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Old Dec 1, 2007, 4:54 am
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Fredd
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: SEA/YVR/BLI
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Smile How-many-kisses-on-the-cheek guide by country

Somehow I don't think this is sticky material equivalent to SkiAdock's invaluable tipping guide, but it's interesting to read that the French, those masters of savoir-faire, are apparently unsure of how many kisses make for an appropriate greeting....

Kissing cousins: how they do it across Europe

The Netherlands begin and end on the same cheek. Three kisses are expected, but if greeting an elderly or close family member add a few more. Right cheek first

Italy kissing is restricted to very close friends or family. The number is optional and as there are no rules on which cheek to kiss first, there are frequent clashes

Belgium If the same age as the other person, one kiss is the rule. For someone ten years older, three is a mark of respect. This is hazardous if you are bad at judging ages

Spain, Austria and Scandinavia All are content with the two kisses ritual. In Spain the rule is strictly right cheek first

Germany tends to restrict kissing to family and very close friends. Handshakes predominate and all meetings begin and end with this formality


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