Hug Prescription:
4 hugs per day for survival
8 hugs per day for maintenance
12 hugs per day for growth

Proper Hug Etiquette:
>Always respect another person's space.
>Ask permission when you need or want to share a hug.
>Keep in mind a hug is a non-sexual form of affection. There is a difference
between a warm, friendly hug and a passionate embrace- please hug accordingly.
>A hug is a warm, gentle embrace, not the Heimlich maneuver.

HUGGERS you have a responsibility to ask before "administering" a hug, that can be done non-verbally simply by holding out your arms and waiting for the other person's response. Don't assume that it is okay to hug someone, even if you've hugged him or her a hundred times before. Don't take it as a personal rejection when someone declines a hug; there are many reason why a person may not be in the space to give and receive hugs.
Some folks are periodically challenged with muscle and/or joint pain and hugs can be anything but comfortable during those periods.
Some folks may be concerned about sharing germs and viruses. There are times that our immune systems are low and we don't wish to increase our chances of coming down with a "bug". Or we may be concerned that we might have picked up a "bug" from somewhere and want to take the responsible position of not sharing it with those we love and care about.
And then there are the times we simply do not want our personal space invaded for whatever reason.

Keep in Mind
>Not everyone is a hugger.
>Respect those not interested in participating.
Remember that if you are not in the hugging frame of mind, for whatever reason -- or wish to limit your hugs to a select few -- you have a responsibility to make those limits known. You don't have to grin and bear it, nor do you have to justify your refusal. A simple "I'm not into hugs today." or a "I've reached my hug quota for the day." will suffice.
Also if someone is hugging you in a way that you find uncomfortable or that make you uneasy let that person know, immediately; you will be doing both of you a favor.

Hugs Techniques
Me-Hug
A great way to start the day and whenever you need or want a hug.
Warm-up your hugging muscles with a real good stretch by wrapping
your arms around yourself!
Hand-Hug (a.k.a. the Reserved Hugger's Hug)
This is the most common and frequently shared hug...
a simple handshake.
Side-to-side Hug (a.k.a. the Buddy Hug)
Huggers stand or sit next to one another, embracing around the
waist or shoulders.
A-frame Hug
Huggers stand about a foot and a half a part, bend at the waist....
Only the shoulders touch as you embrace! This is a very safe hug.
Cheek-to-Cheek Hug
This hug requires no arms. Simply face your huggee and press your
cheeks together. Face the same way for the Kodak Moment Hug.
Back-to-Front Hug.
Gently wrap your arms around huggee's waist and embrace.
Always let your huggee know you are behind them.
Bear Hug.
This is a full-bodied hug. Hugger and huggee are toe-to-toe,
belly-to-belly, and eye-to-eye, for a big bear hug.
Always ask permission before doing this hug.
Custom-tailored Hug
To insure a high-quality hug, whenever a taller hugger hugs a
smaller huggee. The taller hugger should bend at the knees to
come eye level with the huggee and embrace.

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