Spend less, text more is lrish language of love - survey

Irish people spend less on Valentine's gifts than any other European nation and prefer to communicate through faceless instant…

Irish people spend less on Valentine's gifts than any other European nation and prefer to communicate through faceless instant messaging programmes than face to face, a new survey has revealed.

According to the study by Microsoft, which was conducted by Microsoft’s Windows Live Group in 16 countries in Europe, Middle East and Africa, Irish people will spend an average of €16 on their Valentine this year,

Meanwhile, 70 per cent of people prefer to flirt by text via instant messenger, admitting it is easier. According to 41 per cent of Irish respondents, text-flirting was less intimidating, and a quarter favoured online flirting because they could be more creative.

A third of those surveyed said they used the applications to say "I love you", while one in five people flirt through instant messenger with work colleagues. Online dating is also on the rise.

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With the recession threatening jobs and increasing the financial burden on Irish citizens, almost 20 per cent said it would affect their Valentine's celebrations this year. One in 10 said financial pressures have contributed to the breakup of their relationships.

While €16 may seem below average to spend this Valentine's Day, 13 million Europeans said they wouldn't be able to afford to celebrate at all.

However, Irish people can't blame the recession for the low figure, as according to Microsoft's research, we spent the same in 2008.

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien

Ciara O'Brien is an Irish Times business and technology journalist