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Do you hug and kiss friends on the cheek?

steddyeddy

A lot of my friends are Italian or Mediterranean and we often greet each other with a hug or a kiss. I would also hug my Irish friends on occasion but some people seem to take offence to it. I generally don’t hug people unless I know they’re alright with it but to be honest I can’t see the big deal. Some of my Mediterranean friends also had a similar reaction over here. They get the impression that some people sexualise the hug and that we’rea prudish people. I have to agree that I think a lack of physical contact with friends is a weird thing to me. Would it bother you if we were more Mediterraneanin our approach to friends?

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Staff Infection

I am quite passionate (as in heart on sleeve type) so I normally greet my friends as follows.

1. Walk towards them, smile and say their name while outstretching my arms.

2. As I get closer to them my arms lower and I extend my right hand in front of them before giving them a good handshake while looking them in the eye smiling.

3. If they are receptive to the handshake I take that as a sign and pull them in for a quick hug and pat on the back usually while saying something like "it has been too long".

4. Finally, I plant my left hand on their right shoulder and ask them how are they're keeping.

I rarely do this for people I've only met, more for old friends but I am a physical guy so it's rarely a non contact greeting from me.

howamidifferent

Ihatecuddles wrote: »

I'd kiss most of my male friends when I'm saying hello ..

Hello there ;-)

crazygeryy

we rub noses and pat each other on the arse.

cletus van damme

a pet of mine, i hug my missus and kids. end of.
i hate people who intrude on my personal space

I work with a company who are global and when people based abroad are over it's all hugs and kisses. false and I fcuking hate it.
They get offered a handshake and some are lucky to get that.

Galwayguy35

I ofton see women hugging each other on nights out or if they are walking on the street they would have their arms linked around each other but you won't see men doing that and never will.

I wouldn't feel comfortable with some fella giving me a hug, and certainly not a kiss on the cheek, maybe others don't mind it but that's just how I feel and living in a tough enough area I would imagine every other fella here would be the same.

Peregrine

Jokes on you, OP. I have no friends!

..

Aw

TheLastMohican

steddyeddy wrote: »

The first friendly hug I got off an Italian girl was when I was sitting down and at eye level with her boobs! She proceeded to give me a very passionate long hug while burying my head in her bits! Why can't more Irish women be like that :P

Steadyonthere steddyeddy, while I reach for the Lipitor

Pumpkinseeds

As a nation I think we're fairly uncomfortable with PDA's unless copious amounts of booze are involved before hand. I don't get this whole business of shaking hands with people you know. To me shaking hands is a formal thing you do when being introduced to someone you don't know. I see groups of lads shaking hands with their friends and it just seems a tad ridiculous to me. Each to their own.

Micky Dolenz

Most if the time I kiss my female friends and hug my male friends when in Ireland. If I see them everyday I'm less inclined to do it. Where I live now it's a kiss on the cheek male or female.

Galwayguy35

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

As a nation I think we're fairly uncomfortable with PDA's unless copious amounts of booze are involved before hand. I don't get this whole business of shaking hands with people you know. To me shaking hands is a formal thing you do when being introduced to someone you don't know. I see groups of lads shaking hands with their friends and it just seems a tad ridiculous to me. Each to their own.

It is a very common practice with Eastern European men when they meet to shake hands, I work with a lot of Polish lads and they always shake hands with each other when starting work or when they meet in the canteen.

Wattle

A firm handshake for me and I always try and break their hand cos it makes me feel like a big man

ToddyDoody

I give them a nice open-palmed slap on the behind

YeDirtyHoor

Living in belgium for a month was strange.. they are all at it! Even the boys!

Micky Dolenz

YeDirtyHoor wrote: »

Living in belgium for a month was strange.. they are all at it! Even the boys!

Pfft. Thats nothing. You should try prison.

YeDirtyHoor

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Pfft. Thats nothing. You should try prison.

Naa your alright thanks.. i'd rather never be greeted by someone sticking their finger up me bum.

MadsL

Hugs and kisses all around as far as this male is concerned. I have male friends who get big hugs, male friends who get the two cheek kiss hello/goodbye and one close gay male friend who always gets a kiss on the lips.

I have also noticed Americans to be very huggy. My wife works in a particularly huggy workplace.

gw80

Staff Infection wrote: »

I am quite passionate (as in heart on sleeve type) so I normally greet my friends as follows.

1. Walk towards them, smile and say their name while outstretching my arms.

2. As I get closer to them my arms lower and I extend my right hand in front of them before giving them a good handshake while looking them in the eye smiling.

3. If they are receptive to the handshake I take that as a sign and pull them in for a quick hug and pat on the back usually while saying something like "it has been too long".

4. Finally, I plant my left hand on their right shoulder and ask them how are they're keeping.

I rarely do this for people I've only met, more for old friends but I am a physical guy so it's rarely a non contact greeting from me.

would they be so inclined to even shake your hand if they knew you,er boards name

LizT

Hugs for most female friends if I haven't seen them in a while or if I'm leaving them after a night out. Or if I'm pissed. Kiss on the cheek and/or hug for male friends I haven't seen them in a while.

If I see them most days/ few times a week, it's just a wave, can't be wasting all that time hugging

Talib Fiasco

Yeah of course. It's like this:

Hai guise
xoxoxoxo

*forever alone*

Precious flower

Kissing on one cheek or two I find uncomfortable hugging is grand. As someone said earlier I don't think the Irish are comfortable with hugging each other (the men anyway) let alone kissing as a greeting!

NothingMan

I think people who say Irish men aren't comfortable hugging each other aren't seeing beyond their own experience. I have several groups of friends and I would give a good hug to almost all of them. There are a few that I know aren't the type and they may get a handshake but they are the exception.

I think even the most stand offish man would prefer a manly hug/shoulder bump thing than a limp hand shake. Everytime someone holds out a limp wrist for me to shake I feel the need to wash my hands.

Itwasntme.

Vicar in a tutu wrote: »

I actually find cheek kissing and hugging extremely put on and fake.

Why?

Handshake for people I don't know here in Ireland. One kiss and a hug for friends here. Handshake and one kiss on the cheek for random strangers I don't know back home or handshake and three kisses if they are friends of friends and family. Three kisses and a hug for friends and family I haven't seen in a while. One kiss for friends and family I see all the time. Guys don't usually kiss other guys but they touch heads the appropriate number of times depending on the context.

mattjack

Headbutt some family members.

One of my Grandfathers was from Glasgow and had plenty of run ins with the local constabulary in his home city,not so much here apparently he liked the local Gardai where he lived.

Anyway one my cousins was arrested after a fight during which he headbutted his opponent and my Grandmother told his mother he was nothing but a gurrier like his Grandfather.

In honour of our Grandfather and Grandmother , myself , my brothers and some of my cousins used headbutt each other at family events (not full on ones obviously) ,however wives and girlfriends put an end to this tradition.

seven_eleven

shur thats gay!?

wilkie2006

I just drop the hand, for either sex.

suicide_circus

Im a big fan on the traditional Victorian handshake myself.

None of this straight outa Compton jazz thanks very much

Juniorhurler

Hate it. As said before I find it very fake when this happens. The wifes aunt and first cousins always do it and it makes me feel uncomfortable. I don't know why it does. I would be the kind of fella who greets my mates with a howya horse type greeting.

LizT

Have to say I find it weird that people see it as fake. Is showing affection to friends fake now?

Galwayguy35

LizT wrote: »

Have to say I find it weird that people see it as fake. Is showing affection to friends fake now?

It sounds fake in some cases, 2 of my cousins whenever they meet greet each other squeeling "HIIIIII" then a kiss on each cheek and a hug.

LizT

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

It sounds fake in some cases, 2 of my cousins whenever they meet greet each other squeeling "HIIIIII" then a kiss on each cheek and a hug.

How is that fake?