cherished or admired by your partner is very powerful and something that many couples don't place enough importance on.


Question: Why are date nights still as important as ever?

Melissa Ferrari: Spending time one-on-one with your partner, without the distractions of family or friends, is really important for couples. It's a time to celebrate your relationship and connection, it says we honour our union and take that time consciously, and it's a great opportunity to really communicate and remember what brought you together in the first place.

Question: What are the best date night locations?

Melissa Ferrari: Any experience that helps you be still and engaged together without distractions is ideal – so no mobile phones! It's a great idea to go to places that have meaning or memories for you both, such as a favourite restaurant, however exciting new activities and locations can also be fun for creating new experiences you can enjoy together.


Question: Can you provide us with some tips about what to write on our Valentine's Day cards?

Melissa Ferrari: My biggest tip would be to write from the heart. This isn't a time to be shy about your love, so be open and let the words flow. Even if you think it might sound corny, it won't to your partner and it's better to be honest and heartfelt. Don't feel compelled to write a long message either, sometimes short and sweet can be the most profound and caring.


Question: Despite the increase in technology why is the love letter still important?

Melissa Ferrari: It's far more personal and intimate, and these days it's a little different which makes it all the more special. Texts or social media messages can easily be deleted or forgotten too, whereas a physical love letter can be kept and treasured for years to come.


Question: How can we recover if we forget Valentine's Day?

Melissa Ferrari: Acknowledge it and repair the damage, if that's what your partner needs. For example if you know Valentine's Day means a lot to your partner and you forget it, then making up for this quickly is recommended. If you can't think of how to do this, one option is to simply ask them what you could do to make them feel special so that you know it's suitable just for them and won't miss the mark.

Interview by Brooke Hunter