03 September 2010

How Many Kisses?

Congratulations. You have been chosen to participate in The Kissing Research Project. It will only take a minute of your time, though, alas, will not involve any actual kissing unless you get mighty creative. You may of course decline to participate and no one will think less of your poor shriveled soul (and lips).

We ask you to answer only one 3-part question: In your corner of the world (please identify), when two friends (not lovers, not strangers, and certainly not strangers who are lovers) greet each other, does local custom dictate that they kiss, and if so, how many times and where on the face? (If it's elsewhere than on the face, your kissing customs gross us out and thus fall outside the parameters of this study.)

Why is this research being conducted? Those of you who know me, already know the answer: I intend to shamelessly exploit your experiences in an article I am writing. So there.

To get the ball rolling, allow me to disclose that, in my part of the world (Swiss-Romande), we kiss three times on the cheeks, which empirical evidence has shown conlusively to be the perfect balance of time and sweetness in our busy world.

How about you?

Bisous,
Bill

8 comments:

  1. No kisses in AZ. We just exchange cactus! xoxox

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  2. In this time of life in Zurich, we have the three kisses deal also going on. Where we come from in the States, however, its more of a hug thing for close friends/family and a kiss goodbye for VERY close family (like our parents).

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  3. Thanks Kimberly. OK, it's 3 kisses in ZU. Elsewhere out there?

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  4. Since in our part of the world, there are only 2 cheeks, does that mean you kiss each cheek 3 times or you kiss left cheek, than right cheek, than left cheek again or is it the other way around. I am confused by the even number of cheeks and the odd number of kisses. Of course, many times, I've had an odd number of kisses.
    As to your question, we just knowingly nodd.

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  5. Is that nodd with one d or 2? And on which cheeks?

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  6. In Ecuador we kiss once between men and women and between women, to say both hello and goodbye. Between men, there are kisses only between fathers and sons.

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  7. Thanks Alfredo. That's the same as in much of the U.S.

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