Hello and Goodbye Kissers?

How do you feel about people who kiss you hello and goodbye?

Should there be a certain level of familiarity before this becomes routine?

If you don't like it, how do you avoid it?

If you are a kisser, can you tell if it's welcomed by certain people?

I've found that New Yorkers (well, my family anyway) are kissers, and southerners are huggers. When I was close enough with DH's family to be 'amicable', I went to kiss them hello or goodbye but they would try to hug me, so I'd wind up kissing them on the side of the head

I think hispanics are definitely hello and good bye kissers. In spain they actually kiss you in both cheeks.
I don't mind

I hate the kissing. And I hate when you go to kiss someone and they just hug so you kiss their neck.... so embarassing!!! So I usually let them make the first move and I just go along. I go in for the hug first. I just hate the whole kissing and hugging stuff. Unless it's my family, I feel it's unnecessary.
With my friends (like in college) they were kissers, but I would just stand by the door and give a goodbye from there. It takes forever to leave if you have to hug and kiss everyone.

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Posted by rafiki

ohhh, good topic. i don't mind the hello and goodbye kiss from good friends if i haven't seen them in a while, but i HATE when people i hardly know (or know by association) feel the need to meet and greet with a kiss! it makes me very uncomfortable. i usually stand back and tense up.

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WORD! Mr Boots has a friend that insists on it and it makes me really uncomfortable. He's all touchy-feely (poking me like we're old pals, putting his around around my shoulder, etc) which doesn't help. I spend a lot of time positioning myself so that there's several pieces of furniture or people between us.


ETA: He also has an uncle that has to kiss everyone when he comes in and when he leaves. It's so awful because I hate this uncle so much that I have to supress my gag reflex when he gets to me.

I hate the kissing. I am SO not a kissing person. Ugh! Ane even more than the kissing I hate not knowing if I should go for the kiss or the hug - or in some cases a hand shake or head nod! It is the worst with FH's family at first - but I think now I know who to do the kiss, hug, etc.

Oh if it was up to me I wouldn't do the cheek kiss with ANYONE - not even close friends. It is just not my style, and I don't feel the need for it.

my Family are hello & good bye kissers, & I think DH's family are just hello kissers. It took me a while to figure it out. Saying goodbye is always awkward with them.

In general, I don't mind the kissing, if I am prepared. I have freinds that only kiss on specail occasions--soemtiesm it takes me by surprise. It's hard to keep track of thr appropriate behavior for everyone & every situation.

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

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Posted by rafiki

ohhh, good topic. i don't mind the hello and goodbye kiss from good friends if i haven't seen them in a while, but i HATE when people i hardly know (or know by association) feel the need to meet and greet with a kiss! it makes me very uncomfortable. i usually stand back and tense up.

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WORD! Mr Boots has a friend that insists on it and it makes me really uncomfortable. He's all touchy-feely (poking me like we're old pals, putting his around around my shoulder, etc) which doesn't help. I spend a lot of time positioning myself so that there's several pieces of furniture or people between us.

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i have a similar situation. the wife of finance's friend INSISTS on doing the hello kiss. there have been times when i have created a diversion to avoid her hello. ie) suddenly i need something in my pocketbook that i just can't find or my shoe needs tying or i desperately need to use the bathroom. this girl is kind of flighty, so i don't think she's gotten the hint yet.

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Posted by tourist

In general, I don't mind the kissing, if I am prepared. I have freinds that only kiss on specail occasions--soemtiesm it takes me by surprise. It's hard to keep track of thr appropriate behavior for everyone & every situation.

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Exactly. One of FH's cousins switches between hug and kiss - and so every time I feel SO awkward not knowing what to do!

It's odd....I have some good friends that kiss hello and good-bye....my family is hello kissers, not usually good-bye....but this is really extended family. For my sister and brother we don't kiss at all. What's even weirder is that I will kiss my SIL (brother's wife) hello...but not my brother...don't know why, we just don't.

I'm not a fan of kissing hello or good-bye to people I hardly know or just met. I usually just try to avoid it and tense up.

Most of my family are and I dont mind of course....both hello and goodbye

I do this with some of my friends and I think its fine as well - I just wouldnt do it with someone I just met!

I find it particularly uncomfortable at work-related events. Just this past weekend I had a BBQ at my house for a bunch of my colleagues. Now, if we were at a morning meeting, none of them would dream of kissing me (or hugging for that fact) - - - so why, when we're in my backyard, is a kiss and hug appropriate?

Holy uncomfortable!

I'm a kisser but only with friends. Actually not with really close friends and not with family only with good friends.

Weird never thought about it! I hope I don't make people uncomfortable. I'll have to really pay attention next time.

I'm not a hugger thou. I just lean in hands free and make a kissing sound towards their cheek. I don’t even really kiss them.

I have to give this more thought....Humm, Good topic!!!

I'm a regular-hugger and sometimes-kisser with my friends and family.

I think kissing people you don't know or are only friends with by association is a little presumptuous and intrusive. Part of that is because I can get claustrophobic and people coming into my personal space without precedent bugs.

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

How do you feel about people who kiss you hello and goodbye?

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It depends on the person.

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Should there be a certain level of familiarity before this becomes routine?

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Yes!

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If you don't like it, how do you avoid it?

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I walk away from the person quickly - lingering is definitely a no-no if you do not want the closing kiss

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If you are a kisser, can you tell if it's welcomed by certain people?

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I guess, I never really thought about it too much. You can definitely tell if there is someone who does not want it though.

It's pretty standard with my friends and family as well. It's definitely a New York thing too.

Yes, it's annoying sometimes because it takes you a 1/2 hour to say hello and goodbye. But that's just the way it is.

I know I've made people uncomfortable sometimes but sometimes I just do it without thinking. I was just brought up that way and so was DH.

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Posted by MonkeyLuv

How do you feel about people who kiss you hello and goodbye?

Should there be a certain level of familiarity before this becomes routine?

If you don't like it, how do you avoid it?

If you are a kisser, can you tell if it's welcomed by certain people?

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but mr boots likes it when we kiss LOL!!!

It is a NY thing - I lived out west and people there are huggers in the situations where NYers are kissers.

I don't mind kissing or hugging family or close friends. It is sometimes awkward with people I don't know that well, but I would rather suffer a quick peck on the cheek from those people that a rib-crushing hug anyday.