Hugs and kisses facts for kids

Hugs and kisses, often shortened to XO or XOXO, is a friendly way to show you care! People use it at the end of letters, emails, or text messages. It helps express love, friendship, or simply shows you are being sincere. In the United Kingdom, people often say 'hugs and kisses', but they don't usually use 'XO' or 'XOXO' like in North America. They might just use 'O' or 'OO' for kisses.

How Did XOXO Start?

The exact story of how 'X' came to mean a kiss and 'O' came to mean a hug isn't fully known. There are many interesting ideas, but no single answer everyone agrees on.

The 'X' for a Kiss

One of the first times we see 'X' used for a kiss was in a book from 1878. The English writer Florence Montgomery wrote about letters ending with "the inevitable row of kisses,—sometimes expressed by × × × × ×". This shows 'X' was already a known way to mark a kiss.

Some people think the 'X' comes from old traditions. In the Middle Ages, people might draw a Christian cross on documents. This cross showed they were being honest and sincere. Sometimes, people would even kiss the cross to show they truly meant what they wrote. The letter 'X' also looks like the first letter of the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ. So, 'X' was used as a short way to write 'Christ', like in "Xmas". It's thought that kissing this 'X' might have been a way to show a sacred promise.

The 'O' for a Hug

Less is known about how 'O' came to mean a hug. One idea, often discussed online, suggests it might have started in North America. When Jewish immigrants arrived in the United States, many spoke Yiddish. They might have used an 'O' to sign documents instead of an 'X', to avoid using a Christian symbol. Shopkeepers also sometimes used an 'O' when signing papers instead of an 'X'. This might have helped the 'O' become a common symbol, eventually linked to hugs.

See also

In Spanish: Xoxo (expresión) para niños

• Signature
• P.S.