There is a definite air of mush in the surrounding with Valentines’ Day just a day away. Couples everywhere are making plans for the day of love, be it going for a simple dinner date or planning an elaborate weekend. Those who have a loved on to be with, are all in the mood to make their partners feel special. But what about the singles? It would not be too wrong to say that the excitement levels of the lovers and the cribbing of the singles are directly proportional to each other. Naturally, with everyone else who has managed to get a date for the Valentines', a single person is bound to feel left out. While some call Valentine's Day as a big marketing gimmick, it does create a void of a loved one. Which is when China started the service of rental boyfriends!

Rental Boyfriends:

The Chinese Valentine’s Day is in close proximity to their lunar year celebrations. At a time like this, if a young girl does not have a partner, she is looked down upon. Even in their society, an unmarried girl has to undergo a lot of pressure for not having a ‘boyfriend.’ So banking in on the opportunity began the rental boyfriend service in the country in 2013. Entrepreneurial Chinese men did not mind becoming a date or a holiday companion to the girls and earn some extra money out of it. And it is not even limited, there were different package announcements on the on Taobao - a popular Gumtree-style website in China. A basic package came at 400-800 yuan and extras for kissing, shopping or watching a movie! And what better if the guy’s luck strikes and he gets a partner for life. In fact, given the sex-ratio in the country, there are more men as compared to females. So being a rented boyfriend also acts as a way to meet girls.

Spiderman Boyfriend

Last year, a business firm from Beijing promoted the idea of love by renting a Spiderman boyfriend! A man dressed in the Spiderman costume was okay to become your shared boyfriend offering services such as hugs for 3 yuan each and kisses going for 7 yuan each.

India has a rental boyfriend too! 

This concept has come to India with a boy from Gurgaon named Shakul Gupta, offering to be a rental boyfriend for Valentines’ day. He has advertised himself on Facebook and he too has four packages to offer for the girls out there. He goes a step ahead and even gives a Promo code which can give you a discount plus a ride in his Audi car. The boy did it seriously last year with 5 girls as his dates. He gave each of them an iPhone 7 along with a dinner at the Oberoi hotel!  Given the amount of response Shakul's post has got within a day, we won't be surprised if other guys get inspired and follow the same.

Check out Shakul's Facebook Post

A Day Out With Pets:

If you just do not want to be with a guy/ girl then you could go along with your pet. A lot of youngsters are preferring this option. There are several pet-friendly hotels and parks across the cities. You could take your pet for a day out and treat them instead or go grooming! People from Agra have in fact decided to make their Valentines Day, a day for their pets. Not a bad idea after all, because at the end of the day you will be left with a smile anyway. Worry not, if you do not have a pet, you could always suggest to your friends who own a pet and pet-sit them. If not there are so many NGOs which work for the abandoned furry babies. You could go there and volunteer. As long as you do not feel alone in the air of romance!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 13, 2018 05:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).