Kiss Me, You Fool

Ah, the kiss.

Romantics love it.

Bards write poetry about it.

Musicians compose symphonies embracing it.

And, fitness enthusiasts go for the calorie burn.

Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration. Kissing should not take the place of your regular workout, but it can sure spice things up and make your pushups and crunches more exciting.

Today is the perfect day to be your very best romantic self and do a lot of smooching. But before you pucker up, here are a few things you probably didn’t know about the good old-fashioned kiss.

Staying Power

Nowadays, an average kiss lasts about 12 seconds. You’ve got to wonder about the people who study stuff like this. Back in the 1980s, kisses on average lasted about 5.5 seconds. I’m thinking that there were probably more smokers back then. They needed to come up for air!

Going Public

It’s forbidden to kiss in public on Sundays in Michigan and Connecticut.

Averaging It Out

The folks in Germany are stingy with their kisses. They average about 4 per person per day. The French and Italians know the value of profuse kissing. Their average is 7 times per day.

Right of Way

Researchers have found that 2 out of three people tilt their heads to the right when kissing.

Health Benefits

Kissing strengthens the immune system and slows down aging. Oh yeah.

Traffic Safety

If you are freshly kissed and you immediately drive your car, you are going to be a much less aggressive driver, which results in fewer accidents. But kissing while driving? Well, it’s right up there with texting, especially if you close your eyes when you kiss. Geez!

International Mores

Only 90% of the people in the world kiss. There is a common practice of giving a kiss on both cheeks as a greeting in both France and Mexico. In Japan, people only kiss when both parties want to have sex.

Primal Instincts

On Earth, it is not just the human race that loves to kiss . Orangutans and other primates do it. Geese touch their beaks together, and elephants put their trunks into each other’s mouths. Oh my!

On this day of love, do me a favor. Remember to show the ones you love just how much you love them with a kiss. You will feel better. They will feel better, and hey, you are going to burn a few calories to boot!

Happy Valentine’s Day!