Kisses and hugs unecesarry for acquaintances...

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

I am not some over - zealous prude. I am not overly 'huggy' either. I do feel that a general greeting for dh's friends could be minimised to a simple 'hi'. A 'hi' would suffice.

However, this doesnt seem to be enough... They want a hug and a kiss everytime they see us and every time they go (several of them) I can tell dh's mates are not particularly desperate to do it, but I they dont their wives literally push them toward me and instruct they kiss and hug me hello. I mean, WTAF? Is this a new trend I have missed ?

I just find it all a bit of a pain, queuing up at the end of a night to make sure i hug and kiss them all- or else they will be barked at to kiss me goodbye by their wives (like i care!)

I do them, but I find this whole charade rather boring now.

AIBU?

[cozietoesie]

My brother had a French girlfriend for a few years - and they (when en famille) kiss everyone goodnight, good morning, all the ruddy time. (Le Deux.) Not the best thing in the morning when you're feeling as if even a full pot of coffee won't raise you up.

And don't even get me started on the subtleties of kissing and flirting. ('Il m'a donne le trois!!!!! Oooooohhhh.')

[HexBramble]

Apocolypse
Love your post!

[daisychain01]

Anyone who gets close enough that I can see their nasal hairs gets short shrift from me. Every now and then someone or other in a work context might give it a try, nooooooo on yer bike, FTFOTTOSOF.

But for those I love, or care about they get the peck on both (face) cheeks Italian style and maybe a warm hug for DM, DSis (hmmm stop short of DBIL he's on the grubby side ...) DBros

And another vote for grubby little herbert. Lots of them about. You just don't know where they've been!

[pictish]

I tolerate this sort of business but I certainly don't enjoy it. A simple hi is fine for me too.

[Iggly]

This has given me horrific flashbacks to the time I got my sides wrong (or did he?) and ended up kissing FIL on the mouth

I had blocked this from my memory.

I didnt do the hugging/kissing thing until I went to uni. They were all at it.

[CrapBag]

God I would hate this!

Luckily I don't have any friends that do this. When my friend moved away, she was shocked that she got a hug off me. I am not a hugger, or any type of contact really. I hug and kiss my children, DH at a push , and my nan and granddad. I still grab my strapping brothers if I can (I am the oldest and was always looking after them when I was younger and have never really got out of the habit). I'd love to hug my dad more but mainly in my family, we aren't tactile so it would be considered awkward (hence me making a point of always hugging and kissing my children).

MIL always makes a beeline for a kiss, I hate it. Go away, you aren't my close family, therefore I have no desire to kiss you!

At a push, when I am hammered, I grab my friend's huge knockers.

[JonSnowKnowsNothing]

NOOOO Fuck offfff!!!!!
Ugh, I'm cringing at the thought, squoosh! No offence, I'm sure you're perfectly acceptable, but bleeeeurgh!!

[Scotslasslivinginfrance]

keep

[DogCalledRudis]

Oh i hate kissing, especially older aunties. Yuck!

[squoosh]

[ApocalypseNowt]

[JonSnowKnowsNothing]

Squoosh I see what you're saying but we've just never functioned like that. There are four of us "kids" and we've all turned out ok! I do kiss and hug my loved ones - they just happen to be my boyfriend and my cats!

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

squoosh exactly! Next we shall be love-making as a greeting...

apocolypse grubby, little Herbert... Genius.

[KeepOnPloddingOn]

scotlass I'll gi ye a glesgae kiss! ;) I miss Glasgow.
A head but/ Glasgow kiss is more attractive than a genuine kiss off a stranger, I tell thee!

[squoosh]

'every grubby little herbert'

[ApocalypseNowt]

Urgh. I rarely hug my friends unless i'm pished. I have no inclination to hug every grubby little herbert I meet.

It is becoming more common. Blurgh. Back off people.

[squoosh]

'I genuinely have no memory of ever hugging or kissing my parents and I don't think it's scarred me too badly.'

I'm not being smart arse but I do find that a bit sad to be honest. My parents aren't the kissy kissy 'I love you' types but we always hug when I go home to visit and when I leave. Showing physical affection to our loved ones is such a natural human instinct.

[squoosh]

It's funny the way cheek kissing is becoming the done thing in Britain. Those Mediterraneans and their affectionate ways, next we'll be giving each other little crotch fondles. Where will it all end!

I don't mind a bit of hugging and kissing but sometimes I'm in a rush and I can't be bothered.

And sometimes I like to crack out an old school handshake.

[HexBramble]

I have a small circle of friends cos I'm an antisocial bugger and we don't hug or Kiss every time I see them. I do give them a quick hug if they've been through something difficult/achieved something/if I've not seen them in an age.

[brotherhoodofspam]

I'm another northerner who hates it. I'm never comfortable knowing whether to our not and whether to kiss or hug or both. If I have to do something I would probably go for a hug rather than kiss as it feels a bit more sincere somehow, but generally I avoid if possible, lurk at the back of the departing group and make a quick dive for the door if I get a chance. Glad to read I'm not the only one who feels like this, I thought I was just anti-social!

[JonSnowKnowsNothing]

Loathe the whole hugging/kissing thing. I don't ever do it.
I genuinely have no memory of ever hugging or kissing my parents and I don't think it's scarred me too badly.

[HelenHen]

Lol I lived in Paris year's ago and remember the 2,3 or 4 kiss thing... I just kept going til they stopped

[Scotslasslivinginfrance]

I'm quite used to it now living in France everyone does the double cheek kiss even if you are being introduced to someone for the first time, it can also get confusing if you socialize with expats and French as expats are used to hugging and then so you have some hugs thrown into the mix. It happens pretty much constantly if you are out, even if people aren't joining the group but if you see someone you know, it's a small community and everyone knows everyone so you imagine how much this happens...

Oh and because we are close to switzerland there are also lots of Swiss folk around and they do a 3 cheek kiss which just causes mayhem as this sneaky little unexpected third kiss appears... Cue lots of head butting...so not that different to a night out Glasgow really... Maybe that's what makes me feel so at home here!

[steff13]

Its is only ever the cheek parent! Crikey, do people actually kiss their friends on the lips as a goodbye gesture?

I have a female friend who always kisses me on the lips when we say goodbye. I was very surprised the first time she did it.

[HelenHen]

Ahhh the kissing... All the in laws do it, it's weird and awkward and inevitably some creepy uncle will go for the wrong cheek and there's a horrible moment. Hugging isn't as bad but I'd still rather not. Nobody did kissy kissy before satc surely? Unless you were pretend posh? Now it's grandparents and everything!

I'm Irish too