To despise 2-cheek kisses?

[Tigerinmysoup]

My SIL and BIL both do the kissing on both cheeks thing and I really hate it. It makes me cringe. If we were French/Spanish/Italian or whatever mediterranean culture then it wouldn't bother me, but we're not. It makes me feel like I'm part of some yuppie-type gang when I see them. I have tried many times to avoid, but they always always grab both my shoulders and shove their faces right in mine so it's not like I can duck away after the first cheek.
I have suffered it for years, but now they have started doing it to my toddler too and I would hate for him to copy.....urrgghh. AIBU or just petty? Doesn't seem to bother my DH.

I don't like it either. Truth be told I don't like 1 cheek kissing except with close friends. My in-laws in France and their friends now do 4 - I find it excruciating. Sometimes if I sense a kiss coming from a relative stranger, I put my hand out for a shake. With people I know better, I tell them, in a lighthearted way, that I only do 1 kiss. I know I'm uptight, but ....

I duck away from even one unless i'm directly related to the other person. Why can't everyone just shake hands?

Yep. I hate it too. I'd only just got used to one cheek kissing. Where will it stop? Three cheek kissing? Four? It's just designed for embarrassment.

We have friends from Belgium where 3 kisses are the norm apparently

Yeah I have managed to learn which ones do two and which do one, so I'm okay, as long as I don't make any more friends, ever.

By the second kiss, you go into shock. Anything after that is like getting your cheeks redecorated.

Tatty

Yep. Hate hugs hello/goodbye with people I hardly know. I don't hug my family, other than children, why am I squishing boobs with you exactly? Hate cheek kissing.

Whenever someone hugs me I end up doing that awkward hand thing - either patting their back or just hanging limply. Actually, I only do that with women, I don't mind hugging men. Im quite good at that

GentleOtter - that's what I feel like in France. I've been known to conveniently be out of the room when people are leaving a party for instance. It's awful. For some reason just really embarrassing

In my old line of work we did it all the time ...all the time

Now I live in the rural Mid-West ,no kisses for me...just limp handshakes (if I am lucky)

Most of the time I get a massive bear hug,sometimes form relative strangers!

I liked the air kissing better,I didn't even have to make contact!

Yes I can't stand it. I think only excused if you are European.

i hate too. sil is a hugger and kisser and when she does it to me i kind of freeze. it must have been like hugging a mannequin when she last did it

she must have got the hint as she doesn't do it anymore

i hate it even more when people i don't know do it, bring back jane austen-ey style introductions i say!

Or waving

My husband is Dutch and it is a three kiss affair in the Netherlands and it just seems soooo much but it is their culture. I do think the 2 kiss thing can come across as a bit insincere though, especially with celebrities, kissing on tv, they just air kiss...its kind of funny

I have the 'two cheek' thing down now, after a lipstick mistake or two... it can take an hour and a half to get around the office. I hope they stick at 'two'...

Do you all do the 'arm' thing?

It must be a British trait but what the Jeff do you do with your arms except let them hang there like two dead salmon whilst all the face munching goes on.

I'm feeling all clenched just thinking about it. I think I have issues

You hands gentlego on the recipients shoulder

Maybe if you cup the other person's arse they might get so mortified they never try it again?

jamie now that could be fun

The thing is, you're never sure if it's going to be a one-sy or a two-sy.

Awkward when you're leaning in for another peck and they're already mwah-ing the next person.

I find announcing clearly 'ONE! or 'TWO' as I reach for the cheek is very helpful in giving a 'heads up' to both parties.

Oh God, I kiss everybody. I can't help it.

Yes Merrylegs. I went in for a two-sey the other day, not because I wanted to - I really didn't - but I was trying to be normal. Ironically, she went for a one-sey and I ended up kissing her neck. Aaaaargh

OP - agree whole heartedly. I cannot stand it either.

yes, it's bloody stupid, fine for the real Europeans not the pretend poncey Londoners