17-05-2025
21 "Romantic" Gestures That Miss The Mark
Look, I am a romantic at heart, but sometimes there's a disconnect between intent and the actual execution of a "romantic" gesture. Case in point, Reddit user unitedfan6191 posed the question on r/AskReddit, "What's not as romantic as people think it is?" Here are just a few of the responses:
"Gifting a pet. That's a ton of responsibility to dump on someone, and even if they do want a pet, they miss the special moment of picking it for themselves."
-u/kyew
"Proposing in front of a crowd. Even worse, at a sporting event on the Jumbotron."
"Showing up without telling then you're coming."
"Meeting and getting married shortly after. Even if you believe they are 'the one,' please get to know them in the dating phase."
"Shower sex. Can't stand it. Looks hot in the movies, dangerous and unrealistic in reality."
"Making major purchases without discussing with your partner first."
-u/ForayIntoFillyloo"Every Christmas, those commercials in which an absolute psychopath presents their spouse with a brand new $100,000 vehicle. Absolutely not."-u/reillan
"The song 'Every Breath You Take.' It gets played at weddings alllll the time. Even Sting came out and said WYF people."
-u/im-not-a-panda
"Big weddings. You'll be exhausted and stressed out by the end of the night."
-u/Anonymoosehead123"Eloping is a lot more romantic than people think it is."-u/CheshireCat987
"Pursuing someone after they say no or are already with someone else. Just creepy and wrong in real life."
"Romeo and Juliet"
-u/OutrageousEvent"What's wrong with a two-week relationship that has a body count?"-u/Strangerin907
"Sex on the beach. Or sex in water."
"The fighting/makeup sex cycle. Man, it's exhausting."
-u/givesyouhel
"Serenading. I had a first date serenade me once. I left the date feeling like he was going to try to wear my skin."
-u/catinthexmastree"I've had multiple romantic partners serenade me as a surprise (I used to work in music and therefore, dated a lot of other musicians). Every time it happened I wanted to jump off a fucking cliff. It's like when people are singing 'Happy Birthday,' but it's one person, and it's a love song, and if other people are present, they are staring for your reaction. I would be super grateful and touched in public and then make it abundantly clear in private to never, under any circumstances, do it again."-u/ImActuallyTall"I came here to say this. There is nothing less romantic than having to look right into someone's face while they sing directly at you."-u/Ginnabean
"Showering together. You're in my way. Move."
-u/toasterbathpanda
"Proposing on any holiday! Hey babe, here's your Christmas gift. It's a ring I could have given you next week, but then I'd have had to buy you another gift!"
"Absence. It doesn't make the heart grow fonder. Long-distance relationships aren't great either."
"Sharing earbuds. Movies make it look cute, but in real life it's uncomfortable, awkward, and someone's always getting yanked when they move."
-u/softlyanna"Oh, that's nasty. I don't need someone else's earwax being mixed with mine."-u/im-not-a-panda
"Standing in the rain, arguing. Like babe, I'm cold, wet, and emotionally unstable. This isn't The Notebook, it's a breakdown."
-u/YourNewPrincesss"Standing in the rain. Looks cute in movies but in real life you're wet, cold, and lowkey annoyed."-u/dustymusee
"Valentine's Day"
"Anything Edward did for Bella in Twilight."
-u/goldandjade
And finally, "Involving food with sex. Chocolate sauce and whipped cream in crevices you never knew you had are not a good time."
-u/Dense_Principle_2384
Do you any suggestions to add to this list? Leave a comment below.
