New year, new resolutions — and Dutchies are calling time on greetings that include three kisses on the cheeks.
While the three kisses are a formal Dutch greeting to do when you say hello or meet someone new for the first time, people in the Netherlands are over it. This was shown by research conducted by Editie NL, reports RTL Nieuws.
The end of kissing
During the research, a survey was organized that included 1042 people of all ages from different regions in the Netherlands.
The results revealed that only 39% of Dutchies plan to continue this germ-spreading etiquette into the new year.
In contrast, 67% want to say “doei” to the three kisses. The only exception? Giving three kisses when you wish each other good luck. 🍀😘
Less kissing, more hugging
The research showed that Dutchies have found an alternative to the kissing rule: shaking hands or hugging. Over 20% prefer greeting one another with a shake of a hand, while 27% prefer a good old hug. 🤗
Wanting to end the three kisses isn’t entirely unexpected. The pandemic forced everyone to reconsider their greetings.
“It was a period in which we had to adapt very quickly,” etiquette expert, Annemarie van Leggelo, told Editie NL.
READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #22: Give everyone three kisses to say hello
The new generation
Van Leggelo reports that Dutchies wanting to make the three kisses disappear was even made clear before the coronavirus, particularly for students.
“Ladies in particular thought three kisses was too much,” she reports.
While the three kisses have always been a traditional form of greeting in the Netherlands, Van Leggelo states that “the new generation is doing it less and the older generation will slowly stop as well.”
Tell me about it! In the Netherlands, the standard are three kisses, in Spain two, in Morocco (depend on where and who) they can be one, four, five… or for ever.
— Imane Rachidi إيمان (@Imanerachidi) September 17, 2019
I experience that awkward moment every day of my life. https://t.co/cNlVTy9RJi
The Dutch have spoken: it’s time to bring back hugging in 2023!
What do you think about ending the three-kisses rule? Tell us in the comments below!