# 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:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/21 "2010-12-31T01:14:59Z")
Right or left, I’m afraid the result to be somewhat tainted by the fact that the huggers right is the huggee’s left and I assumed that the reference was from the point of view of the huggee. But the fact is that I find once you make a gesture for a hug the woman usually manages to direct you. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/22 "2010-12-31T02:54:40Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Right or left, I’m afraid the result to be somewhat tainted by the fact that the huggers right is the huggee’s left and I assumed that the reference was from the point of view of the huggee. Um… No. Unless you’re hugging a mirror, huggee and hugger go the same way. If all goes well, that is. I plan on giving someone a major full body hug on Saturday. I wonder what would happen if I tried a “wrong” right hug. Social awkwardness? Being that she broke our last date to get sick, pass out, and wake up on her bathroom floor in a pool of blood, maybe I should go for the non-stitches side. Would that be the “good boyfriend” thing to do? ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/23 "2010-12-31T07:34:27Z")
I had to think about it, but I think I go to the left. When I was an awkward teenager I loved getting hugs due to the boob squish from girls :D. Now that I’m older I like it because I’m a dirty old man. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/24 "2010-12-31T08:25:27Z")
I voted “never noticed” but as I’m thinking about it, I go from my right, so probably their left. (I think). Now every time I hug someone I’m going to be checking! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/25 "2010-12-31T09:29:26Z")
I usually reach up (I’m about 5’) or right, I guess, if I’m hugging someone my height. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/26 "2010-12-31T09:42:55Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Um… No. Unless you’re hugging a mirror, huggee and hugger go the same way. If all goes well, that is. I go to MY left but that is to the huggee’s right. The phrase “to the left of the person” is not sufficiently clear. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/27 "2010-12-31T11:27:33Z")
I go right, but most people go left, which tends to cause a problem. This thread made me notice that the people with whom I don’t have a problem are lefties (I’m leftie trained as righty); that might be the link. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/28 "2010-12-31T11:49:58Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > 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. Same here, but not as intricate in my attempts to avoid physical contact. I just put up with it to grease the wheels of social interaction. I only like hugging in a sexual context. I’m wondering if other people who generally dislike hugging also dislike it during kissing/making out/sex. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/29 "2010-12-31T12:04:29Z")
I go left, influenced by all of the Italians I have met who kiss cheeks twice starting on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/30 "2011-01-03T19:27:49Z")
I try really hard to shake hands instead. People I love and want to hug - I’ll snag you any which way I can depending on our positions and whether or not there are beverages involved. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/31 "2011-01-03T19:55:49Z")
[Groucho]I once picked up a book called _How to Hug_. It wasn’t 'til I got it home that I realized it was volume 5 of the encyclopedia.[/Groucho] ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/32 "2011-01-03T20:27:38Z")
Right arm high, left arm low, my head to their right shoulder. Only for close relatives that I like. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/33 "2011-01-04T18:35:00Z")
To the left for everyone, straight forward for the SO. Full body embrace for two brothers, mom and dad and grandma (and SO); everyone else our bodies barely touch it’s moreso just our arms around each other. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/34 "2011-01-05T18:23:46Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > If your right ear touches their cheek, you go to the left. I voted wrongly, then - I went for “go to the left”, thinking you meant the other person’s left. I myself usually move to the right. I think. Maybe I should have just gone for the last option. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/35 "2011-01-05T19:45:34Z")
I’m not a hugger, and go into tactical evasion mode as the potential presents. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819/36 "2011-01-05T19:55:09Z")
I don’t really like hugging, except when the huggee is my wife, and we both go to the left (right cheeks together) while I squeeze her left ass cheek with my right hand. With everyone else, I try to just sort of hold them by the shoulders and bring my upper body forward, as if I’m going in for the hug, but then I can back up after a mild shoulder bump. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-hug/565819.md?page=1)