Kissing as a standard social greeting. I hate it. Am I strange?

(not at the moment, I don't suppose)

When I went on a school trip to Germany, in my youth, everyone shook hands at the start and end of every encounter, including all the teen-agers and children.
I liked the way it felt much more definite than the usual casual Hi & Bye of Britain.
I don't know if that's still the usual thing in Germany.

And me. I've always felt uncomfortable with it. I just want a hug from my grandsons (going forward in the future) and that's it.

It's never really been a thing, where I live, and I think I have an off-putting look that would deter it, anyway.

It started happening a lot in TV shows - Kevin McCloud and, I think, Phil Spencer do it.
I expect it caught on from there.

I've hated it since I was a child. I thought it was just because I'm an undemonstrative Northerner.
I rather like the palms together 'Namaste' (like praying) and think it would would replace handshakes really well.
What's wrong with a big smile and a cheery greeting?
Elbow bangs seem weird.

I have never understood this habit of kissing when you meet, kissing when you leave, even though you've only just bumped into each other in the supermarket. The only ones I hug and kiss are my grandchildren.

Another one here who is glad to cut out the hugging and kissing. Banging elbows is rather fun though.

Particularly hated feeling obliged to kiss anyone who smoked or had stubble.

I'm rubbish at guessing whether it should be an air kiss or a smacker, whether you should do one cheek, left or right, or both cheeks?

Embarrassing if you end up giving a smacker on the mouth.

When did it ever start in this country? I too hate it. I don't want to be hugged and kissed by strangers or anyone outside my family. Totally daft.

I'm relieved that all that nonsense has had to stop and I no longer have to feel a killjoy for avoiding unnecessary hugs and kissing

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who doesn't like gratuitous kissing and hugging. Stopping all that is one good legacy of this pandemic.

I like a hug and am known as a hugger. However I wouldn't hug and kiss a stranger, maybe shake hands in the past. I have a couple of friends who are definitely not in the hugging zone so I leave them alone and smile instead.

I've never been happy with hugging and kissing anyone other than a family member.

I'm rubbish at guessing whether it should be an air kiss or a smacker, whether you should do one cheek, left or right, or both cheeks?

My DGDs have got it right. They approach you with arms outstretched, signalling that they want a hug and that will do nicely thank you.

Imagine how I feel coming from a family who rarely showed emotions ? To me it was the norm in a " post-Victorian " household and fussing of any sort wasn't the done thing.
When all this palava came about all I could think about were germs having a field-day I could be right.

At last! Someone who "thinks" like me! I detest this Social kissing malarkey too! My OH has a large family, we have not been together very long to be honest. Well before lockdown we began introducing each other to our respective extended families. All his brothers, cousins, their wives husbands partners etc ALL wanted to hug and kiss! ?. Many has stubble, even the women lol, some had bad breath, a few were smokers and one particular bloke was a tad too touchy feely for my liking! I couldn't wait to get home, it was a very unpleasant experience!

Lived in France, so it became the norm and didn’t bother me, I’m normally a hugger, but just a quick one with friends.

Yes 100% the same one good thing to come out of the pandemic is the end of all that kissing .

Yes! I'm also relieved that hugging and kissing people you hardly know are now taboo.