Cheek kissing of kisses is found in Switzerland. In Francophone Belgium, the custom is usually one or three kisses, and is also common between men who are friends. In Northern European countries such as Sweden and Germany, hugs are preferred to kisses. It is customary in many regions to only have kisses between women and women, but not men and women, who only shake hands or hug (more familiar) instead. Although cheek kissing is not as widely practiced in the United Kingdom or Ireland as in other parts of Europe, it is still commonplace. Generally, a kiss on one cheek is commonplace,
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,