Christmas is a holiday you don’t want to spend alone. If you are in a romantic mood and want to spend xmas with someone special, we have compiled the most original and romantic ideas for Christmas in this seasonal video.

Are you ready for our special tips? Here they are….

Romantic Christmas idea no.1: Ice skating
Take your partner on an active date. Winter is the best season for ice skating. What can be more romantic than holding each other’s hands and enjoying the xmas mood.
(Psst, a special tip for the ladies: If you want to get more intimate with your date, pretend you don’t skate too well. I’m sure he will be more than happy to support you.)

Romantic Christmas idea no.2: A romantic city break
Go on a city trip to one of the most romantic places in the world: Paris, Rome and Vienna are the perfect locations for a Christmas date. Spice up your date with fun activities, like asking people for directions to places that don’t exist using funny accent or buy and give away Christmas candies to random people.

Romantic Christmas idea no.3: Movie night
If you are in a mood to stay at home, choose a few romantic movies, light candles and cuddle up in a warm blanket with your beloved. But remember: even if you are feeling cosy and warm, falling asleep in the middle of the movie is not the best idea.

Romantic Christmas idea no.4
For those who want to stay at home, but want to do something more active, you can spend time together decorating the Christmas tree and wrapping Christmas presents, making delicious Christmas cookies.
You can even prepare home-made punch for Christmas dinner. It will make your Christmas date warm and cosy.

Romantic Christmas idea no.5
And last, but not least… Does your date like chic and glamorous events? Then surprise your partner with a ticket to a Christmas ball, opera or a concert. Practice your dancing steps at home in order to avoid any incidents and bloopers on the dance floor.

If you’re still looking for someone special to share a romantic Christmas with, then register now at be2 and find your perfect match for Christmas. Success is guaranteed!

The royal wedding is one of the most anticipated events of the year and it will be a pretty hard one to outdo. But it seems that some singles are at least willing to give it a try and are aiming to do their best to make their own wedding dream come true. Activity amongst singles searching for love through be2 has been on the rise ever since the royal engagement was announced, particularly amongst those singles who are interested in marriage. Are British singles hoping to follow Kate and Wills down the aisle?

2011 is already shaping up to be a boom year for proposals and weddings, not just in the UK, but all over the world. As media coverage of the royal wedding increases, thousands of couples make their own wedding plans. The effect on singles can be determined by the numbers logging on to matchmaking sites, hoping to find their own prince or princess.

The rise in be2 membership numbers is most pronounced in the UK where new member numbers in the first quarter of 2011 are nearly double those in the same quarter in 2010. In particular, the number of singles searching specifically for marriage at be2 has grown by over 50% since the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton was announced in November.*

Royal weddings have a grand tradition of being good for the wedding business. Charles and Diana, William’s parents, were married in 1981, a year that saw a higher number of weddings in the UK than any year since. Let’s see if Kate and William will do the same for the marriage statistics in 2011.

>>> It’s never too late to start planning your own fairytale wedding. Find your prince or princess now at be2.

*Over 7,000 people visited a marriage-themed be2 page in the UK in February and March 2011, compared with around 4,500 for the previous four quarters.

In the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, at be2, we work even harder to find your perfect match. If you are single and have a Valentine’s Day date or if you are in a relationship and planning a romantic Valentine’s Day with your partner, you might still be looking for good Valentine’s day ideas. As „professional matchmakers“, the be2 team know a lot about love, relationships and romance, so we decided to ask around the office:

„What advice can you give singles or people in a relationship for Valentine’s day? Do you have any tips for a romantic Valentine’s day?”

Here, the be2 team share their best Valentine’s day ideas.

• Fiona’s Valentine’s day ideas:
  “I think the most important thing to keep in mind when you are planning Valentine’s Day is that you want to make the person you love feel special. Try to think of a gift that is really personal instead of just buying a standard box of chocolates and a bunch of roses. Take your Valentine out to a place that has a special meaning for both of you, like the place where you had our first date. And, most importantly, make them feel special by spending quality time together, just the two of you! After all, that’s one thing that most couples simply don’t have often enough.”
  - Fiona, UK blog editor
• Fabien’s Valentine’s day ideas:“I think a cool idea is to give a hot stone massag. It is really enjoyable, and your date will be relaxed. If you go to a quiet, cosy bar afterwards, you’ll make a great impression, and your Valentine’s Day will be a total success”
  - Fabien, Developer at be2.
• Annelise’s Valentine’s day ideas:
  “When I was young (teenage years) I liked Valentine’s day a lot. Most of the time I was curious what I would get for that day. A card, a teddy bear or flowers? Now, years and years later, being married and having a child, I approach differently to Valentine’s day. I do not like it as much as before, as I think that people who love each other should express their love by organizing romantic dinners or giving flowers and gifts not only on Valentine’s day, but also on any other day of the year! Anyway, for me the most romantic (Valentine’s) day would be me and my husband sitting on a blanket on the beach with Champagne and chocolates on a secluded Island. I hope my husband will be reading this post as well!”
  - Annelise, Dutch Customer Care



• Jasmin’s Valentine’s day ideas:
  “Of course for Valentine’s Day it does not matter what you do or where you go, as long as the two of you are together. However, everyone wants this day to be extra special. In my opinion the perfect Valentine’s date would be a cruise along a river or lake, where you can watch the sunset after a romantic dinner.”
  - Jasmin, Online Marketing Germany
• Victor’s Valentine’s day ideas:
  “The ideal tip is to cook by yourself. Invite your date, and cook. Alone, together, as long as you can make it cosy, you’ll have a great success. No need to make the food perfect, but it’s the love you put in it that’s important. And that is a great Valentine’s idea!»
  -Victor, French blog editor

>>> Ready to find your Valentine? The best Valentine’s day idea of all is to find the right person to spend it with on be2!

As a dating agency, we know a lot of facts about Valentine’s Day. And still we were surprised by some of the facts about Valentine’s Day that we learned while we were putting together this fun infographic.

Did you know….

All Facts about Valentine’s Day at a glance:

• Pope Gelasius declared February 14 Valentine’s Day around 498 A.D.
• 53% of women will dump their boyfriends if they don’t give them anything on Valentine’s Day.
• The first Valentine’s Day box of Chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury in 1868.
• 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.
• About 1 Billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent each year all over the world.
• 73% of flowers are bought by men, whereas women only buy 23%.
• Worldwide, over 50 Million roses are given for Valentine’s Day each year.
• 64% of U.S. men do not make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine’s Day with their sweethearts.
• 9 Million people buy Valentine’s Day gifts for their pets in the U.S.
• Chocolate and candy sales reach profits of 1,011 Billion Dollars during Valentine’s Day.
• Verona, where Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine’s Day.
• Women purchase 85% of all Valentines.
• More than 36 Million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate will be sold for Valentine’s Day.
• Children receive 39% of all Valentine’s Day candy and gifts.

Do you love the idea of buying underwear as a gift for your girlfriend? But do you hate the thought of looking like a sad perv searching for that sexy gift for your girlfriend in a lingerie shop? Or even worse, the thought of getting a gift for your girlfriend, only to discover it looks all wrong on her or that you’ve hurt her feelings by purchasing the wrong size?

Well, we might just have found the perfect website for you: one where lingerie models help you buy a sexy gift for your girlfriend by modelling the lingerie on offer. Simply choose the lingerie model whose body type is closest to that of your girlfriend, then pick the lingerie you like and watch the lingerie models stroll across the page wearing that exact model. Perfect!

The girls of Oktoberfest are fun, flirty and beautiful. Dressed in the traditional Munich dress, the “Dirndl”, they are proud of their hometown, which hosts the most famous beerfest in the world, welcoming millions of visitors from around the globe every year.

But just because the girls of Oktoberfest are dressed to the nines, drinking beer and having fun, doesn’t mean they will flirt with just any guy. You have to know how to flirt with Munich singles if you want to get lucky.

Here’s your insider guide to flirting with the girls of Oktoberfest:

1. Save them a seat
After a certain time of the day, it becomes virtually impossible to find a free table at the Oktoberfest. You’re on holidays and have time on your hands? Then get there early. The tents open at 10 AM on weekdays, 9 AM on weekends. If you get there mid-afternoon on a weekday (and as early as humanly possible on weekends), you should be able to save a table for yourself, your friends and plenty of Munich singles. The girls of Oktoberfest will be more than happy to take you up on the offer to sit with you.

2. Don’t buy the girls of Oktoberfest a beer
At least, don’t buy a drink for just one girl right at the start – if you’re buying one, you need to buy a round. However, buying a round will mark you out as an ignorant, flashy tourist – it’s simply not done in Munich, certainly not at the Oktoberfest. If you want to act generous without looking like a show-off, order a large “Brotzeit”, kind of like a large picnic spread, which everyone at the table can tuck in to.

3. Don’t stare at their boobs
This should go without saying – after all, the girls of Oktoberfest are not the only girls who don’t take kindly to their cleavage being stared at. However, the traditional dresses worn by most girls of Oktoberfest, the Bavarian “Dirndl”, does invite staring more than most other types of clothing. It is, after all, extremely flattering to the female form.

4. Stare at their “Dirndl” instead
If you do get caught staring at the goods the girls of Oktoberfest have on display, save yourself by pretending you were staring at their outfit. Say “That is a particularly beautiful Dirndl you are wearing. Which region of Bavaria is it from?” Chances are, most girls of Oktoberfest won’t know the answer to that question, but they will be impressed with your attention to detail and your interest in Bavarian cultural heritage.

5. Don’t say “Ich liebe Dich”
It’s one of the few phrases most visitors to Oktoberfest know – and it’s the one most girls of Oktoberfest are sick of hearing. Saying “I love you” is also way too forthright for a beer tent flirt. Try “I mog di”, which means “I like you” in Bavarian, instead!

6. Don’t compliment Munich singles on their looks…
…compliment them on their beautiful city, the excellent beer, the wonderful atmosphere at Oktoberfest. Most Munich singles – and indeed all residents – are very proud of their city and flattery is a great way to flirt with them, without coming on too strong .

7. Read the signals Munich singles send
We aren’t talking about body language, although that is as important here as it is anywhere else. What you really need to pay attention to, is the way the girls of Oktoberfest tie the apron on their “Dirndl”. Supposedly, Munich singles tie it on the left hand side, the girls of Oktoberfest that are already taken tie it on the right. Although there is some dispute regarding the validity of this tradition, many Munich singles signal their availability this way. If you are unsure, you can always ask – it’s another excellent opportunity to show off your insider knowledge of Bavarian customs.

The Oktoberfest 2010 takes place in Munich from September 18th until October 4th 2010

>>>If you don’t get lucky with the girls of Oktoberfest, you can always look for Munich singles online.

…Happy flirting!

If you are worried about the financial crisis, then you now have one more thing to be worried about: you might not only lose your money, you could also lose your love.

If the financial crisis affects you, the result can be a relationship in crisis. Even the greatest love can take a hit in financially difficult times. Many couples are currently experiencing a relationship in crisis, caused by the global financial crisis. Relationship counsellors, divorce lawyers, and real estate agents all confirm the sad trend. Summer should be the time for sun, love, and happiness, but at the moment more couples are fighting and even separating than celebrating a summer wedding. There’s a clear correspondence between the financial crisis and relationships in crisis and that connection is most clearly visible in the pace where all the trouble began.

You might remember the Wallstreet Wives who made headlines last year with their support group Dating A Banker Anonymous. According to their blog, „DABA is a safe place where women can come together – free from the scrutiny of feminists- and share their tearful tales of how the mortgage meltdown has affected their relationships.“

But not only bankers’ relationships are affected by the financial crisis. During financially secure times, the love and marriage industry booms. In safe times, you marry your partner, buy a house, and have children. But not now – the number of weddings is down from previous years. A relationship in crisis is the first visible effect of financial worries eating away at a couple’s personal resources. This leads to quarrels at home, already existing issues will surface, issues that have been glossed over will erupt and cause trouble.

However, at the same time, divorce rates are sinking, simply because most couples in crisis can’t afford a divorce! Even when both parties would like to move on with their lives, find a new partner, and start all over again, the present stagnation on the property market and an unsold house can force them to stay in an unhappy relationship.

If your relationship is in crisis, find out if it can survive the financial crisis:

• Are you financially dependent on your partner?



• Is financial security more important to you than emotional security?
• Was your partner’s job or money one of the main things that attracted you to her/him?
• Do you have a very clear plan laid out for where you want to be in 5 years time?
• Do you come from a very different social background as your partner?

If you answered more than one of these questions with YES, you might be in your relationship for the wrong reasons and the financial crisis was merely a catalyst for your relationship meltdown.

Ironically, since the beginning of the financial crisis, there is a surge in online matchmaking memberships, so people are looking for new relationships at the very time that many relationships are in crisis. There are two reasons for this:

1. Singles who might have been taken up with their jobs before the financial crisis are now realising how lonely they are and that they need something more substantial than a career and money to be truly happy.
2. Recently separated men and women who have come out of a relationships in crisis are willing to give it another try – this time with a new partner who is more reliable.

>> We have a special offer for singles hoping to find love despite the crisis.
You can now find love with be2 for only £5. After all, even when you lose material things, all you need is love!

The ball is rolling on the field, you want to cuddle with your boyfriend, but he is stuck to the TV…

It’s the football World Cup and if there ever is a time to go football-mad, this is it! Even people who usually take no interest in football, become fans for four weeks, so if your boyfriend is a real football fan, he will have time for little else while the World Cup is on.

Here are some ideas to help you make the most out of the football World Cup with your boyfriend:

- What about asking him: “Where are we watching today’s game: my place or yours?” This is an excellent chance to show an interest in his Hobby. Maybe in return he will take part in something that interests you – after the World Cup, of course

- Women who don’t like soccer can find it hard to show enthusiasm for the World Cup, but even if you don’t care about the game, you can enjoy looking at the players! Instead of following the scores, you can keep your eye on the rankings for the sexiest football players.

- If you find it hard to stifle a yawn during a boring match, enjoy the images the TV stations show of the fans – and get infected with the enthusiasm, imagination and creativity of the people who love football! Emotions are also rolling, not just the ball…

- If you are sick of  your boyfriend and his buddies acting like they are the greatest football experts ever, watch the match with your girlfriends. Women usually find other, more entertaining, topics to talk about than offside-rules.

- Or, if you want to beat the men at their own game, do a  bit of research on the internet before the next match and brush up on your  football knowledge: who will be the next adversary, are they any good, what are the odds and who is the favourite… Then impress your boyfriend and his friends with your knowledge.

- The most basic rules during the game:
1.Don’t chat during exciting phases of the match.
2.Don’t stand in front of the TV.
3.Turn off your phone.
4.Ask your boyfriend any questions during half-time, not in the middle of the match.

Soccer is  sacred to some men and if you understand that, it will be  good for your relationship! Especially, if you can celebrate a victory together in the end…

>>>Or, if you’re sick of listening to your boyfriend talk about football day and night, find a boyfriend who doesn’t care about the World Cup at be2