Sean Hutchinson. “Why does `XOXO` mean `kisses and hugs`?” Mental dental floss. 17 December 2012. www.mentalfloss.com/article/31929/why-does-xoxo-mean-kisses-and-hugs (accessed February 7, 2020). There are theories that explain why the O stands for “hugs” that are even more complicated than those that explain the meaning of X. Because of its romantic implications, XOXO is often used in one way or another in weddings, whether in décor or on invitations. If you like the meaning of the phrase, we`ve put together some unique ways to use it for your special day. The use of O is newer and was created by analogy. However, there is speculation on the internet that the source of the O is North America. In the United States, Jewish immigrants often used the O to sign their documents instead of the cross or X.

But what does XOXO mean? The meaning of XOXO is literally hugs and kisses. Despite the complicated origins of these symbols, it is now generally accepted that XOXO means “hugs and kisses”. In the UK, the use of XX (meaning “kisses”) as a signature is particularly popular, although the practice is less common in North America, where XOXO is the most common formulation. Other commonly used XOXO variants are XO, X, SWAK (meaning “sent with a kiss”) and kiss and hug emojis. You can write “XOXO” to mean “hugs and kisses,” but do you know how these symbols got their meaning? One theory is that if you use your imagination, an X looks like two people kissing, like a mouth on the left (>) that meets a mouth on the right (<) to create the complete X. The Washington Post. "A lot of the story behind `x` and `o`, kisses and hugs." 13 February 2014. To learn more about this simple phrase and find unique ways to use it in your own wedding, we spoke with wedding experts Ajay Anand and Aviva Samuels. Read on to learn more about XOXO`s history and how you can make it a part of your special day. The use of X/x for "kisses" and O/O as hug symbols on envelopes dates back to 1763, when Christian crosses were also drawn on documents to indicate honesty, faith, and sincerity.

Since most people were illiterate, they used X as a symbol for a signature. The use of an O to symbolize an embrace is much more recent, at least after the OED, which shows the first use in 1948. The O also seems to be used to symbolize a hug only in combination with an X – never alone. Since both letters are easy to write even for illiterate people, O symbolizes hugs, but only when combined with the letter X. People say it might look like arms wrapping around something in a hug. Or that Jewish immigrants used the O to sign documents, much like Christians used the X. Theories about why an O symbolizes a hug seem to be even more invented than those of the X. Adding XOXO to your nail art is subtle but still romantic and sweet. Anand notes: “One of our clients gave her bridesmaids a personalized XOXO manicure (alternating letters on each finger) from a professional nail artist before the wedding. As a bride, you can customize your own nails to match your bridesmaids or do something else, such as other colors or designs. I`ve never seen anyone talk about this idea, but I wonder if it comes from tic-tac-toe.

This game uses X and O, so the two symbols fit into many people`s minds. If an X means a kiss, it`s no exaggeration for me to imagine that his Tic-Tac-Toe partner could symbolize a hug to walk with. 25 couples celebrate marriage and Hispanic heritage An interesting story I found while researching the XO symbol is that kissing on the mouth is not universal. This is not the case for all cultures. It was primarily a thing of Western civilization, at least until modern times, when Western civilization began to spread its culture all over the world. According to the book “History of the Kiss”, the kiss did not even begin as a romantic gesture. There are certainly cultures that consider romantic kisses on the mouth weird or even disgusting, and it certainly started more as a religious thing. According to the “History of the Kiss,” the Mesopotamians blew kisses “as a means of winning the favor of the gods. [And] early Christians greeted each other with a “kiss of peace,” which was supposed to carry the soul of the kiss, thus connecting it spiritually to the other. Hindus kiss the floor of a temple to recognize its holiness and purity, and Jews embrace the western wall of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

All cool kids do it! As the book “Kiss and Tell” says: “In the days of early Christianity, when most people couldn`t write, people signed important documents. with an X instead of a signature. The X drew double function and symbolized the cross of Christ as well as his name. The signatory then embraced the document as an oath of sincerity. So the theory is that by this act, kissing an X, X was associated with kissing. Not sure what to use as a photo accessory for your engagement photos? Try sprinkling some XOXO. Samuels recommends using it to store date cards or invitations to the bridal party. “Try a kiss and hug photo of the two of you holding XO balloons, lying down with XO pillows or drinking from XO cups,” she says.

It is believed that the use of X as a symbol dates back to the Middle Ages, when most people could neither read nor write. They used the letter X – or a cross – to sign documents as a sign of faith and sincerity. They also embraced the cross as another symbol of trustworthiness: a literal “seal with a kiss.” In these cases, the X represented the sign of the cross and Christ because of its connection to Chi-Rho, a Christian symbol. The first two letters of Christ in Greek (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ) are chi and rho, and chi resembles X. But what about the O? The explanation of how it symbolized a hug is a bit darker. “Historians continue to theorize that Jewish immigrants who arrived in the United States and could not read or write used a circular symbol instead of their signature because a cross did not conform to their religious beliefs,” Samuels says. The common custom of placing “X” on envelopes, notes and at the bottom of letters to signify kisses dates back to the Middle Ages, when a Christian cross was drawn on documents or letters to signify sincerity, faith and honesty. [1] A kiss was then placed on the cross by the signatory to take the oath. It has also been used in early Christian history as a representation of the same thing. It is common knowledge that XOXO means “hugs and kisses”. As Dictionary.com it is defined, the expression is generally considered “a light way of expressing affection, sincerity or deep friendship.” On the Internet, there is speculation from at least one original source that the “O” is of North American origin: upon arrival in the United States, Jewish immigrants whose mother tongue was primarily Yiddish used an “O” to sign documents, not the sign of the cross, and merchants often used an “O” to sign documents.

instead of an “X”. [4] [5] Kevin Dwyer. “Kiss and Tell: A Trivial Study of Smooching.” 2006. Chronikbücher. books.google.com/books?id=DAubEXRRCicC&pg=PP38&dq (accessed February 7, 2020). Jessica Booth is a journalist with over 10 years of experience and a freelance writer whose work has been published on sites such as Bustle, Insider and Refinery29. The X represents a kiss, while the O represents a hug. That`s probably because the X is a stylized way of showing two mouths kissing, and the O looks like two pairs of arms joining for a hug. Although XOXO is a symbol of love, it is not always meant to be understood as a symbol of eternal passion. XOXO is just as good as signing an email for a friend as it is for signing a birthday card for someone else. The story behind “Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace” You have to wonder where XOXO really comes from.

While it`s easy to assume that it was invented by Hallmark for greeting cards, the story is actually much more interesting and complicated. We don`t know exactly where XOXO comes from, but there are many theories. Another possibility is that the O is used to represent hugs because it simply seems like someone is shaking their arms in a hugging gesture. It is also possible that the O stands for “hug” as it was previously associated with X from the game Tic-Tac-Toe. The practice of associating O with X as a signature in a letter like XOXO is quite modern and only became widespread in the 1960s. The television series Gossip Girl also popularized its use, as each episode ended with a voiceover, “XOXO, Gossip Girl”. If you want to try something fun this Valentine`s Day, type “XOXO” into a Facebook comment. It`s an abbreviation for “hugs and kisses,” and the text is highlighted, and when you click on it, little animated hearts float across the screen. From Valentine`s Day cards to your mother`s messages, XOXO is a typical signature for showing love and affection. The X represents a kiss and the O a hug – but why? Now, the origins of these symbols are uncertain, but we can make some educated guesses about their origin. Marcel Danesi. “The story of the kiss!” 2013.

Springer. books.google.com/books?id=JUuvAgAAQBAJ&dq (accessed February 7, 2020).