Hugs and Kisses OOO XXXX- Page 2

[DofB5]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 6:12pm

Etoile, I must be a little slow on the uptake because I just got that. Good one!

[RobbO]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 6:31pm

dofb5 - the "X" is the profiles of two people's lips meeting...

[DofB5]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 6:37pm

Ahhh, kinda like > < only closer ><. Ok, now I see the x.

[RobbO]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 6:41pm

you got it!

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 6:44pm

Here's something I found: It sorta goes along with RobbO's account.
How did X's and O's come to represent hugs and kisses? The common custom of placing X's on envelopes, notes and at the bottom of letters to mean kisses dates back to Medeival ages, when a cross was drawn on documents or letters to mean sincerity and honesty. A kiss was then placed upon the cross, by the signer as a display of their of their sworn oath. It was also used in early Christian history as much of a display of the same. Since most of the common people were unable to read or write, the 'X" was placed on documents, and a kiss placed upon it as a show of their sincerity, gradually, as it was used so often, the cross was hurried drawn and often resembled an "X". The "O" is of North American descent, no one really seems to know how it was started. It has been said that when arriving to the US, Jewish immigrants would use an "O" on documents, not using the sign of the cross, and shop keepers would often use an "O" when signing documents, in place of an "X". Perhaps now it is used as the "O" being rounded represents arms encircling another, as in an embrace.


Now the question is why do we say x's and o's, when we say hugs and kisses? That makes it backwards.

Updated On: 1/17/04 at 06:44 PM

[DofB5]

Posted: 1/17/04 at 7:47pm

Wow, who would have thought that X and O had such a rich history?

I'll write them with respect from now on!

D