Poll: Kissing Habits Around the world

[HentMas]

Hi there!, I am from México, I Live in the Town of Cuautla, in the State of Morelos.

I am Male, 25 and have lived here my whole life.

In my country, and the area where I live it is common custom to kiss the cheek of any female while saying "hello" or "Good bye", even if its the first time you meet her EX:

-"Hey man! i want you to meet my girlfriend Elena!"
*shake hand, lean over, kiss on the cheek*
-"Nice to meet you Elena"

Females will greet by kissing regardless of gender

In family its common to kiss the cheek of your father but not other relatives (obviously females its OK)

If you don´t do it its not considered an offense, and if you do it its seen as a positive and even in some cases represent a strong confidence of character over males, with females is just a way of saying "HI!"

Kiss on the lips only when they are a couple or your mom... or under 10 XD

sooo... what are the customs or habits in the place you live?, it might be just your general area, or it could be in the whole country, tell us about it!! (include whichever detail you think is apropiate)

 

[HentMas]

What's the point of a poll with only one option??

things got FUp

i´m fixing it now

AND... it doesnt work -.-

EDIT: FIX´D

well, not so fixed... oh whatever

 

[HentMas]

What's the point of a poll with only one option??

EDIT: I kiss my older female relatives on the cheek saying hello and goodbye. Other than that, it's for intimate relationships not in front of others.

It would be nice if you could tell us about the area where you live, because i hardly think its the same in your whole country

 

[TehCookie]

I live in Michigan, and as long as both people are okay with it I don't care what they're relation is. Personally I only kiss my family or my non-existent boyfriend (foreveralone.jpg). Kissing my friends would just be weird but it wouldn't bother me. Now if a stranger tried to do it I'd politely decline, I don't like strangers that close to me. I like my personal space.

 

[CrystalShadow]

I exist caught between at least 3 cultures.

Two of which barely tolerate physical contact at all...

And the third in which men shake hands, but otherwise any interaction between two women, or a man and a woman, regardless of how well you know eachother tends to involve kissing eachother's cheeks 3 times.

That's not to say everyone does it, but it's very, very common.

Needless to say, going back and forth between these different cultures can get a little confusing.

I personally rarely know what to do. (But I'm also shy, and physical contact is awkward for me most of the time anyway.)

For the record, Australia and (southern) England don't really encourage physical contact. (Though it depends. People seem to hug a lot.)

The kissing 3 times thing is a Dutch habit.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

British here.

The only people who I kiss on the cheek as a sign of greeting/farewell are female family members.

With friends, it's just a short hug (with the girls anway). My male friends I tell to get fucked (as a joke of course).

 

[AlAaraaf74]

I live in the U.S. and kissing's usually only reserved for family and loved ones. Friends don't normally kiss each other, that's for both genders.

 

[HentMas]

considering i have Kissed in the cheeks every single female i have met in my life, i find it really weird to hear from US residents that you dont do it...

good to know, i dont want to travel there and piss someone off by "greeting" them without knowing XD

 

[SckizoBoy]

I'm stuck in three quite different cultures.

Being from a Chinese family, kissing as a greeting is uncommon (if it ever happens) and is ever so slightly more prevalent in parting and only with direct family (greeting would be a curt bow with strangers and just exchange of appropriate words with family).

As a Brit, though, it doesn't really happen except between girls, and I just greet people with a firm manly handshake.

But since I hang around a lot of French/German/Polish/European ilk, there's a lot of cheek kissing (but only if a woman's involved), usually twice. *shrug*

 

[saintsiner]

I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here is normal to greet people in general with a kiss on the cheek, regardless of gender. Though it is most usual among family and friends it may be extended to aquantances as well

 

[Kryzantine]

I reserve kissing for intimate relationships. With male friends, it's usually a verbal exchange or if I haven't seen them in a while, maybe a hug. With female friends, it's usually a hug, though some of them prefer a verbal exchange or a handshake.

New York City, by the way, though in this place, it really just depends who you know.

 

[Phlakes]

I don't do it with anyone except if I'm in a relationship, but I don't have a problem with it between friends or family. Hell, I've even been on the receiving end from close female friends.

But not with my family. Don't care too much for those people.

Also, Austin, Texas. And we're a very liberal city, so it's not like I was raised to have a problem with it.

 

[Tilted_Logic]

I'm Canadian and half my family lives/grew up in Quebec, which follows heavily on the French tradition of kissing the left cheek and then the right (at least, I think that's the order.. I always forget). Both parties are suppose to kiss the opposite cheek at the same time, but I've never fully had to put my lips on someones' face, just sort of touch the sides of your faces and make the kissing noise

Although I've never used kissing as a greeting for anyone else unless I am romantically involved. I have no aversion to it, it's just not what people are expecting and most around here (Ontario) would prefer a hug, nod or a shake.

 

[Biosophilogical]

My family is very huggy and kissy (though the guys don't kiss each other, but if the greeting involves a woman there will be cheek kissing and a hug). But my friends aren't. It makes me sad, because I'm a very open and hug-loving person, so having friends that don't hug makes me sad.

 

[spartan231490]

USA, New York state. On the lips, just for couples or under 10. On the cheek, it's not unheard of to kiss female family members on the cheek as a way of greeting, but it's pretty rare. It's not that uncommon for female family members to kiss you on the cheek as a way of greeting though, in fact it's relatively common. Sometimes females will greet very close female friends with a kiss on the cheek, but almost never a male friend.

I'd say that covers it.

 

[Warlord211]

I live in North Carolina, USA. We usually only kiss people we are in a romantic relationship with. When I was younger I would kiss my parents on the cheek before I went to bed but I have since grown out of that. I have never kissed one of my friends on the cheek, female or male.

EDIT: However I do give out Brohugs all the time.

 

[Berethond]

I live in California, and it depends on age and country of origin. Cheek-kiss greetings are significantly more common in people over 40 and people from Mexico. Most of the American-born don't. We tend towards hugs (for both genders).