World Kiss Day: Will you be celebrating?

World Kiss Day has got nothing to do with the make-up-wearing rock band, it honours the intimate gesture, not just as a form of affection, but as a connection that transcends the physical.

On April 13, 2013, a Thai couple set the record for the longest kiss which lasted over 58 hours, as noted in the Guinness Book of Records.

According to Telecinco, April 13 is the date for Spain to join in the celebration, although other sources claim it to be July 6. For anyone in doubt, they could always celebrate it twice just to make sure.

The health benefits of kissing

Kissing does more than forge emotional bonds—it also offers significant health benefits. According to Quiron Salud, kissing releases endorphins and hormones like dopamine and oxytocin, enhancing feelings of affection and love.

Furthermore, it is said to alleviate pain and bolster the immune system, illustrating that kisses are not merely romantic but also instinctually beneficial.

A kaleidoscope of kisses

The ancient Hindu text, the Kamasutra, identifies no fewer than 22 types of kisses, each with unique implications and methods. Here are some of the most well-known.

• Kiss to Distract: This subtle kiss can be placed anywhere from the cheeks, forehead, eyes, and throat to the back of the neck.
• Side Kiss: Ideal for deeper connection, this kiss involves tilting heads in opposite directions to engage more thoroughly.
• Pressure Kiss: Characterised by tightly joined lips, this intense form is common at the beginning or end of a relationship.
• Top Kiss: A playful kiss where each partner uses teeth to gently engage the other’s lip, creating a mutual bond.
• Direct Kiss: Focused solely on the lips, this type involves gentle nibbling and caressing, often with the tongue.
• Kiss Contact: A light brush of the lips or a fleeting touch with the tongue, making minimal contact.
• Kiss Brooch: One partner holds the other’s lips with theirs, occasionally leading to a playful encounter known as a ‘tongue fight’.
• Kiss without a Watch: Here, partners lose track of time, focusing solely on the affection and touch shared.
• Throbbing Kiss: Consists of small, continuous pecks across the lips, evoking warmth and love.
• Kiss with Two Fingers: Involves wetting and pressing two fingers against the partner’s lips.
• Kiss that Shows: Often public, it might involve a gentle peck on the hand or neck during the evening.

World Kiss Day serves as a reminder to all of the simple pleasure of kissing for kissing’s sake as a genuine display of affection, rather than the social formality it seems to have become.