# Kissing a lady's hand **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761 "2000-01-01T23:28:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Konrad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f475e1/32.png) [@Konrad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Konrad)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2000, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/1 "2000-01-01T23:28:00Z")
The extinct social rituals thread reminded me of this. I was reading a travel story and the author remarked that Poland is the only place where men still kiss a lady’s hand. That surprised me. I didn’t know this custom was dead elsewhere. I never really noticed it, but when I think about it the only times I can remember doing it myself I was either in Poland or at a Polish gathering. In North America you only see it in old black and white movies. Has it just become uncommon or did I just miss the obvious? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/2 "2000-01-01T23:57:00Z")
Ahhhhh . . . . When I was 20 years old a young (American born and bred) man kissed my hand and captured my heart as part of the result. Since then, it has happened exactly once, upon introduction. And that was a year or so ago, when I met my niece’s Polish-born boyfriend (now 21, he came to this country when he was about 9). As far as I am concerned, she ought to marry him! 😉 -Melin ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/3 "2000-01-02T01:14:00Z")
I was wondering about that. I read somewhere they dont really touch the hand when they kiss it, they just approach it. This is the learned way. Those who arent experienced in it do touch the womans’ hand. Hmm ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/4 "2000-01-02T03:18:00Z")
I once had an Englishman kiss my hand forty-seven times in France. But he was drunk, so I’m not sure if that really counts. * * * [Cessandra](http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/miscjunk/profile.html) The Power Of Christ: 2000 years and He hasn’t come yet! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2000, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/5 "2000-01-03T23:45:00Z")
“In my country, it is said that kissing a woman’s hand is never the right thing to do…either it is too much, or not enough.” – Laszlo, the Great Slavic Lover (by David Boswell) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/6 "2000-01-04T02:01:00Z")
Kissing a lady’s hand is kind of goofy and crass, like Pepe LePew. I would crack up if anyone tried it. Anyway, Miss Manners said it is not proper for the gentleman to actually plant a big wet one on a woman’s hand, but if you are a foreigner it’s ok to sort of bow over it and maybe just briefly touch your lips. To the hand. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/7 "2000-01-04T14:47:00Z")
Cessandra, why did you count? ---
**Author:** ![dlv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dlv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dlv)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/8 "2000-01-04T14:49:00Z")
I’ve seen both Austrians and Czechs do it. (At least, the mouth approaches the hand; I can’t tell if they touch or he kisses the air.) (What a disgusting anti-sanitary custom.) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kissing-a-ladys-hand/5761/9 "2000-01-04T15:36:00Z")
Well, Rudolph Valentino used to kiss the palm of a lady’s hand—it was neither unsanitary nor gross when he did it . . . sigh . . . Ah, Rudy . . .