Valentine’s Day 2026 – An Occasion for Kissing
/“It’s centrifugal motion. It’s perpetual bliss. It’s that pivotal moment. It’s impossible. This kiss, this kiss. Unstoppable.”
Kissing, snogging, swapping spit, sucking face, osculating, locking lips… a smooch, a smack, a peck… an air kiss, a butterfly kiss, a French kiss, XOXO, SWAK. Whatever you call it, we didn’t invent it. Kissing, according to scientists, has been around for millions of years and is a universal practice. Even animals show affection by kissing.
In every culture, in every language, there’s a way to express it. According to a recent article in the New York Times, researchers say “[Kissing] has always been something of a so-called evolutionary mystery. It doesn’t present much benefit for survival, it has minimal reproductive benefits, and it’s mostly symbolic.”
Un bisou in French, un beso in Spanish, um beijo in Portuguese, ein kuss in German… kunik in Inuit means rubbing noses… a nose kiss. There are lots of websites that focus on ways to say "kiss" in every language, like one that purports to offer 785+ ways to say "kiss". I didn’t bother to count, but the list was definitely long.
There are even YouTubes and a WikiHow with instructions and illustrations on how to kiss, including sections on ‘Initiating a Kiss’ and ‘Kissing Techniques’, among others. It seems it doesn’t come naturally to some folks.
Don’t forget candy kisses!
You can kiss and tell. You can steal a kiss or blow a kiss. You can ‘kiss the Blarney Stone’, you can ‘kiss the ring’. Then there’s ‘kiss my ass’, not to be confused with ‘kiss up’, ‘kiss off’ or ‘kiss-ass’. But, I digress.
Not that we ever need a special occasion for a smooch, but it is Valentine’s Day tomorrow… a special day for lovers. I can pass on the red roses and chocolate candy hearts, but kissing my sweetheart is a must on Valentine’s Day.
So pucker up and plant a big one on your honey. Smooch your pooch. Kiss your kiddos.
Happy Valentine’s Day!