What happened to British reserve?

merlot if you aim for the other person's left cheek, their lips will be close to your left cheek too, because you are facing them.
Confusion arises only when the opposing sides are aiming for different cheeks.
IYSWIM

xxx

Three kisses was the custom in Provence.

Thinking about it , I meant you go to your left, then right, and the other person does the same, then you don't clash. That seems to work in Italy, though sometimes you have to do an extra left, but I'm not sure of the rule on that one!!

Where are they then? Lead me to them. . . lol

Whatever you do Merlot, be aware of the ones who pretend they are aiming for your cheek but slyly give you a smacker on the lips!

If you're supposed to go for the left cheek first, that means the other person is heading for your right cheek and not the left so who's right?

Oh, the sixties. We had the good times and they sure as hell ain't coming back!

The 70's were nowhere nearly as exciting as the 60's for me.

Back to the cheek kissing. One of my neighbours in France, a very nice man but kissing his sweaty unshaven cheek was revolting. It eventually annoyed me that I was compelled to kiss some people that, given the choice, I wouldn't want to kiss.

My little DGS (just turned 3) announced a few weeks ago that he was going to do "grown up kissing like Granny and Grandpa"(!) G&G don't go in for a lot of "grown up kissing " these days so DD was somewhat gobsmacked. It turned out he meant kissing on bothcheeks which is what we always do!!

rosequartz, I don't mind that sort of kiss!

I just don't want to exchange 'air kisses' with strangers, I find it really cringeworthy...

I don't like the way contestants on TV talent shows behave if they don't win. They cry and cry like all their relatives have just been killed and their life is over. As though fame through singing etc is the be-all of everything.

Look out for mistletoe this Christmas, and avoid if you don't want to be kissed

me too Anya ! I loved the 60's.
The younger generation have been put first for too long already IMO.
Kissing can be a bit of a minefield nowadays, but as I'm a bit of a hugger anyway, prefer it to a handshake.

Not a good place to be dumped the 70s. If I had to travel back in time I think I'd prefer the 60s

Back in the eighties i won a prize from a company that sold jewellery. They were American owned and I had to go to a presentation in front of an audience. i was one of many prize winners. The audience was whipped into a frenzy by a warm up man. He made them practice their cheering and whooping before the prizes were given. It shocked me to see how a crowd can be manipulated. On the other hand, I agree with Mishap that it's lovely the way young people hug their friends these days and are not afraid to shed a tear. I remember being dumped in the seventies and putting on a brave face, even with my best friend, then crying buckets when alone.

That's why I bump noses, specs, etc, sometimes

As long as it's not lips

left cheek then right! Heck. I think I automatically go for the other side first.

We met up with some dear friends recently so kisses were quite in order - however he used to kiss three times so I went for a third; however, nowadays he seems to have reduced it to two!
I am going to restrain myself in future unless someone looks as if they are really going for a peck on the cheek.

It's the screaming by audiences of all age groups that seems to have changed. Yes, I went to see the Beatles too, and remember screaming and stamping our feet and shouting for more - but I think we belonged to a very restricted age group who were looked on with bemusement by our parents and grandparents - they may have applauded enthusiastically at a concert but that is as 'out of control' as they would get!

I also have an Italian SIL so kissing has become more the norm in our family ( we have always kissed and hugged the children and close relatives) but it does take such a long time to leave anywhere! I picked 12 year old DS up from a birthday party and he got hugs from the girls which was quite sweet.

On the kissing note, my Italian SIL tells me you have kiss left cheek first, then right. If we Brits understood this rule then there would be none of that embarassed hesitancy and both parties going for the same side. I always try to remember this when greeting friends.
Also I was a screaming Beatles/ Stones fan in the 60s, so screaming audiences is nothing new.

It is interesting that ours is the first for several generations of grandmothers that is closely involved in regular and routine childcare. If that is not having a major effect on the next generation but one, I can't think what would be. Bearing in mind that many of us were ardent feminists in our youth and remain so in our later years and that we are still living in a grossly unfair society where women continue to be second-class citizens in many respects, effecting change through our granddaughters view of the world seems a given.

The demography of the recent 'no' vote in the Scottish referendum showed our age group as the ones who halted the independence bandwagon. I'm not sure if you could call this change (it certainly changed Alex Salmond's plans) or a desire to maintain the status quo, but it showed that the grey vote has power when motivated. It's not just time for the young, we still count.

Then why did you reply? You just needed to stop. Strange. I am happy to call a halt though - it is going nowhere.

Gracesgran. Let me make myself blatantly clear, our conversation is over.

Goodness me how sensitive you all are. I was not for one moment saying older people have had their time (where did I say that?) in the sense of being less important but in the sense of the group that are the change makers. If I failed to convey this in a way you could understand that is my fault and I apologise.