Only 1 Out Of 11 People Has Written A Love Letter

Everyone likes romance, and writing a love letter is one of the most romantic ways of showing affection. Suffice to say, we were a little disheartened to read in the Telegraph this week that only one in 11 people surveyed have penned a handwritten love note. The Death of Romantic Love

Love letters have gone out of vogue for several reasons, the first being that the abundance of communication channels nowadays has diminished the appeal of poring over a piece of stationary for half an hour. As unromantic as it sounds, it's easier to send a midday "thinking of you" text message than it is to compose an articulate, handwritten summary of your feelings. Not to mention that people's handwriting has suffered in the wake of PCs. 10 Greatest Love Stories Of All Time

Telegraph writer Max Davidson points out that writing love letters carries the stigma of excessive sentimentality. A hundred years ago, a love letter elicited awws. Now, it can make you look like a creep, or desperate, or saccharine. Putting your sentiments on paper has become a more vulnerable action than ever before. There are countless articles telling women to play hard-to-get, and nothing contradicts hard-to-get like writing a gushy note. Then there's the whole "Mystery Method" phenomenon, which instructs men to gently insult women as a way of seducing them—and love letters don't tend to insult. 50 Ways to Be Romantic Right Now

Life has also quickened its pace in recent decades. The lazy halves of an average couple can barely summon the stamina to answer an email, let alone write a love letter. The survey also revealed that a quarter of the one in 11 people who write love letters had to look up romantic quotes on Google to come up with material.

While it may appear as if we've all become unromantic, unimaginative or lazy, perhaps it's that we've simply come up with more up-to-date gestures. We're willing to bet that more than one in 11 people has made a mixed CD for a loved one. Others have planned spur-of-the-moment getaways, composed songs and vidoes, or made six-course meals in the name of love.

The best thing about romance is that it's versatile. If the written word is not your strong point, there are other gestures for showing affection. On the other hand, if the only thing holding you back is the fear of putting your heart out there, use this Valentine's Day to show that you're willing to take that risk.

Have you ever written or received a handwritten love note?