Do you think hugging/cheek kissing on meeting will become a thing of the past?

[Kizty]

I have met with two lots of people recently who I haven’t seen for a while. Pre Covid the done thing would have been an (awkward) hug/cheek kiss on meeting. I am awful at these and actively dread in advance as I feel really awkward and normally end up going for the wrong cheek etc. And it was a relief to be honest to just say hi and have a catch up and skip the hug. Although I appreciate some miss the hugs and I don’t think hugs with very close family will dissppear ever- I would always want to hug my mum. But with aquaintances, I wonder if it may? (Hoping!)

I hate the kissy thing too. It seems so pretentious and unnecessary

Nope hugs are back

My friend was really cautious last year but she's making up for lost time now

I'm hoping for a return to bowing and curtseying as a result of the pandemic. It's the perfect solution - straightforward procedure and zero physical contact.

Can you tell I'm not very good at social interaction? 😄

I worked at a company based in Switzerland for a while and colleagues from there, Italy, France, etc would come a lot.

Some countries two some 3 kisses v confusing and even though we do it here a bit - I've never got the hang of it.

In Switzerland the men greet with a kiss as well at least these ones did.

The men in my team when approached would back up a bit and stick out a hand

Preferred colleagues from Singapore India where it was much more like here- know and like someone hug, otherwise handshake or just s big smile!

I have always felt awkward when people want to do this. Its not something I grew up with. Except maybe having Grandparents kiss you on the cheek when you arrived at their house.

I hope it doesn’t return but tbh was never in many situations where I had to do it which probably made it worse when I did!

I used to dread going back to work after new year because people would want to do it.

Sometimes parents seem to do it in playground after new year. Dads who I barely speak to suddenly feel the need to kiss me on the cheek. I just cringe I can’t bear it!
Agree bowing would be great. Bring back bowing! I think a lot of you will be right though and kissing/hugging will make a return at some point.

For people who live alone, being hugged in greeting is the only physical human contact they get. I hope it returns as soon as it is safe to do so.

I hope so, especially older men kissing younger women, which I am sure is not altruistic.

Another one who hopes it never comes back!

I was never keen and having a break from it the last couple of years has been great. I do like to hug my kids, partner and mum but it absolutely ends there!!

Hate men kissing my cheeks at parties! When I was in my 20s I felt awkward about it and thought it was because I was young and "unsophisticated" and now in my 30s I can confidently say it's not me, it's actually that I really don't want it. Usually stick out a hand for a shake now and complely keep my distance from them. Ick

Me too nigellaseed I thought I must just be unsophisticated and needed to get better at interpreting the social rules!

Yes. Does anyone have any good non offensive "comebacks" to politely decline a kiss?

Other than using Covid as an excuse I have no idea

It is rather convenient that a social nicety has been invented where young women can’t refuse a kiss from older men. It seems to me that the reverse is not true. How many young men feel”obliged” to offer kiss to older women when they don’t want to

I think masks do a lot to prevent kissing/hugging as it's a reminder of why or just an eminently suitable excuse.

I won't be doing it again, I've never liked it. Friends/lovers fine, everybody else - just no.

@Kizty

It is rather convenient that a social nicety has been invented where young women can’t refuse a kiss from older men. It seems to me that the reverse is not true. How many young men feel”obliged” to offer kiss to older women when they don’t want to

This.

I hope it stays gone.
I am happy to hug / kiss those I love (very few) but 'acquaintances' - no

I hope so.

I hope so.

I like hugging my friends and family, no one else. I don’t like the kissy thing. DH’s friends seem to have moved on to cheek kissing and hugs and neither of us know why. I don’t like it.

I think people think it is sophisticated way of greeting? Not sure why we can’t just say “hi” and maybe do a little wave!

I think it's back already, certainly within my social circle. Met a work contact too last week and he gave me a kiss and a hug

@Kizty

I am from northern Scotland but have a lot of English relatives where cheek kissing seems so much more popular. And it was always such a difficult thing for me to adjust to.

Interesting - I'm Scottish and find my English in laws kissing so over the top! But I never put it down to a regional thing. Any Scottish cheek-kissers out there or is this a thing?

Let’s hope so.