Much ado about hugging

[TheMelodyMaker]

There's something I've been thinking about for a long time, though I'm only just now remembering to post something about it on here. ^_^;

How do each of you feel about hugging and being hugged? Sure, it's easy to do with text in an e-mail or on a message board or the like (we've had our fair share of "hug" and "tackle-glomp" threads right here), but what about doing it in person?

If any of you were to meet me in person, you might find me to be a bit on the shy and timid side, meaning I would normally be very reluctant to give a hug to even a good friend or family member; not because I don't want to, but because I'm never sure whether it would be appreciated on the receiving end. But on the other hand, I never mind receiving a hug from someone I know well and trust.

How are the rest of you about this? Are you a "huggy" person or not? Just wondering... ^_^

[Slater]

My dad is Filipino and my mom German. Filipinos are very huggy and Germans are very... not huggy. However, I fall on the huggy side of things. Nothing like a good mutual squeeze!

[mechana2015]

I love being hugged in person, though the context differs... I'm mostly a huggy person, but am less so the less you know me.

EDIT: and Im german O.o

[Joshua Christopher]

I absolutely hate physical contact.

[CDLviking]

I'm very much a huggy person, though I have to watch myself sometimes. I remind myself that it might not be the best idea to hug someone you just met for the first time, and that some girls are a little on the fragile side to be bear hugging. Ironicly, I have a reputation at seminary as being rather stand-offish because I've made a conscious effort to refrain from hugging people, which backfired into appearing dismissive.

[Debitt]

^_^ I love hugs. I hug my close friends every day, I hug my daddy every day, I hug my mommy when she's around, I hug my boyfriend when I get the chance to see him. I am a huggy person - hugs are better than kisses in my opinion. =3

Tell me you've never been kissed and I'll say "cry me a river." Tell me you've never been hugged and I'll hug you to death.

[Slater]

I've never been kissed. Not a lie. I don't want to kiss a girl untill I'm standing at the altar and the person marrying us gives the tell-tale line...

[Aka-chan]

I've never been kissed. Not a lie. I don't want to kiss a girl untill I'm standing at the altar and the person marrying us gives the tell-tale line...

Yeah! Me too! Except, it would be a guy, of course.

Me, I'm a huggy person, but not all the people around me are, so I hold off. Also, I don't like physical contact with guys if I can help it, so I don't hug them very much.

[kodachrome64]

I'm not really a "casual" huggy person. I'm more of a "shake-your-hand" kind of a guy. Hugs for me are saved on some occasions when it's really special (like for people you haven't seen in a while or people you're going to miss).

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I've never been kissed either. But I love hugs and giving them!

[soul alive]

i've never been kissed, and while i only want to kiss the man i marry, i don't really want the first time to be in front of both of our families and friends and acquaintances, but that's just me.

i'm a pretty minimal contact person, but there are a very few people i don't mind hugging, my boyfriend being one of them. if someone i didn't know well just hugged me i would probably scream in terror, i have before. and group hugs freak me out.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

That's understandable that you wouldn't want a stranger hugging you, or group hugs weird you out. I think most of us would be. At least I would.

[soul alive]

lol. my speech and debate team in high school loved to torture me, since they knew about my 'no touchie' policy. (it didn't help that one of the guys semi-stalked me because he was fascinated with my "long silky hair" *shudders*) they would randomly hug me, causing shrieks of terror, much to their amusement.

[dragonshimmer]

I'm a pretty "physical contact huggy/touchy" person when it comes to my friends and family. I freely give hugs, because it makes almost 90% of the people around me smile. I like expressing my affection for others. However, I know there's a time and a place.

I'm also a "touchy" person...when I'm engaged in conversation, sometimes I lean in and lightly touch someone's arm for emphasis on what I'm saying. It generally depends. My family isn't afraid to express affection, and the people in the music department at my university aren't either, so it rubbed off on me.

I can only recall ONE person I know of that isn't very comfortable with these actions, but when I meet someone that isn't, I tend to stay to myself.

In general, though, the physical expression of affection by hugging others, in my experience, makes people smile, so it's something I do often.

[Kaligraphic]

I tend to be pretty much pro-hug, both giving and receiving.

[Photosoph]

I'm sort've a huggy person. But it depends on the person; there are some people I feel I can hug and others I feel less confident about hugging. Generally if it's someone new, I try and gauge where they are on the I would like a hug/I would hate a hug and look at you funny and go away quickly side of things. I usually feel more confident about giving older women hugs, but hugging girls near my own age can be a bit daunting -since if I give a hug I prefer it to mean something like 'I love you!' 'I like you!' 'I'm there for you' not 'I'm cool and clicky and give you a hug because it's what everyone on TV does'. But I don't mind giving hugs to kids, people I know well, that sort of thing.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

hugs are good indeed

[VashTheStampede]

hugs are much appreciated. But I'm not much of a touchy feely sort of person. I usually give hugs to my girlfriend, good friends of mine, family members, etc.

[termyt]

I am, without reservation, in the pro-hug camp. I often refrain from giving hugs as many times as I would want to because I'm just not sure how they'd be received.

[uc pseudonym]

Heh... we're dividing into pro-hug and anti-hug camps, are we? I comment on this only because I find the language used humorous.

Personally, I could care less about physical contact; I neither like or dislike it. In terms of giving hugs, there are certain people I hug regularly (my mother loves hugs, and I know they mean the world to my grandmother), but that is for their sake. If another person doesn't state that they want a hug (or look like they really need one and the context is appropriate), they're in no danger of getting one from me.

[Locke]

Glomps/bear hugs/high flying attack hugs pwn lonelyness.

[Solid Ronin]

[quote="uc pseudonym"]Heh... we're dividing into pro-hug and anti-hug camps, are we? I comment on this only because I find the language used humorous.

Personally, I could care less about physical contact]

wow im shocked I though Master was a like a big ole' teddy bear...

I however...am... ....I like huggs and cuttelin and just begin touched in general and though I may sound like a pervert for saying this I can only hug/cuttel/and the whole begin touched thing in general with girls.

I'm sorry but I'm not cuttelin with no guy no matter how much I love'em also I don't hug guys ,hug is affectionate, I "manly embrace" guys...Yes.

Master, simply cause of what you said if I were ever to meet you in person I would feel humor bound to give you a "manly embrace"

[Kkun]

Totally pro-hug. Hugs are cool.

[Sakura15]

Yeah! Me too! Except, it would be a guy, of course.

Ditto!

I love hugs, they're awesome!

[kryptech]

Personally, I could care less about physical contact; I neither like or dislike it. In terms of giving hugs, there are certain people I hug regularly (my mother loves hugs, and I know they mean the world to my grandmother), but that is for their sake. If another person doesn't state that they want a hug (or look like they really need one and the context is appropriate), they're in no danger of getting one from me.

I'm with you on the part about hugging people for their sake. My mom likes a hug before I head upstairs to bed each night so I'm cool with that. And my Grandma really appreciates hugs, so I know to give her one when I see her. The same is true for a couple other relatives.

However... Most people that know me understand that I don't care for hugs and a bunch of them tease me about it. I don't mind the teasing - it's the truth! I find it vexing when people touch me. My space is my own and I feel like others shouldn't enter it unbidden. Because I'm usher at my church I have grown used to giving handshakes to pretty much everyone in the congregation so I'm getting pretty good at that - normally I'd avoid shaking hands but I can do so fine when protocol demands it or special occasion warrents it.

I feel rather strange hugging peers. I don't think I'd ever hug my guy friends 'cause we'd both feel unconfortable. Some of my cousins are the huggy type so I'll share a hug with them when they are leaving after a visit, if they are so inclined. If a girl that isn't related hugs me, I feel *very* awkward...

[Dont-Lose-Heart]

i'm not really a huggy person online or in person it's pretty rare that i'd hug someone online and even more so in person. In fact for the longest time the only person i've really wanted to hug has been my best friend and i hug her at least once every time i see her. =P other than that i pretty much avoid most physical contact with people.

[the_lizardqueen]

I am a rather not-huggy person and I'm fine with it. I need my space, otherwise I get cranky, I feel uncomfortable and I act rather porcupiney (as in, please back away now ). Evidently, even when I was a baby, I had a habit of pushing away, rather than snuggling for vast periods of time. The gals from my bible study have been trying to change my ways though, as they are all extremely huggy types. I'm okay with the fact that they always have to bear hug me before I can leave, but it's not something that I absolutely love doing. The things ya do for friendship..

[This is Song]

I guess it depends on my mood ^^; if i'm not feeling very good or happy I don't care much for hugs, but if I'm happy, I will love hugs.

[ShiroiHikari]

it depends on the person. normally I don't like people touching me. mom or dad or boyfriend I like to hug, hugs >>>> kisses. but anyone outside of that very small circle had better have a good reason. even my close female friends don't get hugs from me unless they're really upset or something.

[Nate]

Well, apparently, I am a very clingy person. ^^;; So I really like physical contact like hugs and stuff. But only with women. ^^;;

I don't mind hugging guys, but there are certain rules that must be followed.

1. The lower parts of the body must remain at LEAST three inches apart.

2. When hugging, you must slap the other man on the back twice, perhaps three times if they are an extremely close friend. Once this has been accomplished, the hug is IMMEDIATELY considered to be over, and you must separate at once.