Romantic surprise? Give her a week's notice

SEVEN days and 11 hours - that's how much notice a woman needs for a 'surprise' break.

romance

IF you haven't told your better half about that romantic weekend away you've been planning, it might be wiser to spoil the surprise.

For the average woman needs a minimum of seven days and 11 hours' notice for a surprise break, according to researchers, or else you'll be in her bad books, rather than her good ones.

Kiss to keep the fire burning

A survey found three in ten women would be a little annoyed if their partner sprung a romantic break on them without giving them enough time to prepare.

While one fifth who have been surprised by their partner feel they weren't given enough notice before going away.

This might explain why a quarter of women said their partner's surprise trip had turned out to be a disaster. If all this seems a little unreasonable, consider all the things she has to do:

Among the 2,000 women surveyed, six in ten said they live in fear and dread of being left with little or no time to plan outfits, buy essential holiday items, make beauty appointments and pack.

Of course the packing part will take a while because your partner will need at least nine outfits for a short break - even though it's unlikely she'll wear them all.

And it's best that she takes her time because one in four women said forgetting a key item had put a dampener on their time away.

In total she'll spend 12 hours on vital preparations, for example the three shopping trips she needs to make sure she's bought all the necessities, rearranging her diary, and simply getting into the right frame of mind for a holiday.

Abigail Comber, spokesman for British Airways which commissioned the research, said: ‘The element of surprise is clearly a dividing issue amongst British women but what has emerged is that the enjoyment of going away is enhanced if they feel they've been given enough time to get excited and can leave knowing things will be OK while they're away.'

The five love languages

But it seems these women are considered to be the lucky few by their peers.

The average woman has been treated only twice to a romantic trip, while four in ten said that a surprise holiday 'just wouldn't cross their partner's minds', with many partners thinking spontaneity meant having takeaway.

Have women lost the art of being spontaneous? Tell us below