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?

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.

'every grubby little herbert'

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

apocolypse grubby, little Herbert... Genius.

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!

Oh i hate kissing, especially older aunties. Yuck!

keep

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

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.

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.

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

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!

Apocolypse
Love your post!

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.')