Kissing on the cheeks as a greeting

Satriale · 25-10-2014 11:38am

leahyl wrote: »

I remember going to mass when we were on holidays in Portugal when I was 9 and when it came to offering a sign of peace it was a big smacker on each cheek! I was horrified!

Lol, the priest shakes hands with the altar boy here (doesnt he?) so im not going to ask the obvious!

TheBeardedLady · 25-10-2014 11:40am

Common practice here. 2 kisses. I'm used to it now but when I walk into a room of 15 people and I have to walk around kissing every bloody one of them, I let out an internal groan.

What I don't like is the insistence by some of them that because we don't kiss when greeting someone normally, us Irish are cold people. Nothing cold about greeting someone warmly and saying "hi" or shaking their hand. All depends on the delivery. A kiss on the cheek can be just as distant if you're only doing it because you have to.

I've met some people here who don't like it and particularly in formal business settings where the men would shake hands and the women would get a kiss. The women would prefer to shake hands in this context too.

Gummy Panda · 25-10-2014 11:40am

I like being kissed on the bum cheeks :P

smash · 25-10-2014 11:42am

Saipanne wrote: »

Not the bum cheeks.

You know, like the continentals do. I can't ****ing stand it. A complete stranger kissing me on the face. Give me a firm hand shake any day.

What are your views on this abhorrent greeting?

Next time try to finger them and say them that's how you do it in your country!

KungPao · 25-10-2014 12:02pm

Kissing the arse cheeks would be an amazing greeting, if I am meeting a girl of course. I wouldn't be so enthusiastic though about puckering up to plant one on some dudes hairy, stinking buttocks.

Sounds like a possible South Park episode actually, where the residents try to be more European but get it horribly wrong.

I've been to Brazil, and there it's a half-assed hug and one kiss (maybe more) on the cheek - for men to women, and women to women. An old-fashioned handshake is okay for dudes, but generally they do this kind of odd sidewards hug too, and slap each other shoulders...if they know each other well.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 25-10-2014 12:44pm

I hate it. I´ve just met you, I don´t really feel comfortable pecking you on the cheek.

TheBeardedLady · 25-10-2014 1:00pm

snubbleste wrote: »

What about if the other person has a full grown beard?

Give their beard a kiss.

The Backwards Man · 25-10-2014 1:02pm

Around here we raise our right forefinger a couple of millimetres, same as we do on the road.

One eyed Jack · 25-10-2014 1:05pm

KungPao wrote: »

I've been to Brazil, and there it's a half-assed hug and one kiss (maybe more) on the cheek - for men to women, and women to women. An old-fashioned handshake is okay for dudes, but generally they do this kind of odd sidewards hug too, and slap each other shoulders...if they know each other well.

I used think that kind of greeting was more common in North America and we'd kind of adopted it over here (well, in saying that it's mostly immigrants I've met that greet me that way), odd alright, kind of like you go for a handshake and next thing they have the other arm out for a hug?

People I've only just met, handshakes are sufficient, or a simple 'hello', good friends or work colleagues get hugs or kisses, depends on my mood really.

Areyouwell · 25-10-2014 1:07pm

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

I'd rather two wet, sloppy cheek kisses than a weak assed handshake!

Some people are fcuking crap at handshakes.

Nothing worse that a limped wristed handshake, especially from a man. From the gentler sex it doesn't bother me so much.

AnLonDubh · 25-10-2014 1:10pm

KungPao wrote: »

Kissing the arse cheeks would be an amazing greeting, if I am meeting a girl of course. I wouldn't be so enthusiastic though about puckering up to plant one on some dudes hairy, stinking buttocks.

Just go in with the assumption that you'll have to kiss his hole, then when it turns out it's only the cheeks you'll be pleasantly relieved.

riffmongous · 25-10-2014 1:18pm

It's not a kiss where I am anyway, just a bumping of cheeks, I don't particularly care for it but the only time it's ever awkward is when I meet an Irish or English girl and then I'm not sure whether to do it or not since I wouldn't do it at home

cajonlardo · 25-10-2014 1:32pm

Worked for an international company a while back.
There was a meeting of americans and continentals and our own lot. American woman asked an Irish lad if we went in for the kissing bit. He said " No, we settle for a good old hand job" Very awkward trip silence after that.

my teapot is orange · 25-10-2014 1:39pm

I do it when I'm meeting someone I know or like well who I haven't seen for ages or saying goodbye to someone I won't see again for a while. I don't do it as a formality every time though.

c_man · 25-10-2014 1:40pm

Fuk that, ye'll all be getting ebola.

Lingua Franca · 25-10-2014 2:41pm

bodice ripper wrote: »

Three times is the done thing over here. Everyone I know has learned that I am too short and too repressed for that ****.

I'd a friend over here give me one kiss before when I was going in for the three and he said "No, in Amsterdam it's just one". Fair enough. Last saw him last week, I went for one kiss, he went for three, I reminded him of what he said before and he said "Yeah, but I just like fcuking with you."

I HATE the kissing thing, hate it with a fiery passion, and it makes me dread social family occasions when I know i'm going to walk into a room with 15 or more people and be expected to three-air-kiss all of them.

I've also done the "Woops wrong amount of kisses now I've just snogged my mate's da" thing.

Handshakes for acquaintances, hugs for mates is what I'm used to and comfortable with.

Micky Dolenz · 25-10-2014 2:44pm

Saipanne wrote: »

Not the bum cheeks.

You know, like the continentals do. I can't ****ing stand it. A complete stranger kissing me on the face. Give me a firm hand shake any day.

What are your views on this abhorrent greeting?

Where've you been?

It's highly unusual to greet a stranger with a kiss.

I've lived in Belgium and Italy in recent years and kissing friends, both male and female, is all the go. The only thing that changes is the number of kisses.

Richard Hillman · 25-10-2014 2:46pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqlJ6g-fT5g

guitarzero · 25-10-2014 2:52pm

*kiss, kiss, squeeze bum, slap*

Son Of A Vidic · 25-10-2014 3:33pm

Saipanne wrote: »

Kissing on the cheeks as a greeting

Not the bum cheeks.

Feck, feck, feck, feck, feck..............not the bum cheeks? Now all those strange looks make total sense.

Saipanne · 25-10-2014 3:39pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Where've you been?

It's highly unusual to greet a stranger with a kiss.

I've lived in Belgium and Italy in recent years and kissing friends, both male and female, is all the go. The only thing that changes is the number of kisses.

Dublin. Believe it or not, lots and lots of Continental Europeans live here.

Mad, I know.

Micky Dolenz · 25-10-2014 3:45pm

Saipanne wrote: »

Dublin. Believe it or not, lots and lots of Continental Europeans live here.

Mad, I know.

Not really. It's a capital city.

What is mad is that they greet strangers with kisses. In my experience it's unheard of.

Maybe point that out to them the next time a randomer wants a kiss.

Summer wind · 25-10-2014 3:52pm

I really hate when you are introduced to someone and they lunge at you and do the air kissing bit. All it is is banging your cheek off someone else's. Then I never know how many times you are meant to do it. It makes me cringe. Almost as
bad is when you shake hands with someone and their handshake is really limp that is so yuk.

Molester Stallone II · 25-10-2014 3:56pm

snubbleste wrote: »

What about if the other person has a full grown beard?

Then dont kiss her!

Macavity. · 25-10-2014 3:58pm

I don't like this custom.

Buona Fortuna · 25-10-2014 4:01pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

What is mad is that they greet strangers with kisses. In my experience it's unheard of.

Maybe point that out to them the next time a randomer wants a kiss.

Unless they're hot, then go all continental

Saipanne · 25-10-2014 4:01pm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Not really. It's a capital city.

What is mad is that they greet strangers with kisses. In my experience it's unheard of.

Maybe point that out to them the next time a randomer wants a kiss.

I've encountered it a lot. I just go through with it, instead of creating a scene.

One eyed Jack · 25-10-2014 4:04pm

Buona Fortuna wrote: »

Unless they're hot, then go all continental

That's what I was thinking, the OP must meet some woeful chancers around the place, and once one person sees one person get away with it, they all want a go at the kissing greeting thing!

I think you're being had OP tbh!

EDIT: Yep -

Saipanne wrote: »

I've encountered it a lot. I just go through with it, instead of creating a scene.

I'd be more thinking about my own personal space than making a scene tbh.

cactusgal · 25-10-2014 4:06pm

Kiss on one cheek is fine. I *hate* it when Irish people kiss on two cheeks, I feel like people are trying to appear really cool and "continental," but it's so lame and awkward.

Obviously, when French, Spanish, etc people do it, I don't love it, but it's a part of their culture, so that's fine.

--LOS-- · 25-10-2014 4:31pm

One of the times I was visiting my aunt when she lived in Belgium, I had to meet the neighbours and I flat out refused to kiss any of them, I was only about 8/9, settled for shaking hands, that was it, my aunt awkwardly apologised for me. I'm slightly less awkward now.

Kissing on the cheeks as a greeting

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