How do you check kiss?

[CeeCee58]

I’ve recently spent a lot of time with people who cheek kiss as a greeting. However, I’m not sure if I’m doing it right.

Do you just touch your cheeks to each other or is one of you meant to kiss? If so, how do you know who is meant to be the ‘kisser’?!

Oh no! Cheek kiss not check kiss.

In most countries I've been in where people do this it's just a cheek touching and a kiss sound.

This is the bane of my life. I live near Geneva and cheek kissing is the norm. However the NUMBER of kisses always trips me up. French normally do two but sometimes three like the Swiss. DH is Italian and Italians kiss twice but do I kiss the Italians in Geneva twice or three times AAAARRGGHHHHHH

I loathe the cheek kiss - I think I'd sooner high five BUT I guess you'd have to time it right and not end up with a slap 😂

What a great question...I am following to find out the correct answer.

This has always bothered me hut not quite enough to ask anyone so I am following too 😂

Touch cheeks and make kiss sound like a pp said.

Do you go right or left first? I can't even get that right

you go your right cheek to their right cheek first. Touch cheeks, little kiss noise, do the other side.

The dutch do x3

it's all a bit silly if you think about it

Among kissing types in UK its only one though right? Or am I offending everyone by escaping too soon?

I once gave my friend a big wet smacker of a cheek kiss by accident and I'm still mortified whenever I think about it! I'm just not sophisticated enough for such greetings.

In my extended family we have French, Italian and Portuguese. So we tend to do 2 cheeks kisses at family get togethers. Prior to these lovely people marrying into my family I think we were rather stiff and awkward, not quite knowing how to greet each other. I love it.

And yes, it’s just a cheek touch, mwah, mwah.

It changes depending on how we’ll you now the person, the formality of the occasion and nationality.
A kissing noise is a definite no-no except in jest to a friend, when it may be very exaggerated.
Right cheeks together. Almost touch or just brush cheek. Once only for English and avoid if the senior man present kisses hand. Others should follow the lead.
Double kisses are continental or a bit ‘north London’. Use only when greeting a non English European but try not to look appalled if someone makes a faux pas over this.

Jeez no. I find it a very upper class thing. DH’s aunt used to do it and i got sick of her so for years i had a persistent cold sore.

Among kissing types in UK its only one though right

Yes unless they've spent 5 minutes of their life in Spain in which case it's 3. Apparently...

I am anti cheek kissing on the grounds that it's pretentious af. Don't mind a genuine hug though.

Yeah I can't do it with any conviction.
I have come around to a little hug with people I am very close to- 1 or 2 close friends, sil, that's about it.
My one Polish friend finds it amusing, but he knows I am a stiff British person, so only forces me into cheek kissing when we're tipsy.

Both do a kissy sound, you don't have to just touch cheeks if it's close family you can give their cheek a kiss if you want. It's not supposed to be awkward or stiff. If you feel awkward it's better to offer a handshake, at least in Brazil this is ok and not at all offensive if you avoid the cheek kisses with a handshake or just touch their hands. I don't know about other countries as I've seen a French man get quite nasty with an American who refused to allow a kiss, but that seemed to completely defeat the point of having a friendly greeting .

In a business context (in the City anyway), once you know someone well enough, it's two kisses when you see them socially/informally but still just a handshake in a formal meeting context. Needless to say, some men think you've reached the kissy stage long before you do yourself.

I tried this with DP’s friend and ended up giving him a big smacker right on the neck.

I should stick with what I’m comfortable with. A wave from across the road is more my style.

Nothing worse than being out with a big group of friends and having to cheek kiss.

Have to add on another 15-20 minutes to the end of the evening to account for all the cheek kissing.

I much prefer a fist bump.

I hate the whole kissing thing on cheeks that's crept in over the years in the UK. It was a European thing to do when I was little and not the norm as it's become now.
Trying to avoid people that do it is even harder sometimes and I cringe as they attempt to do it to me!
What is the correct protocol?
It's so awkward.

Pull your knickers down at the back and lean forwards slightly!!!