Kissing parents/family members (not children or partner): lips or cheek?

[WillyNilly]

I'm loving the answers!  Thanks for posting.

I answered upthread I don't come from a huggy-kissy family.  But as someone else posted upthread, NYC (where I live) is a place where friends and acquaintances often kiss as a greeting; as a result I have become more kissy then I learned int eh home.

But its interesting to read the answers because honestly in the last year or so one of DH's friend's acquired a new girlfriend/now wife.  She and I see each other often and while not close, are certainly friends.  She is a lip kisser.  It always freaked me out a tad.  She's I think toned it down a bit and I've learned to turn my head more, and ultimately it doesn't bother me that much, so its all good, but I'd thought it was weird.  Its interesting to read that for many people, its just commonplace.

[shivering]

I'm a hugger. Kiss on the lips only to a significant other. Kiss on the cheek to parents and immediate family (although I recall my parents kissing me on the lips when I was really little). I'm not one to initiate a kiss on the cheek, but it doesn't bother me if someone else does it to me.

My friend's fiance is French and he does the kiss on both cheeks which is fun. Although it threw me off the first time he did it.

[CLE_Girl]

I'm in the "lips are for romatic/sexual relationships only" camp.  The only person I kiss on the lips is my DH. 

Apperantly, my mom used to kiss me and my brother in the lips.  At about 6 years old, I cause her great distress by I telling her it was gross and I didn't want to do that anymore.  She respected that request and now we only do cheek kisses. 

[Thel]

In Catalonia, lip-kissing only happens between romantic partners, but we are liberal cheek-kissers. Family and close friends get kisses and hugs, and it is customary to kiss (or air-kiss) on both cheeks when making a new acquaintance. I remember watching American films as a kid and getting freaked out at parents and children kissing on the lips! I soon understood that it had to be a cultural difference, because ew! (Of course, "ew" from my POV, to many others I'm sure kissing virtual strangers is far more icky! )

[Bethczar]

Also my partner's father always kisses on the lips and I try to avoid that, but I'm not always successful 

Ok, I'll kiss my own parents on the lips, but not my inlaws. I can't imagine them trying that, though.

[Girlie]

When I was a teenager, I would kiss my mother on the lips. As I've gotten older, it's mostly just hugs, but a cheek kiss every now and then.
The only other person I kiss is my DH. And my cats.

I'm not a hugger.

[HonorH]

I kiss my parents on the cheek. My sibs and I usually just hug, though. But I've known plenty of families who'll kiss each other on the lips, and it doesn't bother me to see it. But I would be uncomfortable if they tried it with me.

[CakeEater]

I willingly kiss my husband on the lips.  I kissed my children on the lips when they were little, but nowadays I'm lucky to get a headbutt before they leave the house. 

I prefer hugs to lip kisses from anyone else.  Unless, of course, one of my TV boyfriends wants to give me a good smooch.

This made me giggle.

I'm a bit over spending my day with toddlers, but I do try to enjoy the kisses and cuddles I get from them, because I know this is coming.

[Foureyesonemouth]

I don't kiss anyone on the lips except for my fiance'. If I have children, I probably won't kiss them on the lips either.

We hug in my family particularly the girls. My brother came to visit the other day and my mom of course gave him a huge hug goodbye then asked me "Aren't you going to hug your brother goodbye?" We looked at each then made really weird faces and said "BYE" in really weird voices. I told mom that "I don't need to cut off his air supply for him to know I like him."  There's about a foot difference in our heights. It really can cut off the poor guy's breathing if we hug him around the neck.

[hobish]

Many of you would be very uncomfortable with my family based on the posts here. We hug and kiss and pat and snuggle everyone! We kiss on the lips usually, even extended family. And not just on arriving and leaving, we are just a very demonstrative bunch

My family, extended and otherwise, is a mixed bag; but my friends are the most huggy kissy snuggly people i have ever met. I love it.

[bonyk]

My dog gave me a drive-by lick on the mouth once when I was napping on the couch. I was not appreciative of that one!

My cat managed to lick the inside of my mouth.  I still get grossed out when I remember that one!

[Samgirl2]

Growing up we always kissed our parents on the lips (quick peck, nothing weird!) gave them a big hug. Nowadays I still sometimes give my mum a peck on the lips when we're saying goodbye as she lives a few hours away, but always cheek kiss and hug my Dad. But that came from following his lead once I reached being a teenager, he thought it was weird to kiss on the lips which when I think about it, it probably is!

My sister gets a hug, my cousins and uncle and aunt do the 'clutch forearms and cheek kiss' and my Grandma doesn't really do affection so a cheery hello is fine!

[mw8242]

Being in the NYC area I've gotten used to friends of friends kissing on the cheek as that's how they say hello. But I'm more of a waver - so when leaving if I can I hang back or am the first one out with a wave. I'm just not comfortable touching strangers.
I hug my parents and I'm very affectionate with my bf but otherwise a wave is good. My friends are used to me now so it's not a big deal.
It drives me nuts when people can see my unease but always say "Sorry! I'm a hugger" - I know it's rude to say "Sorry, I'm not" so I get a hug/assault. Why is your desire to hug ok?

[Judah]

It drives me nuts when people can see my unease but always say "Sorry! I'm a hugger" - I know it's rude to say "Sorry, I'm not" so I get a hug/assault. Why is your desire to hug ok?

It's not rude to say, "Sorry, I'm not". Go ahead and say it and refuse to hug.  Someone else's preference for a hug don't trump your preference not to.