Southerners like to hug, they think it sets them apart from rest of the world. Everyone can hug anybody in the south. They can claim they are a friendly bunch. Some people feel threatened by a hug...certain people from Atlanta or FL and the fancier people of TX have adopted the ways of Califorians & people in France and will kiss instead. They would rather kiss...whether in public or not. Sometimes it's just a smooch, a smooch on both cheeks, and sometimes a smooch in the air above your cheek. The kiss can confuse a hugger, ever seen a kiss-hug collision? The kisser, ironically, more likely to be offended by the over-familiarity of the hugger. It's incumbent on Southerners not to confuse such cheek kissing with actual affection. These pecks are not what occur just between the elderly & young children, when the older one blurts out "Give Aunt Gladys some sugar!" and such phrases have the ability to strike fear in even the most decorated war hero. Kisses can be vague & have different meanings....To be kissed off, or be told to "kiss my grits" can ruin one's day. But you've never heard of someone being a bad hugger or giving the hug of death or been insulted by someone who said "hug my butt".
3 feet away if I'm not sleeping with you or if you're not a child with a disability...I can't stand hugging or kissing people I don't know...blah and I see the kissing thing out here getting ever more popular...it's gotta go.
wow, sqawkers...i'm lost...lmao... so are you saying hugging is a good thing or a bad thing? Honestly, if a complete stranger must do something, I would much rather they hugged me rather than kiss me, even if it were only on the cheek...
If it's a friend I hug. If it's a stranger I'm meeting I'll shake hands. I love the warmth of people in the south. It's not uncommon to be walking down the street or in a store and complete strangers saying "hello" as they pass or striking up a conversation in a checkout line.
