What does it mean to be romantic?

The question is in the title. How do we define what it means to be romantic? What do we expect from a man when it comes to being romantic in a relationship and what do men think women want from them in terms of being romantic?

I personally think that, whilst i LOVE chick flicks and chick lit etc, all these things give us a jaded view of what is realistic in terms of relationship romance. But also i think it gives men a blurred idea of what it means to be romantic in a relationship.

I texted my boyfriend joking saying he should have romance on tap. He replied saying that he wasn't really a romantic kind of guy. Whilst on the surface i may have agreed with him, i don't get candle lit dinners or rose petals or any of that other crap, deep down i was quite shocked that he thought that of himself.

His definition of being romantic was "being good with words, candlelit dinners, roses and things like that." In what world do we live in where this is the norm in a relationship? To be honest if this was my life i would hate it. There is a very fine line between "soppy and disgusting" and "romantic whilst retaining your manliness." I personally think my boyfriend is the first guy i've dated that hasn't done romantic gestures that, rather than making me feel weak at the knees, just made me want to be sick.

He said he'd only bought me flowers 3 times in the nearly-2-years (eek) that we've been together. 3 times?! Does he seriously think this is bad? It makes when he does buy me flowers really really special. It means he's seen them and thought of me and decided to get me them. It means he's gone out of his way to do something that he thinks will make me happy. And to be honest this act alone makes me more happy than the flowers themselves! If i got flowers every week the novelty would wear off. Surely everyone else agrees with this?

When people say its the little things that count i really think that's true. I think all a girl wants is to feel loved and special everyday. The text 'good morning' and 'good night', the calling you 'beautiful', the hug that only he can give you, the being-happy-to-see-you. These are the things that should make romance in a relationship, not the huge gestures, and to me they do! I think its time we really appreciated the little things (cue this song playing here) and time any man thinking that being romantic consists of these huge gestures changes his tune.

Becky xoxo