Kissing Friday (An old and now redundant custom)

When is Kissing Friday?:

Kissing Friday always falls on the Friday after Ash Wednesday

What is / was the custom?:

English schoolboys were entitled to demand a kiss from schoolgirls without fear of punishment or rejection. If the schoolgirl agreed that was great for both of them however is she refused the boy was then allowed to pinch the girl on the bottom. This custom lasted until at least the 1940s (which in today’s world is probably for the best really J)

Sileby

Local custom:

In Sileby – Leicestershire: Kissing Friday was called Nippy Hug Day. Here adult men joined in the fun where they could demand a kiss from the woman of their choice however if their request was denied – the men had the right to 'louse’ (or pinch) the woman's bottom – this was a reference to pinching off lice (the same rules applied as they did with the schoolboys) 

Other information: 
Another blog has also written about this - Kissing Friday and also four other strangest traditions in the UK - check out the blog at:  

http://www.essentialtravel.co.uk/blog/strangest-british-traditions.html  


Andria Owen