Bises (bis)

There’s a short P.S. to the story of the French and their kissing habits. It concerns what I call the “New Year Rush.”
Basically, on the first day back at work after January 1st, a whole load of colleagues and random professional acquaintances will take advantage of the festive occasion to do the “bise”. So, people with whom you previously had a strictly “handshake only” relationship will suddenly exclaim (come January 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th…): “Oh, but it’s the New Year! On va se faire la bise pour le nouvel an, non?!” and lunge for your cheek (“let’s have a bise to celebrate the new year!”).
Naturally, you will smile weakly and oblige.

Then, the next time this feisty colleague crosses your path, be it one, two or even three weeks later, when you innocently proffer your hand, you will be treated to a falsely ingenuous “Oh! But wait, we’re on bises terms now, aren’t we?” and your hand will be briskly rejected in favour of your reddening cheek.
And so forth for evermore.

Yep, they’re a sneaky group, the New Year kissers. As every year, 2009 promises to provide a fresh crop of new bise candidates…