Casual greetings in Europe and NYC often involve kissing cheeks. In Spain, kissing both cheeks is the common practice. Something I always had trouble remembering – I would start to pull away after the first when greeting our landlady and felt like I was being rude. In Poland, three kisses are common, of course, alternating sides each time. I’ve wondered why three, but haven’t been able to find an explanation on the internet. In this very Catholic country, I suspect it may be a blessing related to the Holy Trinity. This is all well and good, but not the reason for my post. The practice I wanted to tell you about it is gentlemen kissing a lady’s hand during a greeting or a farewell. It’s a charming custom, although one that leaves an American taken aback. I’ve had this happen several times here, but it’s not something that I’ve ever experienced anywhere else – just thought you might like to know.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
Joanna
Hello. The custom of kissing cheeks was common within a family, but is not old in relation between friends. It started about 20 years ago, and comes probabely from french movies.
Best regards 🙂