Is kissing friends and coworkers on the cheeks a thing where you live?

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Here it is - despite Covid halting the practice for a year or two, now it's coming back.

There's no distinction of gender and there are two variants to this - with people you don't know well, you "air kiss" them, meaning your lips don't actually touch their cheeks; while with close friends and relatives you place the lips on the cheeks.

Another bit of etiquette is that if you are greeting a married couple or partners, you first kiss the spouse of your same gender, then the other - for example, when a friend of us dropped by to pick me up for an event the other evening, she cheek-kissed my wife first, then me - it's a show of good faith.

What about you?

[AmandaYVR]

Interesting, thanks for the info.

No, it is done not often where I live, or have lived. I've experienced it, but I forget when/where. I think it's for the very cultured, and European-based. No one has done this in a long time. I see it in movies, etc. and worry that I will forget which cheek comes first. I've had done that occasionally. Oops.

I think it's a bit much, for most people. But in another way, I do quite like it. Although it's a bit too intimate for many, it also denotes being cultured (at least in North America.)

[Jamie05rhs]

"worry that I will forget which cheek comes first. I've had done that occasionally. Oops." @AmandaYVR did you "miss"? Lol

[Apulu_Imback]

People will throw shoes at you if you do that here! You'll be the talk of the town!

However I kiss cheeks of my family members because yeah that's okay and kiss cheeks of my female besties jokingly. Cheek kissing with those who aren't your family is illegal! Conservative ones don't even kiss cheeks of any opposite gender, no matter if it's your dad or your sister.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

That sounds a bit harsh.

[Apulu_Imback]

I live in a very conservative part of Asia, India.

[NathanDavis]

Southern Texas/North East Mexico... yes

always been quite common, friends, family, relatives, acquaintances... even people you've just met and have been introduced to you

but is not a must either... some people do it and others just don't and that's okay, either way

[OlderAndWiser]

Not common in my part of the universe.

[Agape93]

Sort of. Most of my friends and loved ones are fro. Europe, so with them that's normal. But coworkers, no, that's usually an issue.

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

There's been a fuss some years ago because an American company did try to put rules that in America would be legal, but here are against the law (at will employment, no wage discussion rule, etc.; no fraternizing between coworkers).

[Agape93]

That's annoying. :/

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

It was fun to see that the corporate went Pikachu face when they were basically threatened of getting the new branch closed overnight.

[Agape93]

Good luck getting your money back then lol 😆😂🤣

[Sun_Kim-Ai]

Yep. They relented pretty quickly.
We Europeans are good workers and are loyal to companies, but don't you dare taking away our Constitution-engraved right of screwing our coworkers after hours.

[Agape93]

🤣🤣

[melanieeeB]

Nope, I always say Germans are cold lol With strangers it was a Handshake or nothing, acquaintances and friends a hug
I do like that more honestly, I don't like being touched by strangers

With turkish family members it's the kiss on cheek thing but I nearly never interact in that uhm greeting thing

[musicbrain5]

Not in my area, no. This was a common thing in Quebec before Covid though. It’s all the French culture there.

[TacosRAwesome]

Not that much but also depends on the circle. It's more a thing in fancier circles.

[Jamie05rhs]

No. Lol. Definitely not!

[Nomina]

Yes, it's a thing here.

[Lyndsielee666]

Absolutely not