It's a cosy room with soft romantic lighting and an enticing fragrance wafting through. He makes sure all's in place. You and he, he and you... eyes locked in a passionate gaze, you magnetically come close to each other... just a few centimetres away from that heavenly kiss and Bang! The door opens, pop bursts the dream, and his sister, who stays with him, walks in. The next thing you know, she's muttering an embarrassed 'Sorry', scurrying out the door (on the lame pretext of 'some emergency shopping' for the next two hours). Later, you realise that her shopping has become a regular phenomenon. Isn't this one of the many situations when knowingly or unknowingly, parents, sisters, brothers, uncles and aunts become the cause of throwing some serious dampeners on your romantic escapades? Some relatives become angelic and others transform into walking-talking horrors. So in the effort to save you from future frustrating faux pas, we asked a few people what they did to ease their family out of romance. Probably, you can relate to a few. Enjoy or cringe, take your pick!

The Situation: "I was studying away from home, and my mom (in a sudden burst of maternal affection) decided to visit me for two weeks. Even with her around, I managed everything well. I'd invite my boyfriend home regularly along with other friends and later on sneak out to meet him. He understood the situation. Nevertheless, he got frustrated with the clandestine meetings and the time restrictions. And I got stuck without knowing how to break the ice."