If you ask me, Kiwi men don't have the best reputation when it comes to romance - compared to say, their Italian or French counterparts.
But new research shows that Kiwi men are surprisingly romantic, believing in love at first sight, spending up large on presents and cuddling up as a couple on Valentine's Day.
A survey by mattress brand Ecosa investigating Kiwis' attitudes to relationships has revealed that it's often men carrying the romance.
According to the 1000 Kiwis surveyed, a whopping 62 percent of men believe in love at first sight, compared to only 55 percent of women. It seems the south is more sentimental, with Cantabrians (66 percent) and those in Otago/Southland (64 percent) more likely to share the sentiment.
Men are also more likely to lavish their partners with gifts, with around a fifth (19 percent) of men saying they spend more on Valentine's Day than Mother's Day, versus just over a tenth (13 percent) of women.
They also were more likely to want to cuddle up. Females (29 percent) and millennials (aged 25-34) were more likely to want to have time by themselves while males (53 percent) were more likely to want to spend it with a partner.
Psychologist Sara Chatwin says while it is positive to see men putting in an effort to acknowledge their partners, their motives when spending up large on Valentine's Day may not always be so altruistic.
"It is important in relationships to demonstrate your affection for your partner in a way that resonates with them - not just as a statement of your financial success," she says,
"In a #MeToo climate, it may also be that men want to show women that they value them in a way that makes sense to them.
"Valentine's Day is a polarising day with some seeing only the commercialism of the day while many people like myself take advantage of being able to celebrate LOVE in an unabashedly honest way.
"But how much we 'buy-in' is completely up to us!" she adds.
