to hate hugging?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

I love hugging dp/ds, but nobody else. Mil gives me whiskery hugs, and a friend inflicts long braless hugs on me which I find excruciating. They give me shudders for about ten minutes afterward, that "nails on a chalkboard" feeling iyswim? But thankfully no-one else usually hugs me.

And then today I met my new home start volunteer who was very nice, but when she got up to go she swooped in and gave me a big hug, and my heart utterly sank. I've let another hugger into my life, and I'm going to see her every week. At least I only see the other huggers every few weeks. Waaah!

Am I the only one who hates hugs? Is there a polite way of saying "Don't touch me you give me the creeps?"

I hate hugs because I find the embrace too intimate.

I am a cheek-kisser though but I will refrain from kissing if I detect the person is not up for it.

Having said that, cheek-kissing in the UK is often awkward: quite a few people make a big show of it and you can tell it does not feel natural to them.

When you kiss somebody, you always start on their right cheek by the way, otherwise kissing confusion ensues!

Just be honest and say to the huggers 'sorry I don't do hugs' and leave it at that.
I hug DP and kids that's it. I don't care if people get all funny / taken aback by me not liking hugs. I find close physical contact with relative strangers quite repulsive.