Kissing Friends (Mod Warning Post No.7)

Tazium

I'll hug my male-friends and normally give double kisses on opposite cheeks to the girl-friends. Out solo the other night and this long time girl-friend unintentionally (I think) got the signal wrong on greeting and ended up with the lip service.

Que awkward silence afterwards.

So my question to other gentlemen is what's appropriate greeting/parting etc?

And, I already know that using tongue is out

MitchKoobski

"Well, howya?"

"Talk to you later"

Tazium

hahaha

Sauve

I don't mind a hug, but I HATE being kissed by someone unless I'm dating them. Maybe I'm just weird, but it makes me all awkward and edgy.

homer simpson

I don't think kissing is appropriate anyway, a simple hows a going, or whats the craic I'd say. A handshake if they aren't good friends!

Snowie

girls

Some of them are friends very good friends they always get at least a hug vip one get a peck on the check ...

some get a wink and a smile...


my mates hand shake with the finger pointed.

Panthro

(Mod Warning)
Folks,
Cut out the smart árse posts please, they will be deleted.

Contessa Raven

I don't like it when I'm pecked on the cheek as a greeting unless they are a very close friend or a member of my family. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Same with hugs. Wouldn't be a fan of physical contact at all with a stranger or acquaintance apart from maybe a handshake.

As you can tell, I'm a total people person. :pac:

Sky King

It's a European thing that seems to be filtering in here. I'm friendly with a couple of guys from the continent and one american and they are big into regular handshakes (like when you meet up with your mate in town for a coffee shaking his hand) and hugging with a greeting, and kissing girls on the cheek.

I think it's a bit weird..

I generally shake someones hand when I meet them for the first time and then never again after that unless I am congratulating or commiserating them or something, but these dudes are always at it - every time they meet!

ElleEm

Contessa Raven wrote: »

I don't like it when I'm pecked on the cheek as a greeting unless they are a very close friend or a member of my family. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Same with hugs. Wouldn't be a fan of physical contact at all with a stranger or acquaintance apart from maybe a handshake.

As you can tell, I'm a total people person. :pac:

I'm the same. I prefer a "howeya" unless it's a friend/ friend's boyfriend or family member.

Not really into the idea of an acquaintance touching my face with his lips. TOO personal!!

Edit;
Now that I think of it, I would only ever get kisses on the cheek from friend/ friend's boyfriends that I haven't seen in ages, or my daddy- he always kisses me on the cheek!!

Galvasean

Contessa Raven wrote: »

I don't like it when I'm pecked on the cheek as a greeting unless they are a very close friend or a member of my family. It makes me feel uncomfortable. Same with hugs. Wouldn't be a fan of physical contact at all with a stranger or acquaintance apart from maybe a handshake.

As you can tell, I'm a total people person. :pac:

I'm quite a bit like you so. I find that the overuse of hugging these days takes the good out of it.

ballsymchugh

Sky King wrote: »

It's a European thing that seems to be filtering in here. I'm friendly with a couple of guys from the continent and one american and they are big into regular handshakes (like when you meet up with your mate in town for a coffee shaking his hand) and hugging with a greeting, and kissing girls on the cheek.

I think it's a bit weird..

I generally shake someones hand when I meet them for the first time and then never again after that unless I am congratulating or commiserating them or something, but these dudes are always at it - every time they meet!

i don't think the kissing on the cheeks is weird, whatever they're used to and all that. but what is annoying is when a bundle show up at the same time and you don't know them as well as another person, and you have to just wait for them to go through the whole rigmarole with each other, kissing 3 people on either cheek, instead of them just saying hi and joining in the conversation.

Tazium

Galvasean wrote: »

I'm quite a bit like you so. I find that the overuse of hugging these days takes the good out of it.

You can never have too many hugs. :P

zuroph

Hugs, handshakes, adapted handshakes, single cheek kiss for the girls, or two if we're in European mood.

Contessa Raven

Galvasean wrote: »

I'm quite a bit like you so. I find that the overuse of hugging these days takes the good out of it.

I love a good hug. Just not with some person I've just met or only met a few times. I certainly don't want their lips or saliva on my face! :P

dceire

I've become good friends with some French girls over here and they're big into the kissing on both cheeks thing. I have it admit it was a bit left of field for me at first but now it's very natural. I find it to be a very pleasant greeting; it's very warm and familiar. I'd love do it more often with good friends but they'd just think I was being weird.

Mr Simpson

With all my friends it's a hug and a kiss on the cheek, it's different with different groups of people

OldGoat

I'm very tactile. Handshakes, hugs, cheek kisses, lip kisses all used as greetings and farewells.

saa

Ah its a Christmas thing folks are just looking for a snog this time of year.
I got the wrong signal last year in fairness this person never does this kissing on the cheek business.

Farewell friendship!

BigDuffman

OP are you m/f? I wouldn't go kissing on the cheeks unless its xmas. But would regularly hug female friends and "adapted" and hand shakes for the lads or if havn't seen person in a while adapted handshake and manly back pat hug.

Dravokivich

I don't consider kissing to be too big a deal... It's just something I don't normally do is all.

Aside of that;

Depends on the friend, most of'em get handshakes that lead into a wrap around the wrist then pointing my finger towards'em with a thumbs up.

Some get the odd bear hug, only becuase I genuinely don't know what to do while hugging and think to myself "Feck it, this might be hilarious!"

minidazzler

A hand grab hug for guy freinds if they are good friends I haven't seen in a while.

A kiss to a girl friends hand, maybe a hug. On leaving there are a few female friends I have who I will give a hug and kiss on the head. But these are girls I see as like sisters.

ToxicPaddy

I personally have no problems with it as long as they are comfortable with it.. I have a good few female friends and about 90% of them would be greeted with kiss on the cheek and a hug if I haven't seen them in a while.

Tazium

BigDuffman wrote: »

OP are you m/f? I wouldn't go kissing on the cheeks unless its xmas. But would regularly hug female friends and "adapted" and hand shakes for the lads or if havn't seen person in a while adapted handshake and manly back pat hug.

I'm male. Also, will someone please explain WTF an adapted handshake is? I'm hoping to feck that it's not some new fangled innuendo, cause I'm missing out then.

CdeC

Strangers Male/Female : Handshake greeting. Departing nothing

Close friends : no special greeting but if I'm not going to see them in a while or it's a special occasion. i.e Birthday/Christmas then a hug.

Closer friends : ie almost 20yrs, female : hug and kiss to greet and depart. Male: sometimes a hug to greet, depends on the male friend and also how much alcohol is consumed. Hug to depart.


I think affection between friends is ok and possibly Irish people are a little more comfortable with it nowadays.

Michellenman

I'm female but I'll hug or give a quick kiss on the cheek to friends and family, not normally friends but I'd have nothing against it. Handshake for everyone else I reckon.

Tefral

Handshake for the lads and a hug for the girls. Saying that I would more take the que from the females, normally women just come over with their arms open. If one of the lads did it to me, id respond but it woul be followed by a slap on the back ha ha.

BigDuffman

Tazium wrote: »

I'm male. Also, will someone please explain WTF an adapted handshake is? I'm hoping to feck that it's not some new fangled innuendo, cause I'm missing out then.

A straight up handshake is considered very formal between close friends.



An adapted hand shake is informal can be anything from:



To knuckle to knuckle bumps etc

BigDuffman

cronin_j wrote: »

If one of the lads did it to me, id respond but it woul be followed by a slap on the back ha ha.

I've always found it amazing how the simple act of a slap on the back instantly mans up a hug. Without a slap it feels odd!

Cherry_Cola

hoorsmelt wrote: »

Kissing on the cheeks is natural, even between men, these days. It's a sign of affection, nothing more. What is awkward is when you take it further, I took a dump on a girl friends chest last year following a drinking session and some wild sex, and she hasn't spoken to me since, so you can figure for yourselves where to draw the line

WTF?!

Otis Driftwood

hoorsmelt,comment deleted.If you dont have anything to add other than lame attempts at being funny dont post please.

Kinski

Hug or cheek kiss for girl friends, adapted handshake for guy friends. In some social settings, a one-armed hug for female acquaintances I'm not close to (usually for peers like classmates). I don't like women I barely know going for the cheek kiss...friends' mothers take note! I also dislike the handshake as the conventional greeting for everyone; I'm not keen on physical contact with total strangers. We've just met, and already I have to touch your hand?!!

efb

Cheek kiss for my female and gay male friends
Strong handshake for my non gay male friends
I don't do stupid handshakes.
tongues for my bf only (unless Im drunk on NYE)

JohnMearsheimer

I don't really have any special greeting for friends, maybe a hug if the occasion called for it. I would find getting a peck on the cheek from a female friend, especially if she was Irish, a bit odd. It's not really an Irish cultural thing to do it.

I did live next door to 2 Belgian girls a while back. Whenever they called to the house or I bumped into them out and about I would get a kiss on each cheek and it just became normal with them. They did it the very first time I met them. I think I may even have insulted one of them when I recoiled a bit when she leaned in to plant one on me the first time I met her. From what I understand, it's a cultural thing in France and Belgium.

odds_on

Originally Posted by hoorsmelt
Kissing on the cheeks is natural, even between men, these days. It's a sign of affection, nothing more. .........

Hoorsmelt's original post was deleted by the mods.

However, he got it all wrong - it is not a sign of affection. That's probably where so many of you posters are getting it wrong.

It is a sign of friendship, nothing more, nothing less. Here, in Argentina it is the norm. Both when meeting people and leaving them. Though just meeting a stranger for the first time could be a handshake, but if you've been talking with them for a while, a "half kiss" on the cheek on leaving would indicate a good friendship has been created.
I was selling my house last year. Greeted most prospective purchasers with a handshake (though some female ones would go for a half kiss on one cheek). However, after showing them around the house they would leave with a male a half kiss on one cheek while the females got a half kiss on both cheeks.

Meeting a friend of a friend for the first time would be a half kiss on one cheek for males and on both cheeks for females - of any age.

With females, the half kiss very soon turns into more of a decent peck on both cheeks.

Originally posted by ballsymchugh
i don't think the kissing on the cheeks is weird, whatever they're used to and all that. but what is annoying is when a bundle show up at the same time and you don't know them as well as another person, and you have to just wait for them to go through the whole rigmarole with each other, kissing 3 people on either cheek, instead of them just saying hi and joining in the conversation.

Probably to them the sign of friendship is very much more important than a conversation. And I tend to agree with them.

Admittedly, I found it very difficult to accept at first - especially with male people I had just met. So, if you're not into it - don't go to Argentina; a very friendly nation of people.

MyKeyG

I lived in France a few years back and everyone would either kiss or shake hands depending on the gender or relation. For example boys and girls would kiss, girls and girls would kiss, boys and boys would shake hands and relatives would always kiss regardless of the gender. So much so that when you went to a social gathering you would have to go around the room and embrace ALL of your friends in one of the ways I described. For me it completely cheapened what is otherwise a very genuine display of affection.

If I'm happy to see you, or I haven't seen you in a while or whatever then I will gladly hug, kiss, shake hands but it seems in my view to be becoming more of a formality than a warm meaningful embrace.

However it doesn't always work out. I met an old school friend in a nightclub a few years back and went for the cheek but she got the wrong idea. She said 'NO!' I explained what I had actually been doing and she felt quite embarrassed.

globemaster1986

I quite like the kiss on the cheek thing. I spent some time in Germany a few years ago and would greet male friends with a handshake, females peck on the cheek.

In the US female friends are very huggy, even when you don't know them that well. Back home hugs for close female friends and for the lads when I haven't seen them in a while. Normally when I meet my closest male friends I have known for years insults are exchanged as a greeting! Just how we are i guess:D:D

Chet Zar

Nothing like a good strong manly handshake when greeting a male friend....

For female friends usually a hug...for female friends you know a bit better then a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek

the_syco

Dravokivich wrote: »

Some get the odd bear hug, only becuase I genuinely don't know what to do while hugging and think to myself "Feck it, this might be hilarious!"

Bear hug, and lift the woman off the ground whilst doing so :pac:

BigDuffman wrote: »

I've always found it amazing how the simple act of a slap on the back instantly mans up a hug. Without a slap it feels odd!

Agreed :cool:

Liberal Irishman

Sky King wrote: »

I think it's a bit weird..

I generally shake someones hand when I meet them for the first time and then never again after that unless I am congratulating or commiserating them or something, but these dudes are always at it - every time they meet!

Wouldn't be into the kissing bit but I definitely LIKE the handshake thing. I like to view it as a sign of respect on both sides!

Caraville

Totally depends on the person, I think. I'm female and I have one male friend who always gives me a kiss on the cheek when we meet... I'm a little uncomfortable with it but doesn't bother me that much seeing as I just expect it from him now. But I think I'd probably just burst out laughing if my other male friends did it, we just simply say hello to each other.

I'd hug most of my female friends but even at that there are some more tactile than others- plus we see each other pretty often so we'd be constantly hugging if we did it every time we meet which could get a bit ridiculous!

Irish people aren't great at the whole cheek-kissing thing though, watching people greet each other on the Irish Come Dine With Me was priceless!

Otis Driftwood

Female friends that Im close with I would always greet with a quick embrace and a kiss on the cheek but thats only in a social - ie bar - setting.

It would be weird to do it with everyone tbh.

Feisar

Friends I see regularly get a howarya.
Mate home for Xmas got a warm handshake
New people get a handshake

When the GF (Swedish/Polish) introduces me to new friends and I stick out the paw and they look at me a little funny she exclaims: "oh he's very Irish!"

Why are Irish women at this whole cheek kissing thing these days? Was out at the weekend and met two of the GF's friends who I know fairly well at this stage and both of them done the cheek kiss thing.
Was chatting to a mate and he reckoned it's on TV these days and has been the done thing in London the past few years so it's just filtering in here the past while???