It’s this time of the year when we meet a lot of people - friends, friends of friends, work colleagues, clients etc in a relaxed sometimes boozy, festive atmosphere and I remember thinking of it last year as well: especially in multinational/multicultural London people have different habits, values, perceptions and norms regarding friendly kisses and I always find these clash of habits moments so amusing….
I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about. How many times it happened to you that you and the person you are about to kiss have different ideas of what you should do in this mundane, yet tricky social gesture….the results can be rather funny 
So can anyone just go and write some kisses etiquette? How do you match the type to the person and the occasion? Are there any rules? One on the cheek? One on each cheek? One chick and a hug? only a hand shake?
Maybe we should just leave it like that…these moments can be really amusing…
Comments 6
Love the pic!
Ok, listen , I’ve been thinking about this too, and here’s the labour of my ‘research’..
generally in London/England it’s two kisses (right , then left) Only for F/F and M/F - not M/M(!) In Franc e it’s 3 and in Belgium it’s 4!! (takes hours to say hello to the whole room. and yes that includes M/M kissing too..)
Northern Europe it’s usually a hug or one kiss and then a hug. The men will hug if they’re good friends - if not hand shake will suffice.
Does this help? Go for the 2 kiss option if in London, I find that the safest option, but in general only for people you know fairly well..
L
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 12:55 pm ¶Hi asi
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 2:54 pm ¶im happy that i re found your blog after i lost its link due to workes changes.
can you please contact me in this mail
im a web writer in NaNA and yedioth achronot
and i realy want to ask some q if its ok with u
Well, I’m never too sure about London, which I suppose is ridiculous as I have lived here for most of my life. In Holland though it is definitely three kisses - no hesitation.
Now, down in Cornwall, they’re far more likely to throw you to the ground, but that’s another story…
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 9:21 pm ¶bbbeeeedddaaaarrrrddddd
missing you a lot
A.
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 9:41 pm ¶I think, maybe, you meant “cheek” instead of “chick”? ‘Cause uh. “Kissing on each chick” seems… interesting.
Posted 11 Dec 2007 at 10:18 pm ¶Actually in France, it can be 2, 3, or 4 kisses on the cheeks depending on the region where you are. And hugs aren’t that common in France, at least in my experience - except with family. Oh and for men, we kiss on the cheeks for family and good friends, handshakes for people you don’t know that well.
I generally get confused here, because a lot of people do one kiss, and I go for 2. Hugs got me in a lot of funny situations when I moved to london as well. Anyway, definitely right, it’s a nice point to mention the whole thing ;o)
Posted 12 Dec 2007 at 11:54 am ¶Post a Comment