National Kissing Day, also known as World Kiss Day and International Kissing Day, is a nonofficial holiday that is celebrated on July 6^th every year. It is a holiday in which people are encouraged to pucker up and kiss the person they love.

History of National Kissing Day

No one really knows when National Kissing Day was created. However, it is believed that it was created in the United Kingdom sometime during the 19^th century. Regardless of where it originated, however, it has spread all over the globe and is celebrated in many different countries.

Benefits of Kissing

Kissing is not only a fun activity, but it also contains some health benefits for both of the participants – besides making them happy. These benefits include:

• Kissing leads to increased saliva production which can lead to a healthier mouth
• Kissing burns 6 calories a minute
• Kissing can build up immunity by introducing them to their partner’s mouth bacteria
• Kissing relieves stress
• Kissing can ease allergy symptoms

Why Do People Kiss?

No one is really sure why people kiss but scientists do have a number of theories. One of these theories is that this behavior has been learned from our ancestors. Mothers used to chew their babies’ food and then spit it into the mouths of their infants. Some scientists say that the fact that 9 out of 10 people in the world proves that it’s a learned behavior because if it was instinctual, then all humans would kiss.

Other scientists believe it’s instinctual, however, and point to the animal kingdom to prove their point. After all, there are a number of animals which kiss. These include squirrels, African Gray Parrots, meerkats, chimpanzees, puffins, cows and even elephants.

Another popular theory as to why we kiss is that it is a way to find a potential mate. When two people are kissing, they are not only exchanging saliva but they are also exchanging pheromones. This may let a person’s body know if that person is a potential mater or not.

Celebrating National Kissing Day

The only real way to celebrate National Kissing Day is by kissing the people that you love. Whether that’s a romantic kiss that you share with your partner or a quick kiss on your mother’s cheek, the purpose of this day is really to let the people you love know you love them.