*The worst kiss, according to the book, The Best of the World's Worst, was one between Samuel Pepys and Catherine de Valois, wife of Henry V of England. For when the kiss happened, she was dead. Long dead--she had been disentombed by her grandson during his renovation of Westminster Abby and remained above ground for two centuries. At some point as she lay there, Pepys kissed her, saying that he had always wanted to kiss a queen.
How did an X get to mean a kiss at the end of a letter? The tradition comes from the Middle Ages, when illiterate folks would sign an X for their name and then kiss it as proof of their sincerity.
Kissing died out during the bubonic plague of the fifteenth century. Folks were too afraid of dying to lock lips.
The notion of French kissing comes from the Maraichins, who lived in France and practiced this kind of deep kissing.
Ancient Romans kissed someone on the mouth or eyes as a greeting.
Ancients also kissed a hand, foot or the ground a person walked on as a sign of respect.
Some theorise that kissing came form people putting their faces close together and exchanging breaths to symbolize union.
The "fancy" word for what you are doing when you kiss is osculation.
Many Europeans greet people they know with a kiss on each cheek.
Southern Germans and the Dutch kiss right cheeks,left cheek, and then right again while embracing.
American socialites kiss the air next to each cheek to avoid makeup mess-ups.
The longest lip lock on screen was between Regis Toomey and Jane Wyman in "You’re in the Army Now. It was three minutes and fifteen seconds.
Who has the record?
Rich Langley and Louisa Aimedovar (both from the USA) The record for the world's longest kiss, which lasted for 30 hr 59 mins 27 sec, was set on December 5 2001 at the TV studios of Ricki Lake, in New York City.
