Kiss Facts for Kids

A Little Coaxing A painting by William Bouguereau (1890)

People kiss each other, usually by using their lips and mouth to touch each other. However, there are many different types of kiss, with different meanings. Also, the meaning of kissing may be different in different cultures. Most often, people kiss to show love or affection for each other. Sometimes people kiss as a sign of friendship, sometimes it is a ritual performed to greet someone.

Throughout history, a kiss has been a ritual, formal, symbolic or social gesture indicating devotion, respect or greeting. It appears as a ritual or symbol of religious devotion. For example, in the case of kissing a temple floor, or a religious book or icon. Besides devotion, a kiss has also indicated respect.

In modern times the practice continues, as in the case of a bride and groom kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony or national leaders kissing each other in greeting, and in many other situations.

There are different ways of kissing. People might kiss on the cheeks to greet someone, or to bid them farewell. Depending on the culture it usually does not mean that the kisser loves the person he or she kissed. Kissing when female friends meet is usual in many countries, with some interesting variations. Parisian females often do a rapid double 'air kiss' or 'cheek kiss': a kiss on each side twice, but without lips touching flesh.

Kissing on the lips can result in the transmission of some diseases, including infectious mononucleosis (known as the "kissing disease") and herpes simplex when the infectious viruses are present in saliva. Research indicates that contraction of HIV via kissing is extremely unlikely, although there was a documented case in 1997 of an HIV infection by kissing. Both the woman and infected man had gum disease, so transmission was through the man's blood, not through saliva.

Images for kids

Kiss on the crucifix in Catholicism
Denis Thatcher, husband of Margaret Thatcher, kissing the hand of Nancy Reagan wife of Former US President in 1988
Kissing the Blarney Stone
Man kissing the ground after a long sea voyage (as part of a reenactment of the first landing of English settlers in Virginia in 1607)
Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O'Neill kiss each other after their wedding, 2013
The Taking of Christ by Caravaggio (c. 1602) depicts Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss as a signal to arrest Jesus.
This woodcut of the practice of kissing the Pope's toe is from Passionary of the Christ and Antichrist by Lucas Cranach the Elder.
Black-tailed prairie dogs "kissing." Prairie dogs use a nuzzle of this variety to greet their relatives.
The Kiss by Francesco Hayez (1859)
The Last Kiss (1931 film)

Kiss facts for kids

Images for kids

See also