To Hug Or Not To Hug

Did you miss National Hugging Day. Too bad. Maybe you should hug a  tree or something, because the huggers say everyone needs hugs.  You could show the people in your life,  or even a total stranger walking down the street or perhaps in the locker room at the gym –, that you care by giving them a big, fat hug. Come on, what are you waiting for? Probably the police. because you'll likely to be arrested.

Hugging is a good thing when the person you hug is an intimate friend, a relative, somebody other than that fat sweaty guy on the subway who seems to need a hug. But according to The National Hugging Day web sit we need to expand our hug universe outside that circle.  Hmmmm.......seems to me those sex harassment nuts might not like that idea. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be sued for sexual harassment or arrested as a sexual predator because I hugged that hot young babe in Wal Mart.
No matter about that say the hug advocates.. Here are some suggestions on how to celebrate this touchy-feely day, from the National Hugging Day Web site:

* Join or create a Hug Club
* Create the longest Hug Chain
* Break the Guinness record for Hugging
* Substitute hugs for handshakes
* Hand out Hug Coupons
* Hold your own Hug-a-thon
* Make or rent a bear costume and visit people as "Bear Hugger"

Those ideas might get you in a little trouble. Maybe instead you should look for that tree to hug. It will give real meaning to the phrase "tree hugging environmentalist". But if you persist in hugging strangers huggingday.com has some suggestions for the type of hug you should give. These do not include squeezing or fondling any body part. Darn it!  How am I supposed to hug that lady across the street with the big...uh....never mind.

Hugging day.com says we should stick to one of the following kinds of hugs to avoid any threat of overhuggging.
1) The "Back to Front Hug"- I am not sure how that works but it might be the best strategy to use if you are hugging an unattractive or smelly person.....or for that matter, if you hug Rosie O'Donnell or your local politician.
2) The Bear Hug- This is also a wrestling move. I suggest you not try this one by hugging an actual bear.
3) The Cheek Hug- That one always seemed insincere to me. It's a "I feel obliged to hug your sorry self, so I am going to fake it with a quick in and out cheek rub". Always check your wallet or purse after receiving a cheek hug.
4) The Side to Side Hug-  This is the casual hug, the I am really too busy to waste time to hug you but I'll pretend to do it by brushing your side".
5) The Heart Centered Hug- This is the full hug, the sometimes sexual innuendo hug. The site says it's the "perfect way to show close family, friend's and partners how much you care." I think the judge in a sexual harassment suit often hears that phrase.

After do consideration of this National Hug Day thing, I think next year I'll just shake hands.