kisser or hugger?

[jenweaver]

We just came back from a family reunion of my husbands extended family. I met dozens of aunts, great uncles, and cousins I didn't even know existed. While they were extremely welcoming and sweet, their way of greeting each other was very touchy feely.Totally opposite of the way I grew up. Everybody kisses, most on the cheeks, some on the lips. Some nice and some icky! When I met his great aunt Carol, she left me with a bright red lipstick print on my cheek that would barely come off even after soap and water. At one point on Sunday it was pointed out that I had 3 different lip prints on my face. The older women wore some bright red and fushcia lipstick, shades I haven't seen since I was a kid in the 80s. I would much rather preferred a nice hug. Does anyone else have "kissy" relatives?
Are you a kisser or a hugger?

 

[Pooh67_68]

I come from a family that kisses and hugs, both at the same time.

 

[MIGrandma]

Mostly a hugger, but every time I see my Mom she gets a hug and a kiss.

Kiss my kids sometimes too, and often with the grandkids.

 

[Ginny Favers]

My husband's family, they don't make ANY contact. The Italian side of my family is into kissing/hugging. The Irish side of my family would only be into kissing/hugging when alcohol is involved.

 

[pixie dust 112]

I come from a family that kisses and hugs, both at the same time.

Me too! We are definitely kisses and huggers! We hug and kiss everyone hello at the beginning of a family gathering and we kiss everyone good bye at the end! Sometimes the hellos and good byes take longer thyan the party!

 

[sunshinehighway]

Neither. My family is very close but we are no contact people. Maybe I should try hugging and kissing everyone next time we get together. I can only imagine what the reaction would be.

 

[Janepod]

My father is a hugger/kisser. I am a clamp your arms to the side and pull your head away person. (Not with my husband or kid, obviously.) Please don't hug or kiss me.

 

[sue1013]

We kiss family and friends as a greeting hello and good by. I always find it strange when someone stiffens up. Guess it's just what you're used to but makes me feel sad for the person like they're afraid of human contact.

 

[mvazul]

I'm a hugger. My father-in-law, however, is a kisser on both cheeks. He was born and raised in Hungary, so it's a very European tradition. The very first time I met him, I wasn't expecting it and turned my head at the wrong time and got a big kiss right on the lips!! I am very careful now!!

Michelle

 

[sunshinehighway]

We kiss family and friends as a greeting hello and good by. I always find it strange when someone stiffens up. Guess it's just what you're used to but makes me feel sad for the person like they're afraid of human contact.

Some people just weren't raised to hug and kiss everyone. It has nothing to do with being afraid of human contact. When I'm around a hugger, I don't think it says anything about them except that is normal to them probably because they grew up hugging hello/goodbye. Oh, I also think "Now they are gonna hug/kiss me. This is gonna be awkward."

 

[Shyvioletisme]

Neither my family (nor I) are kissers or huggers. In fact the idea of that makes me very uncomfortable. I'd rather have as little actual contact with people as possible, whether I'm related to them or not.

 

[dodukes]

Neither my family (nor I) are kissers or huggers. In fact the idea of that makes me very uncomfortable. I'd rather have as little actual contact with people as possible, whether I'm related to them or not.

bolding mine

That's me to a T! My family is hug and kiss (european and hispanic, imagine!!) but I have NEVER gotten into the whole hugging, kissing thing. And in europe, its kiss on each cheek!!

Like a few PP's pointed out, its not about human contact, I would gladly shake your hand if you just didn't drape your body or your germs on my face!! hahah
It must be the ocd side of me. Most of my friend already know I am not the hugger, if you insist you will get a very stiff awkward hug, and I'd rather not and Im not sure how the rest of you are, but I'm pretty vocal about it.

Also, if you are going to kiss people on the cheek, please dont smooch! Jeez I can't count the number of times where I feel moisture, ..triple yuck
That is one trip straight to the bathroom to wash that off!!

 

[teacup princess]

Eek! One of my biggest fears. My family stops the kissing and hugging around the age of 10. My husband's Lithuanian relatives are big kissers. I've never gotten used to it and will gladly take on kitchen duties to avoid it. As in, "Hi Aunt Sophie. You know I'd love a kiss but as you can see I've got this big pot of boiling water in my hands......"

 

[MrsDuck]

Our family definitely hugs.. no kisses.

 

[Grimley]

My family always hugs, sometimes kisses. My husband's family is no contact.

 

[brookmey]

We kiss family and friends as a greeting hello and good by. I always find it strange when someone stiffens up. Guess it's just what you're used to but makes me feel sad for the person like they're afraid of human contact.

That's a pretty judgemental comment to make. There are many people who are just not naturally affectionate, but it has nothing to do with being afraid of human contact. Some people express their love in other ways outside of affection. But it absolutely does not mean that person is afraid of human contact.

My extended family on both my parents' sides are not that affectionate. But, my parents are both big huggers. I grew up with lots of hugs from my parents, which never made me feel uncomfortable.

DH's family hugs over everything and that does make me feel awkward. I'm better now with his parents, but I still feel uncomfortable when I have to hug his entire extended family everytime we see them, which is only about once or twice a year.

Because of my experiences growing up, I view hugging as something intimate and personal that should be reserved between people who have close, loving relationships. I hug DH, my kids, my parents, my best friends, nieces and nephews, FIL, and MIL. That's about it. Anybody beyond that makes me uncomfortable because I don't have a close, personal relationship with them.

 

[horseshowmom]

We kiss family and friends as a greeting hello and good by. I always find it strange when someone stiffens up. Guess it's just what you're used to but makes me feel sad for the person like they're afraid of human contact.

Some people just weren't raised to hug and kiss everyone. It has nothing to do with being afraid of human contact. When I'm around a hugger, I don't think it says anything about them except that is normal to them probably because they grew up hugging hello/goodbye. Oh, I also think "Now they are gonna hug/kiss me. This is gonna be awkward."

I agree. They're welcome to do things their way. This is definitely me. My family wasn't big huggers/kissers, but my husband's family is. I just deal with it. Obviously, I hug my husband and daughter and others that I'm close to.

I'd also like to add that I was molested as a child, and while I am not "afraid of human contact", I have no desire to be hugged by people that I'm not extremely close to. JMHO

 

[luvmy3]

We kiss family and friends as a greeting hello and good by. I always find it strange when someone stiffens up. Guess it's just what you're used to but makes me feel sad for the person like they're afraid of human contact.

No need to be sad. I'm not afraid of human contact, I just don't want to have contact with every human I meet. Sharing the same DNA somewhere along the line doesn't change that feeling. If we are close then hug and kiss away, but if I only see you once a year at a family reunion, please keep your lips to yourself.

 

[ols386]

I'm a hugger, mostly.

Although until my dad passed away a couple of years ago, I did always kiss him on the cheek, when I hadn't seen him in awhile (living in another state).

Most of my other family and relatives are huggers.

 

[focusondisney]

Me too! We are definitely kisses and huggers! We hug and kiss everyone hello at the beginning of a family gathering and we kiss everyone good bye at the end! Sometimes the hellos and good byes take longer thyan the party!

That's how it is on my side! My DH calls it "the goodbye tour" (from an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.) Out of deferrence to my DH & the fact that he'd like to leave the party sometime that night, I usually cut the goodbyes down. I will always find my parents & 2 elder aunts & uncles & kiss them. But my siblings/ in laws/ nieces & nephews now get a generic "bye everyone!" My own kids have usually ducked out before us, after kissing me

My DH's parents are deceased & we rarely see his siblings. They are not huggers/ kissers, except for 2 of his nieces (I get a hug & kiss from them!)Friends sometimes get a hug, if it has been a long time since we've seen each other. Of course, my kids & DH always get hugs & kisses.