Kissy Relatives

[disykat]

If anybody other than my SO kisses me on the lips, they're going to be met with violence. Fortunately we're all nice, repressed New Englanders and awkward hugs are good enough for us!

Not New England, but we're repressed too! My family does awkward hugs. DH's family is more huggy, but it's definitely awkward with FIL - whom I can't stand.

I've never understood why a relative who will tell me he hates me to my face will insist on hugging me. One of these days I'll haul out and slug him.

 

[sbell111]

My Sister in Law, who I do not like for so many reasons is a hugger. I am not. She always wants to have a big hug when we say goodbye.

She thinks we're having a bonding moment. I think that we're having ten seconds of uncomfortableness/irritation.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

I have never, ever understood why it's "normal" to hug/kiss people you do not see often (I can understand if you wanted to see them often and couldn't but all of my 16 aunts/uncles/grandparents all live around where I live and I see them two times a year and then none of us talk at family get-togethers. The aunts/uncles keep to themselves and the cousins to themselves but then we all awkwardly hug goodbye ). My Mom always made my brother and I hug our extended family members when we were growing up because it's the "right thing to do" but I never knew why. Just because they were born with my Mom/Dad? I've never liked hugs from anyone other than my parents and my bf. It just feels weird.

 

[dislaney]

If anybody other than my SO kisses me on the lips, they're going to be met with violence. Fortunately we're all nice, repressed New Englanders and awkward hugs are good enough for us!

Another not from New England but we get by just fine with awkward hugs as well!

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

We kiss everybody! I kinda like it - seems warm and friendly. It did take a while for my husband to get used to it.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

I guess I come from a kissy family. I thought it was normal! Sometimes its weird, but I do it out of respect.

 

[Jenvenza]

My family did not do too much kissing. The kids, yes, but we don't make a habit of kissing the adults. Just lots of hugs.

I live in a country where kissing is the greeting. Luckily, there is no lip to skin contact. It is mostly cheek to cheek contact with the kissing sound.

I would hate to have lipstick is on my face like a crazy county fair face painting that couldn't be removed with a brillo pad and comet.

This is my family, too. And my family is from Sicliy!

My husband's family, on the other hand, is all kissy. My MIL tries to kiss me on the lips everytime she sees me, I always turn my head at the last second and give her a kiss on the cheek.

 

[MM27]

I'm Greek and Italian and come from a very kissy family. You have to allow about 1/2 hour after leaving a family gathering to kiss everyone goodbye.

You know who's a wet kisser or a lip kisser and you adjust your pose accordingly. No biggie. No harm, no foul

I'm Italian and we always get the double kiss (one on each side). That I'm okay with. I would NOT be okay with lip kisses from family members.

I know what you mean about leaving extra time to kiss everyone goodbye. My aunt always does New Years at her house and it takes forever to go around and hug/kiss everyone at midnight. I usually take the lazy way out and sit and wait for them to come to me

 

[anniemae]

Judy in Texas: I have used that excuse before!! I will wave my hands and say, "I have a scratchy throat and I don't want to spread anything!"

I just need to space it out so and not use it every time!

 

[Frye7127]

What's with the perv uncles? My husband's uncle (by marriage) always kisses you on the lips (wet) and hugs you tight behind your ****s so he cops a feel - SCRREEEEAAAMMMM! And then he talks right in your face about how wonderful you are as he is releasing you from the hug. Huh? I tried putting a ton of lip gloss on to no avail, tried the sideways hug, no go. He is 78 years ago, and all of our children (girls) have their radar go up when he does this to them too...at first I thought it was just me. Nope! It is just messed up and completely inappropriate.

My family kisses and hugs....his family hugs and tries the kissy thing now that I am in the family since they have seen me with my parents, yuck!

 

[nutterbutter2010]

One thing that I find kind of wierd is when you get together for christmas or a major holiday with close relatives - people you see all the time, and when leaving, they give you a kiss... Its like, I see you 2-3 times a week, and we don't kiss then, why are we kissing now? LOL

On the distant relative kissing thing - NO THANKS. I'm not a big touchie feelie kind of girl (unless I'm married to ya!) so a nice "Hey, how have ya been?!" is fine with me.

 

[sunshine1178]

One thing that I find kind of wierd is when you get together for christmas or a major holiday with close relatives - people you see all the time, and when leaving, they give you a kiss... Its like, I see you 2-3 times a week, and we don't kiss then, why are we kissing now? LOL

On the distant relative kissing thing - NO THANKS. I'm not a big touchie feelie kind of girl (unless I'm married to ya!) so a nice "Hey, how have ya been?!" is fine with me.

People from my office hug and kiss at the Christmas party. I find it very odd -- there are about 15 of us in the office, and we spend 50+ hours together every week. But that one Saturday night we all exchange hugs? All I can figure is that it used to be all men, so they hugged each other's wives, and now they include the female co-workers in it? So I've been kissed by my bosses... Count me in as a repressed Midwesterner!

 

[sparklynails23]

I'm from the Midwest, and my extended family is all about the hugs and kisses- even on the lips. I like it; makes me feel all warm and Christmasy. My husband's family (also Midwesterners) didn't even do hugs or "I love you's" until a few years ago. I can tell it still makes them uncomfortable to do it sometimes.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

People from my office hug and kiss at the Christmas party. I find it very odd -- there are about 15 of us in the office, and we spend 50+ hours together every week. But that one Saturday night we all exchange hugs? All I can figure is that it used to be all men, so they hugged each other's wives, and now they include the female co-workers in it? So I've been kissed by my bosses... Count me in as a repressed Midwesterner!

My Mom works at a bank with hundreds of employees. Every year at their Christmas party one of the V.P.'s wife goes around and hugs and kisses everyone on the mouth! My Dad always says "Why is it the ones you don't want kissing you on the mouth the same ones willing to do so?"

We hug at my work Christmas party (it's a small law firm; there's twelve of us including spouses) at the end but by that time I've had so much free booze I'd hug anyone!