hugs and kisses

slate.com

Though their use varies by culture, the acts of hugs and kisses are ancient and widespread. The two words have been paired as a set phrase for affection since at least the 1700s. While the expression often literally signifies a physical display of affection between family members or romantic partners, hugs and kisses became common enough to stand-in for fond and compassionate feelings in general by the late 1900s. You know, for those of us that aren’t into the PDA.

This may be due to the fact that hugs and kisses is a familiar sign-off, seen in the signature of a birthday card from a grandmother to a goodbye said by a parent on the phone. When this practice emerges isn’t exactly clear, but it is surely influenced by its symbolic shortand XOXO and its variants.

The letter X represents “kiss,” evidenced in letters since the 1760s though potentially dating back to Christian customs in the Middle Ages. The letter O, or “hug,” is more obscure and not firmly found until the 1960s. Technically, this means XOXO stands for kisses and hugs, a less frequent variant for the more rhythmic hugs and kisses.

Know Your Meme

Since the rise of email, text-messaging, and social media, XOXO has become a generic way to send someone a warm “see ya later.” Its familiarity was certainly helped along by European cultures, where cheek-kissing is often used to greet and bid goodbye. Hugging, for its part, has a more American reputation.

Many children’s books impart lessons of love under the titles of Hugs and Kisses. Hugs and Kisses is also the name of a charity, among other organizations and causes, raising funds for cancer patients who could definitely use some love. In the romantic department, the 1978 mystery film I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses flashes the phrase’s sign-off cred while hip-hop musician Heavy D rapped of hugs and kisses in his 2008 track of the same name.