X is for XOXO or better known as Kisses and Hugs
What magic does a kiss hold? Shakespeare believed a kiss is a seal of love.
A kiss can be filled with passion, tantalizing the senses with secrets. In fairy tales, fair maidens are awakened with a kiss, and wedding vows are sealed with a kiss.
Being a romance author, kissing is a part of the story. Whether the hero or heroine is human, vampire or shape shifter, it’s all about passion overriding caution. The kiss should ignite a bone-melting fire that spreads through the blood with promises of dreams of the future.
Kissing is a part of the romance to find the one.
History of using X
Using the letter X meant as a kiss dates back to the Middle Ages. Most people in the middle ages could not read or write. An X was placed on documents, and the person would place a kiss upon it, to display their sworn oath of sincerity.
Adding the O for hugs—May have originated in North America representing arm circling around a person. The phrase “hugs and kisses’ was a common phrase in the early 1900s.
Legends of a Kiss
In Italy, a woman who kisses the armor-clad statue of Gidarello Guidarelli will marry a wonderful man.
In Ireland, people travel from all over the world to kiss the Blarney Stone. It is believed to give good fortune and the gift of eloquence.
In Germany, it is believed if spouses kiss each morning, they will earn thirty percent more money and will live five times longer than those who do not kiss.
Laws against Kissing
Iowa: a man with a mustache may never kiss a woman in public. Another law states: a Kiss may not last longer than five minutes.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa: it is a crime to kiss a stranger.
Hartford, Connecticut: It is illegal for a man to kiss his wife on Sunday.
Pennsylvania: You cannot kiss a person over 18 years old if you are younger than 18 years old.
Boston, Massachusetts: You cannot kiss in front of a church.
Wisconsin: It is illegal to kiss on a train.
In Colorado, it is against the law to kiss a sleeping woman. It was good thing Snow White and Sleeping Beauty didn’t live in Colorado or their princes would have been arrested.
Scientific Studies:
A kiss speaks your mind and the scientists believe it’s all about dopamine, neurotransmitters—the release of pheromones. While kissing, chemicals are believed to trigger the need for closeness, giving the hard-wire impression to a woman if this person is the right mate. Gives a whole new meaning to how shape shifters find their mates.
It is also theorized that there is testosterone in men’s saliva, making females relax, happier—hmm, perhaps enticing the woman to want to be with him. And you thought Vampires had power.
Looks like kissing is a potent love potion for men and women. It’s all in the kiss. So pucker up and enjoy the magic.
In my tale The Curse of Tempest Gate, it was all about the kiss...
Clarity Shaw, a reporter for Unbelievable Finds, seeks answers concerning the curse of Tempest Gate Cemetery. Warnings from the Bed and Breakfast’s receptionist and an old man only make her more curious. Determined to get her story, Clarity ventures into the old cemetery.Even though she is tied to the legends surrounding Tempest Gate through her ancestry, Clarity does not believe in the paranormal. She intends to collect the local versions of the stories, take some photos, and be on her way.
A beautiful sculpture in the cemetery, a stone angel warrior, draws her attention and her admiration. Could this be the Archangel Michael? Then she finds out more than she bargains for when she sits in the devil’s chair on the eve of Halloween. Two entities need her for their own personal reasons, but only one will demand her heart.
Do you remember your first Kiss? Was it memorable or were you glad when it was over?
Here's the list to the other A to Z Challenge participants. Have fun hopping!!
Great nuggets of knowledge and love the blurb for The Curse of Tempest Gate. Enjoyed it!
R.E.,
Thanks so much for popping in for a visit. So glad you liked the blurb for The Curse of Tempest Gate.
I love all the cute little legends and quirky little laws about kissing!
Jen,
I know aren’t the quirky laws fun? 🙂
This was entertaining, especially the kissing laws. I can’t believe I never wondered why X symbolized a kiss, thanks for the history.
DL,
I’m glad you enjoyed the tidbit of history. 🙂
Roissy dudes talk enough about the KISS close , and, as this comment points out, women want it. I agree. I don’t want to wonder if he might kiss me, I want him to take the damn kiss. This goes for even the biggest loser-types, too. If they have the cojones to kiss me, they’ve risen in my estimation. But…the kiss itself will literally seal the deal for the next date –if it’s bad, there ain’t no second one. I can’t speak to how girls kiss because I haven’t kissed a girl (insert Katy Perry song …and I liked it, the taste of her cherry chapstick…), but I can address bad kissing experiences I’ve had. I don’t claim to be an expert in much — but kissing is my forte: my lips were made for it and almost nothing else *wink*.