Why Valentine's Day Isn't Just For Couples

Valentine's Day isn't just about couples anymoreV-Day comes but once a year and is traditionally held responsible for triggering melancholia in single people.

However, we've noticed a significant change in the way British singles view Valentine's over the past couple of years.

Where once it was a day of doom, now it's a day to take action. And it has become one of the busiest days in the year for finding love online.

Historically, sites such as match experience a surge in sign ups in January as people come back from Christmas with a plan to find a partner ahead of February 14. Not so any more.This year, we're anticipating that over 4.5 million will be online looking for a prospective partner over the Valentine's weekend.

There are likely to be more than 1.5 million new exchanges taking place between people on match alone. Whether you will be in a relationship or not for Valentine's Day, people across the UK appear to be taking a more 'thoughtful and considered' approach to relationships.

According to the biggest study of love and relationships in the UK, the LoveGeist Report, 90% of men and 86% of women prefer a small, thoughtful gesture from a loved one.Commitment is also a serious aspiration for the vast majority with over 95% of people on our site looking for a long-term relationship.

More than 165 new couples leave every day having met their match. The Office for National Statistics has reported that the number of marriages has fallen to its lowest level for 113 years. Only 239,000 couples tied the knot in 2008 - fewer than in any other year since 1895.

While society may be falling out of love with marriage our research tells us time and time again people still aspire to be in a settled long-term and committed relationship.More than half of people we spoke to through The LoveGeist Report said that they had become fussier when choosing a partner.

Some people might regard that as a worrying trend - that it suggests our expectations are becoming unrealistic. I don't believe that. When you examine what people actually say they're looking for, their expectations seem pretty reasonable to me.

Mutual values, personal drive and a shared sense of humour are what matter most to us. People are simply making more considered choices which will naturally lead to stronger relationships and that can only be good for society at large.

Although romance is still important - especially for men according to our research - 95% are prepared to wait to find the right person. This bodes well for the future of relationships, as most people agree that love is easy but relationships require hard work and commitment to sustain them.

Many single people are very clear about what they are looking for. The more choice you have, the more chance you have of meeting a really great match that is ideal for you, on Valentine's Day, or any of the other 364 days of the year.