Why do People Kiss?

In Western culture, kissing is a way of showing their affection for one another. It is also a way to greet or bid farewell. People also kiss their children to comfort them. There is also the kiss that is an expression of romantic or sexual desire. They will kiss each other on the lips and usually with some intesity, and for a longer period of time.

In a more passionate kiss, couples may open their mouths, suck on each other's lips, or move their tongues into each others' mouths which is also known as French Kiss. Some one once told me you have to do this during French Kiss:
1. Flick the tips of your tongues.
2. Rotate tongues in circular motions.
3. Play chase back & forth.
4. Suck your partner's tongue.
5. Gently bite their tongue.

Here's an article on How to French Kiss.

There are some kisses that doesn't involved the lips or the tongue. It involves other part of the body.

"Eskimo Kiss" - Rubbing the tips of one noses together

Hongi - as in the Māori culture of New Zealand people who greets each other by pressing noses together.

"Butterfly Kiss" consists of two people putting their eyes close to each other and fluttering their eyelashes upon one another's.

Caterpillar Kiss consists of two people rubbing their eyebrows together. Caterpillar kisses is often the prelude to butterfly kisses.

Hand kissing involves making out with hands. I wonder how this done. I wonder if there is a video on this.

Fly Kiss is "blown" using actions of the hand and the mouth.


Now back to my question. Why do people kiss?

When you really think about it, kissing is pretty gross. It involves saliva and you may come in contact with whatever is left over from what has just been eaten. Doctors have also linked kissing to the spread of diseases like meningitis, herpes and mononucleosis.

However, everyone still kiss one another in almost every part of the world. And most people look forward to their first romantic kiss and remember it for the rest of their lives. Parents kiss children, worshippers kiss religious artifacts and couples kiss each other. Some people even kiss the ground when they get off an airplane.

I remember we used to kiss pratically everyday and every opportunity we get. I still remember the shocked look of my auntie's face when the elevator door opened and she found both of us kissing. Hahahahah!!! That was embarassing. A face turn tomato red moment.

Yap, I remember the first time he kissed me. It was really really corny and I still fall for the trick. Okay, okay, that's because I want to kiss him too. We also invented our own french kiss.

However, as the years pasted, the kissing has evolved into just a touch of the lips as he walks out the house or on his way in the house. I think sometimes my hello and goodbye kiss from my son has more passion. So what happened? We still kiss, but just not as passionately as before.


What happens when you kiss?

When one kisses, hormones and neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain)rush through your body. Along with natural endorphins, they produce the euphoria most people feel during a good kiss. In addition, your heart rate increases and your blood vessels dilate, so your whole body receives more oxygen than it does when you're just standing around.

I read somewhere that a one-minute kiss burns 26 calories and kissing releases the same neurotransmitters as intense exercise, like parachuting or distance running. The heart beats faster and breathing becomes deep and irregular. I really do need to kiss more often. My doctor kept asking me to increase my heart beat. Ha!ha!ha!ha!. This is a good and easy way. I have to walk for 20 minutes on the threadmill to burn 100 calories. Gosh, I just need to kiss for 5 minutes to burn that much calories. But somehow, once you got married, kissing just doesn't release that much chemistry in one's body.


Kissing under the Mistletoe
Today, some people seem to spend the holiday season waiting under the mistletoe in the hopes of kissing whoever passes by. I got a kiss from a guy under the mistletoe many many moons ago. (LOL - blushing)