Kissy kissy 1, 2,3.

I used to dread New Year at work, when all the people that I am aware didn't like me, used to fly at me for kisses !!

Oh yes a gallant kiss on the hand is something special - I like that.

I only want to kiss DH, my children, their partners and my grandchildren. I remember a character in Emmerdale saying, " Who kisses friends. This is Yorkshire!". We were kissed and cuddled as children (in Yorkshire) but ît didn't extend beyond immediate family. There's a lot of social kissing done but I do my best to keep away from it as a lot of it comes across as insincere. I think my friends know I care about them without lots of kissing going on. I did hug a friend this week who has just found she has to have a mastectomy.

I'm both a hugger and a kisser, one cheek only.

My mum was very tactile and all my family are too. I guess it just comes naturally. My friends are comfortable with hugging and kissing too. In fact I go so far as to say I like it.

I can't stand the falseness of the 'air kiss'. or those who ' proffer' their cheek , I don't join in with that as they obviously don't like it.

I think you can usually tell when, where and to whom you offer a warm welcome to be honest, it's instinctual somehow.

DD and DS get big hugs and a kiss, DDIL is big hug and both cheeks (Italian), her parents both cheeks. My parents big hug and a kiss.
No one else gets it spontaneously so sometimes there's a clashing of specs, noses etc?

Family and close friends get hugs, or a meeting of cheeks which is not exactly a kiss. I'm sure people are quite grateful not to have me drooling all over them. During our postings to various NATO headquarters we met all sorts of European nationals to whom a kiss on each cheek was the norm and we did likewise. DH had one lovely German colleague who always used to kiss my hand, which, for some reason, made me go quite weak at the knees! And I'm not a very weak at the knees sort of gal!

Family and close friends mostly get (and give) the full treatment - lots of hugs, kisses and back patting even between the menfolk. Because my friends and acquaintances include so many people from other countries I tend to follow the lead of new acquaintances initially, especially with muslim or Asian men who are not generally used to being tactile with women, but are usually happy to become so after getting to know me. My Taiwanese foster son took years before he could instigate hugging and kissing - now he grabs me in a bear hug as soon as he sees me. My mother has never been tactile, but nowadays she 'submits' to a peck on the cheek from her children and grandchildren.
Interestingly I have a new acquaintance who is in need of a great deal of support at the moment and when she arrives and leaves she always gives me a 'proper' kiss (as opposed to an 'air kiss') on the cheek, sometimes holding my face to deliver it. I've just realised it reminds me of how children kiss.

I hate it too, and always go the wrong way if somebody leans in for a kiss! Used to love cuddling the GCs, but they are too old to want it any more.

I'm the no kissing type. There is more of it about than there used to be though.

Definitely kissy kissy and I adore hugs from all friends and family. More, more please
We spend a fair bit of time in France and I love to watch the greetings between friends and neighbours. Some of our French neighbours are even comfortable doing the kiss kiss kiss thing with us - it's taken time to get there but that's OK... (kiss and hug emoticon please)

I must say I breathe a sigh of relief when I go out walking with my old school friend, definitely no nonsense hugging and kissing as far as she's concerned!
I prefer to save them for family and occasions when someone needs emotional support for some reason and a hug seems appropriate.
I remember coming out of a restaurant in Jesmond once about 11pm and finding the street heaving with young people all enthusiastically hugging and kissing each other and thinking when did that all happen.

Did a bit of a "Oops, what's coming now?" When DGS 2 (aged 3) announced he was going to do "proper grown up kissing!"

He meant on both cheeks like we all do when arriving and leaving.
Whew, that was a relief!

I am definitely not "kissy kissy". Never have been, never will be!

Always hugging DDs, DH and DGC, kisses when they arrive and leave, Lovely.

Other family members, short hug and small kiss. same with very close friends.

I'm another who is adverse to hugging and kissing people I have never met before, why would you ?

I have found , when introduced, a small step back and an extended arm and a smile seems to let people know that I am not in the market for false shows of affection.

I am b hugger although I can't remember ever being cuddled or kissed by my parents. My grandparents more than made up for it though. Xxxxxxx to you all

I was reading about Joan Collins recently who said 'when did all this kissing start?' She said she was at a party and a young pop star who she had never met came up to her and went to kiss her on her cheek. She said to this person 'I'm sorry, I don't know you. Why would I want to kiss you?' I'm with Joanie. Miserable so and so I am!

Close friends only, but yes, one kiss, a clash of the specs and a three second hug. (Apparently a hug longer than three seconds is toooo friendly)

It is difficult to know who likes it and who doesn't except oversees visitors who all seem to like it. If meeting a friend for coffee or lunch say you cant really shake hands after (well us ladies can't) and I'm pretty sure I feel like hugging a plank as I'm so stiff - again was never hugged or kissed as a child. My grandchildren and nephew are in no doubt that I want and give a huge hug and a kiss on their heads - the boys don't like being kissed at all at the moment- I expect they will get into it at some stage. All my in laws kiss and they do find me a bit stiff I know. I wonder if I should wear a badge - I quite like being kissed but not too much please and a hug is always welcome - bit long for a badge.

When I was a child we were expected to kiss all relatives when meeting and leaving, and as I got older found it embarrassing so stopped.
Here (SW France) the french often greet friends with kisses on each cheek (upper!) even some men. Many english people copy this habit, you can tell they're not used to it, it seems to be dying out now.
I just stick my hand out to shake hands and smile.
I've noticed hug&kiss is becoming more common on TV too, especially competitions like the Bakeoff.

I categorise my hugs into a) a Genuine Hug and kiss for people that I really care about and b) a very, very Perfunctory Hug for people that I'm not familiar with - reluctantly accompanied by the almost-compulsory kiss on both cheek thing if pushed into it! It all seems very insincere when it's greeting strangers, but that's probably just me

I always kiss friends and family twice. I love the fact that my SiL now initiates hello and goodbye kisses, as his family are not very tactile people.

If someone comes in for a hug then I'm up for that too.

Bring it on!

I'm happy that there is someone else who can't stand this. Yuk, yuk, yuk, particularly when it is with people I hardly know. We were never kissed or hugged as children so it is an alien concept to me. Obviously I hugged and kissed my daughter and granddaughter but everyone seems to hug and kiss me now, even people I hardly know. I find it uncomfortable.

I find that Europeans (not including the British) do kiss cheeks without awkwardness when greeting an acquaintance,friend or family I don't find it odd but my son had girlfriends who always greeted us like that and I just got used to it I guess. I would always greet family members with a kiss on the cheek and shoulder hug.

I frequently hug rarely kiss. Particularly good friends people I have not seen for a long time and former colleagues.

(serves you right if it was a wet one)