Hugging

MissChateline

To be honest I am more concerned that hugging was an occupation that this government believed that it could allow or not allow. I do wonder how many people have received a criminal record for hugging. As far as I am concerned no one tells me whether I am or am not allowed to hug my children or grandchildren. I would suggest that it would have been far more productive to recommend not hugging than an outright ban.

Absolutely.

I have been shielding, so have hardly seen anyone to hug, but I really object to Johnson telling me who I can and can't hug. Ridiculous.

I've never been touchy-feely. Rarely even hug my immediate family, but we are very close and affectionate in other ways. Certainly wouldn't want people outside my close family hugging me.

i am quite happy to hug my family and have been sneaking a hug with my daughter anyway but we hug while looking in opposite direction so not face to face. Personally i feel many young people do too much hugging and it means nothing. I save mine and really mean it when i hug!!!

I'm not so sure that children above toddler age like being hugged anyway. I'm imaging them next Monday, getting ready to dive into cupboards or hide under beds when relations are announced. ?

I love the "I only love Trees" yes please

I absolutely cringed in fact got mad to think that the Government said if we could hug! How dare they/it!

I agree. It was a relief not expecting to hug everyone!

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to a lady from a group I go to. Her husband had passed away a few weeks earlier. She was a little tearful, I wanted to cuddle her but held back.. would have definitely cuddled her under normal circumstances.

I am French and we have always kissed family and close friends. I came to England 45 years ago and there were no kissing in DH’s family and no kissing with the friends I made.
We are now living in France and it took me a while to get used to kissing friends!
But what horrify me nowadays is the way the British will kiss you and then hug you, no thank you! What is that about?

I fling my arms across my chest and say "Hugs to you" with a warm smile. This works online and in person. I'm not going back to actual hugs again.

Interesting! Having been brought up in the French way, kissing and hugging were part of my life. I didn’t always feel comfortable with it but went along.
When I came to the UK, if I hugged or kissed someone, I was regarded as dangerously foreign, to be avoided at all costs.
Suddenly, everyone now hugs... I still feel the same; hug those I want to and keep away from those I don’t.
As for germs- unless someone is actively infected, I don’t pay much attention to them.

Lollin....Why do we clean if germs do not stay on things for a time . If sick bugs or flu I thought one of the main things to do was clean door handles, banisters etc.

Do you know, I hadn’t ever thought of cleaning anything to remove germs, they just aren’t part of my life. I don’t think that I have actively cleaned a doorknob ever and surfaces are wiped to remove everyday dirt, dust and spills. I’ve never used an anti bacterial cleaner or bleach on household items.
As a child I dug up carrots from the garden and ate them soil and all. I often think that the fewer germs we are exposed to the more likely we are to get unwell as we have no immunity to them. I have not had a days illness since having German measles 50 years ago so I presume I have a very healthy immune system.

We observed both the law and the guidelines throughout the worst of Covid both times. We still didn’t hug our family through last summer when Covid was low and we were allowed to meet, except for the children. We felt as a family that deprivation of normal contact with the children was more than enough during the lockdown and when we were allowed to meet we interacted normally with the children. From a couple of weeks ago we’ve been hugging as a family again, since all but two of us were vaccinated and some of us had actually had Covid during the winter. Hugging was never against the law, don’t hug was guidelines. All social distancing was guidelines, not law. We felt that we were no longer a danger to one another and to hug our family is normal, for us anyway. Living the way we’ve lived this last year is not normal for humans who are social animals.

Can't wait to hug my loved ones. Never hug others though. why would you hug acquaintances and strangers.

MissChateline

I guess that I change my clothes on a regular basis too. But it wouldn’t cross my mind to change my clothes because I had been hugged. I thought that the idea that the virus lived or thrived on clothing or other inanimate objects was debunked many months ago.

Why do we clean if germs do not stay on things for a time . If sick bugs or flu I thought one of the main things to do was clean door handles, banisters etc.

I have found that hugging has replaced the hand shake, and I have never been comfortable with hugging people I have just met, or acquaintances. Friends and family, no problem.

I stopped hugging family and friends. In fact I haven’t been close enough to anyone for over a year apart from DH and the dog to hug them.

If it wasn’t banned and illegal then why is BJ making such a fuss and taking all of the credit about hugging now being allowed? How many of us actually stopped hugging our friends and family?

MerylStreep

Polarbear
It was never banned it was guidelines.

They were saying on the news it was banned? Illegal even. Usual making things up to give themselves a story. ?

We are all very different. Some of us hate hugging, others like me love hugging family and friends and some are very touchy-feely with anyone. I can't wait to give and receive a hug from my family and friends, most of whom I haven't seen in over a year.

Polarbear
It was never banned it was guidelines.

Not a hugger here, just dont feel comfortable.

Well I like a good hug! ?. Giving and receiving. Tbf I didn’t know it was banned! I thought it was just a guideline ?. Oops.

I don't mind the hugs (from friends) what I dislike is the air kissing. I have a friend who doesn't just air kiss each cheek once but goes back and forth 5 or 6 times! I would appreciate any advice on how to stop that without causing offence!

Sorry everyone - I’ve just noticed there’s another thread running on Hugging! Thanks for your thoughts - I’m glad I’m not alone in finding the previous thing of hugging friends unnecessary and slightly awkward. I’m a very affectionate person, but I want to dispense with the hugs (apart from my toddler grandchildren!). A warm smile and “hello” is all that’s needed.

MissChateline, I can't keep up with the information and guidelines so I decided to just be as careful as I could be and minimise contact with others. This weekend though I went to the garden centre AND the antique shop and I didn't change my clothes afterwards