Do you put an 'x' on the end of everything?

[DM1209]

I'm having a bit of a reshuffle and so am currently looking for a new cleaner, new term time child care and in talks with some Decorators for the summer.

Every single person I have gotten in touch with for professional purposes has responded to my message with 'x's on the end and used terms of endearment such as 'hun'. When did this become a thing?

Honestly I'm not a grouchy bitch at all and all of my friends and family get inundated with 'x's, terms of endearment and lots of love from me. However, I would never, ever be so unprofessional with someone engaging my services (not that I have any services to offer), an acquaintance or a colleague.

Do you do this? If so why? It then makes me feel like I'm coming across as cold and or stuck up by just signing off with my name, I still don't add any 'x' at the end of my message though.

Why do people do this with strangers? And I know it's not the end of the world or a real problem, I just want to know.

Thank you for reading x

I do it's a habit.

Hun not him! Phone is clearly a mumsnetter as it didn't recognise hun.

The decorators message just makes me think of someone who is used to having multiple women on the go, so calls them all things like sweetie or hun and kisses for all, so he never screws up and gets caught!

My x's are reserved for people I actually love or care deeply about! I don't give them out lightly! I agree, I think it is unprofessional and it would put me off. But then I don't even like shortening people's names unless the shortened version is used by them all the time! So I am definitely not on board with huns and kisses

I just don’t see how “x” is a term of endearment. It’s a random letter.

I wouldn’t use it any more than i am to put any other letter at the end of a message.

The huns drive me mad too.

Bbbbb.

People I don't know or am not familiar with: No way!

Friends and family, yes I add, in varying numbers!

If I forget to add exactly 2 "xx" to my dads text messages he thinks I am pissed off. Seriously, I even heard him say about my sister once, ooooh look on one "x" wonder if I have upset her. If I forget, then I have to send a separate xx to make sure he knows I am not pissed off, just in a hurry. Madness.

Never put an x for anything work/professional related. Sometimes to friends and always to my kids. Don't really use hun but don't mind if friends call me it and I don't mind at all if they inundate me with xxxxx. I always find life is much simpler if I don't overthink trivial things.

Only to close friends and family and even then sometimes I dont.
I accidentally sent xx to the decorator last time he was coming, I was absolutely mortified!

Never use the words "hun" or "lovely" or "misses" etc, I bloody hate all this sickly sweet crap. Everytime someone say "hi misses" to me I want to scream in their face IM NOT MARRIED FFS!

I do when I text DH and certain friends.

Never any other time. Not on purpose anyway!

(I sent a kissy emoji to a colleague the other day I was mortified)

I would question the professionalism of any kind of contractor who put kisses at the end of texts/emails or called me "hun" or "sweetie". It would seriously put me off choosing their services.

I mostly text friends and family and do use an x these days - it seems to indicate informality.

I have to stop myself doing auto-kiss with colleagues, people I'm doing business with (car mechanic), the teenage son of my good friend who babysits and the football coach!

I can never remember how to spell hun/hon so don't use that and tbh don't know many hun/hon-using people.

DD gives me a hard time, as I never end a text with X, no matter who it's to. Would certainly NEVER put one for a professional text

Only to close friends and family. The people who I might kiss on the cheek on meeting/parting. Not colleagues, not acquaintances. Certainly not internet randoms. It seems to be an alternative to a full stop for some people

Nooooo

No I don't.

To my friends, husband and ,er, my hairdresser, I do one x.

To my daughter I do four x

No one else gets any. I don't feel the need to do it back if someone does it to me either. I just respond without the x at the end. They tend not to keep doing it when it's reciprocated. If they feel awkward that's their problem not mine.

Professionals - no

Friends / family - nearly always. I also use the x instead of full stops as it's quicker.

and at the contractor calling you sweetie - I'd be a bit freaked by this.

Oh and I wouldn't put emoji's in professional communication either.

Where it does get ambiguous is unofficial communication with colleagues as I'm on friendly terms with most people in my team.

I don't really like using it and have had people think it's cold like Doobigetta says

I wouldn’t take on anyone who does this.

I have a friend who puts x's all through her texts and facebook posts. It always makes me think x if she were saying the thing in real life x she'd be kissing x them x on the cheek x every few words x

I only use x if I actually mean it.

There seem to be a lot of posters now who end every post with xx. It looks daft to me. So far I’ve resisted asking whether it’s a feminist statement about chromosomes or whether they just love us all very much, because I know that would be unreasonably snarky.

I always do it I can't help it but on mumsnet I don't because I feel it makes me look like a little daft.

I fucking hate it
Especially because I feel obligated to reciprocate
What happened to professionalism?
Honestly it's embarrassing

Another one...

Why? Just WHY? It is an instant no from me!

Why? Just WHY? It is an instant no from me!

The only minor plus is that they spelt hon with an o not a u. But that’s not saying much.

Why? Just WHY? It is an instant no from me

Ugh.