Kissing traditions a kiss on the lips with the mouth closed or a kiss or kisses on the cheek. Cheek kissing is most common in Europe and Latin America and has become a standard greeting in Southern Europe. While cheek kissing is a common greeting in many cultures, each country has a unique way of kissing. In Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, Lebanon and Egypt it is customary to “kiss three times, on alternate cheeks.” Italians and Hungarians usually kiss twice in a greeting and in Mexico and Belgium only one kiss is necessary. In Ecuador, women kiss on
Cheek kissing between close friends and is sometimes treated offensive. In Romania, cheek kissing is commonly used as a greeting between a man and a woman or two women, once on each cheek. Men usually prefer handshakes among themselves, though sometimes close male relatives may also practice cheek kissing. In France, where the custom is called "faire la bise", the cheek kiss came under scrutiny during the H1N1 epidemic of 2009. A popular French joke states that you may recognize the city you are in by counting the number of cheek kisses, as it varies across the country. It is very common,