High cost of Valentine's Day deters couples

The perceived high cost of St Valentine's Day is putting some couples of celebrating it.

One in four of us would prefer not to celebrate the romantic day at all.

Research from Bayer HealthCare shows a third of Irish couples would ban the day.

Relationship expert Trish Murphy says some romantics cite the high cost as off-putting:

"I think lots of people have a problem with the elevated cost of valentines' day - chocolates, flowers, meals, nice clothes, nice underwear - it all costs a fortune.

A fairly sensible person would say: if I avoid all that, I'll have all this extra money, and maybe I can go away for an entire weekend foe the same price."

She said Irish people are "very" romantic, but don't like to be forced into it - and Valentine's Day can force people into "making declarations they don't really mean."

Meanwhile, "snookums" is apparently the most offensive pet name for your other half.

A new survey by One 4 All has found more than half of us give nicknames – and other unpopular ones were baby cakes, sugar lips and sweet cheeks.

The pet name most of us use is baby, followed by honey.

Ireland's most unromantic county has also been revealed, and it is Limerick - followed closely by Leitrim, Longford and Dublin.

The best presents included a Gucci watch, an Ireland rugby jersey and a weekend away to Spain, with the worst being a wok, an electric mixer and chocolates that were out of date.