# How do you hug? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819 "2010-12-30T14:07:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/1 "2010-12-30T14:07:16Z")
After hugging a lot of people over the past few days, I’ve noticed a pattern. Poll to come. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/2 "2010-12-30T14:18:21Z")
I’m a problem hugger so the actual answer is “awkwardly.” But I head for the right. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/3 "2010-12-30T14:18:31Z")
I don’t know how to tell if I’m going to the left or right of the person since they’re usually standing pretty much in front of you. 😕 I would normally put an arm around their left shoulder first/only, is that “to their left”? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/4 "2010-12-30T14:19:53Z")
Deeply and passionately (when appropriate). Never took notice of which side I tend to drift to though. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/5 "2010-12-30T14:37:52Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I don’t know how to tell if I’m going to the left or right of the person since they’re usually standing pretty much in front of you. 😕 If your right ear touches their cheek, you go to the left. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/6 "2010-12-30T14:38:47Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If your right ear touches their cheek, you go to the left. To the left it is, then.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/7 "2010-12-30T14:58:14Z")
> [@Justin\_Credible](#): > > Deeply and passionately… Me too! Even when it’s probably not appropriate. I don’t go around tossing about hugs. But if a hug is offered up, I always go in for the deep hug, damn near a snuggle. No idea why I do that, as I have never noticed that I am overly-affectionate in any other area. Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Terraplane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@Terraplane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terraplane)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/8 "2010-12-30T15:35:37Z")
I always go to the right. I thought that was just standard protocol to avoid broken noses. I hope I don’t meet any of you left-huggers or we’re going to have problems. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/9 "2010-12-30T15:36:52Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > I always go to the right. I thought that was just standard protocol to avoid broken noses. I hope I don’t meet any of you left-huggers or we’re going to have problems. I’ll wear a football helmet. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/10 "2010-12-30T15:39:36Z")
My right cheek to their right cheek. Pelvic thrusts when appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/11 "2010-12-30T15:45:47Z")
I awkwardly hug with one arm and shoulder, whichever one was slightly closer when they started coming at me, body turned to the side to avoid any ventro-ventral contact. If caught by surprise and forced to properly hug someone, I think I always turn my head to the left and over their shoulder, that way my side part ensures that my hair is a protective barrier between our faces. I do not like hugging. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/12 "2010-12-30T17:47:54Z")
**How do you hug?** I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/13 "2010-12-30T18:06:09Z")
To the left on most people; to the middle on my husband. Luckily I only come up to his chin, so no head butting. Chest butting maybe. Oh, God - inappropriate laughter is returning again. I’m now imagining a chest made out of a butt. Thanks a lot. ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/14 "2010-12-30T18:31:16Z")
Hmmm. Well, you left out the “other” option. I have big boobs, so I immediately turn to the side when hugging, and do a side squeeze rather than full frontal to either the left or right. I sometimes wonder what people think when I do this, but honestly I’m just uncomfortable with a full front hug, regardless of whether my co-hugee is male or female. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/15 "2010-12-30T18:43:21Z")
The results of this are really surprising me. I sort of remember reading about how people naturally go left. I hugged something like 8 people over the last few days, some of them repeatedly, and we consistently went left every single time. It just feel more natural. Going right for me feels as unnatural as writing left-handed. I’m also surprised at how many people don’t hug. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/16 "2010-12-30T23:48:10Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > The results of this are really surprising me. I sort of remember reading about how people naturally go left. I hugged something like 8 people over the last few days, some of them repeatedly, and we consistently went left every single time. It just feel more natural. Going right for me feels as unnatural as writing left-handed. > > I’m also surprised at how many people don’t hug. Well, if it makes you feel a bit better, I accidentally skewed your results. I said that I go to the right, but after reading through some responses I realized that I’m an idiot and don’t know my right from my left and picked the wrong answer. ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/17 "2010-12-30T23:57:21Z")
I always go to the right, i’m surprised by these results as well. With it being close to 50/50 I would have thought I would run into awkward hugs around 50% of the time but I can’t recall it ever happening. I can only assume that since I tend to be the bigger of the two people hugging that the other just follows my lead to avoid being flattened 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/18 "2010-12-31T00:45:18Z")
I go to the left and the only person I hug regularly who doesn’t is my brother, whose social ineptness is legendary. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/19 "2010-12-31T01:02:34Z")
I’m a big hugger. I’m a leftie. Maybe it has to do with my dominant side being right? Dunno. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/20 "2010-12-31T01:13:52Z")
I must recommend searching on YouTube for “Give me that Christian Side Hug” for your viewing pleasure. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819.md?page=2)