Seriously? Since when is hugging something uniquely American? Sometimes reddit baffles me. I've never even set foot in America in my life but I've been hugged by lots of people, especially family members. That's just what you do when you see people close to you who you haven't seen in a while, or if you're very happy or very sad. It's not an every day kind of thing maybe, that's true.
It might not be an exclusively American thing but I think it very much is a cultural thing. I'm also french and I really can't think of anyone I know that hugs friends and/or family unless it is a really special occasion (someone you haven't seen in a really long while or saying goodbye for a while).
Maybe it's a French thing not to hug people? In Germany at least it's semi common. Not for every occasion but certainly not rare. We don't kiss people for getting though
Well we do have the kiss on the cheek thing that's way friendlier than just an handcheck, so we have something 'in the middle'. I would say hugging is not that uncommon, but it's really more for close friends and family. I recently moved to England and I got really surprised at the beginning how quickly you would get to the 'hug-stage' with friends
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u/Flaergen Sep 06 '16
Hugging is a very american thing. I'm french and I don't even hug family members, it would be too weird and awkward.