page_title: Kissing traditions
section_title: Greetings
hierarchical_section_title: Kissing traditions / Greetings
caption_attribution_description: Denis Thatcher, husband of UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, greets US First Lady Nancy Reagan, at No.10 Downing Street, June 2, 1988
context_page_description: Many societies have traditions which involve kissing. Kissing can indicate joy or be used as part of a greeting. Kissing involves the touching of one's lips to the lips or other body part, such as the cheek, head or hand of another person. Sometimes people often kiss their friends and or best friends as a way of giving luck or even showing feelings.
context_section_description: In the Western world, a kiss is a common gesture of greeting, and at times a kiss is expected. Throughout all cultures people greet one another as a sign of recognition, affection, friendship and reverence. Depending on the occasion and the culture, a greeting may take the form of a handshake, hug, bow, nod, nose rub, a kiss on the lips with the mouth closed or a kiss or kisses on the cheek. Cheek kissing is most common in Europe and Latin America and has become a standard greeting in Latin Europe.
  While cheek kissing is a common greeting in many cultures, each country has a unique way of kissing. In Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Russia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland and Lebanon, it is customary to "kiss three times, on alternate cheeks". Italians and Hungarians usually kiss twice in a greeting and in Mexico and Belgium only one kiss is necessary. In Ecuador, women kiss on the right cheek only and in Oman it is not unusual for men to kiss one another on the nose after a handshake.
  French culture expects kisses on the cheek in greeting, though the customs differ. Two kisses are most common throughout all of France but in Provence three kisses are given and in Nantes four are exchanged.
  Kissing quickly on the lips with the mouth closed is a common greeting in some places of Western culture such as South Africa.
caption: Denis Thatcher, husband of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher, greets former American First Lady Nancy Reagan by kissing her hand, 1988
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