Buying flowers might give the impression of cheating... even though you're not!

Don't bother buying your wife or girlfriend flowers...she'll only think you're cheating

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Last updated at 9:10 AM on 26th May 2011

They are the classic gift of love. But giving your wife a bunch of flowers may not have quite the effect you desired.

She may well think it’s a sign you’re cheating, a study has revealed.

It found that three quarters of women admit they are suspicious when their man turns up with a bouquet out of the blue.

Feeling guilty? Research found that three quarters of females admit they are suspicious when their man turns up out-of-the-blue clutching flowers

A box of chocolates usually suggested he had lied about something and a candlelit dinner often meant he has bad news.

Trying to tell me something? Many women believe a box of chocolates means their other half has lied about something

The gifts which do not cause suspicion are treats such as cakes or a takeaway.

The study asked 1,500 men and 1,500 women in long-term relationships what they thought about presents from their partners and it found the level of suspicion is related to the cost of the gift.

‘You might have the best intentions, but buying your partner a surprise gift can get you in hot water,’ said Graeme Nash, of Greggs the bakers, which commissioned the research.

He added: ‘The more indulgent the gift, the greater the suspicion it seems.

‘The common misconception is that only cheats treat their partners with expensive gifts, so if you want to sweet talk your partner the best way to say it is with a piece of cake.’  

Nearly half of the men said they had stopped buying gifts for a partner in the past in case it lead to paranoia.

And more than a quarter of women said their partner had given them a gift in the past after doing something wrong.

On average men treated their partners to three surprise gifts every year.

Men should stick to buying cakes and takeaways as they are the only gifts guaranteed not to spark suspicion. A woman's level of suspicion also increases in proportion to the cost of the gift - which is good news for those on a budget.

The worries emerged in a study of 1,500 men and 1,500 women in long-term relationships, by bakers Greggs.

Food psychologist Dr Christy Fergusson believes people view cakes as an innocent treat to be shared.

She added: 'It's quite worrying that we're so suspicious and paranoid. 

'Maybe if we all treated our partners more often we'd be more likely to accept the sentiment rather than start worrying.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1390850/Dont-bother-buying-wife-girlfriend-flowers--shell-think-youre-cheating.html#ixzz1NSdQRiSo