I use the handshake in business, when meeting new colleagues, or someone i am about to do business with. I never initiate it in social circles, but if it is initiated, I take it. I never kiss/air kiss someone I am meeting for the first time, as it can seem a little too intimate for a stranger. I use it occasionally with female friends and family that I have know for a long time. The hongi is a tricky one. As a distinctly European looking New Zealander, but with Maori Ancestory,I never know when it is appropriate or not. I wouldn't initiate it with a Maori, or a European, as they would probably both think "Who does this honky think he is, using our greeting!". My ancestors, and Maori relatives in Akaroa, would be ashamed of me for not doing it though I guess.

P.S. I am trying to track down some diamonds as we speak! How friendly are we talking about here Moata?

I always get awkward vibes from people when I shake their hands outside a work or professional setting. A distinct feel of WTF is this chick on. As for air kissing or cheek kissing or random hugging theres no way I would do that with people I know let alone strangers.. I'm not sure anyone can pull that off even the stereotypes we associate them with (very camp or blondes with handbag dogs)

I always make an effort to introduce people to each other when I know they're strangers so at least they know peoples names and don't feel like a total outsider.. usually greetings are punctuated with a nod in the general direction of a person.. and occasionally depending on the friend a tense handshake

I'm big on the handshake as a greeting method, although you risk encountering the wet noodle handshake from ladies, or the bonecrusher that leaves you with no movement in your hand for the rest of the day. Another good one is getting things like the Masonic recognition handshake (google it, but watch for black helicopters) which I shouldn't recognise but do.

I'm absolutely not a kiss greeter. You need a passport and an a thorough inspection before you're getting your face that far into my personal space.

I'm quite visibly from the Ngati Whitey tribe, so the random Hongi doesn't feature in my life.

Ugh, once I had a meeting with the company CEO to let her know I was leaving. She got up to shake my hand and wish me well. For some reason I gave her a big hug. Talk about awkward!

I dislike handshakes but will use them in a business situation. My preferred greeting is a kiss on the cheek. (I'm all for more non-sexual social-touching.) Particularly for whanau and friends. (Or strangers who are good friends of whanau and friends.) It can be tricky cause sometimes the other person isn't so used to it so there's an awkward little dance that can be really awkward if the greeting kiss goes astray.

Awkwardly. Something's programmed in my brain to be unbearably uncomfortable every time I meet someone new. I'm bound to eff up something within the first ten minutes of meeting someone. Sitcom style. Just a few days ago I banged up my foot meeting a new friend while competitively exercising. Now I have a limp and bandages. :(

I've found it's a really good judge on what kind of relationship we'll turn out to have though. If they're funny, laid-back people they'll enjoy my hilarious falterings, but if they're uptight they'll generally not enjoy me.

I'll shake hands when I'm meeting someone for the first time in a work situation, sure...but hardly elsewhere. I actually quite like it as a greeting, but rarely initiate it.

For others, friends of friends etc, on first meeting there's normally no touching - like Thalia#3 said, there's a general nod in their direction. But if I am meeting someone for the first time I always make sure to say "Hi" or "Hello", possibly even a 'nice to meet you' (if it is nice to meet them) AND look them in the eye and smile properly. I hate it when someone's introduced to you, and they say "hi" but don't even look at you. Rude, much?

I never used a handshake greeting until i started my job now where i meet a lot of other people within mine and other companies, usually older men, so have become accustomed to it even when meeting another female when in a social setting. Sometimes gets you the wierd vibes from them though...

I handshake relatively frequently in work settings , but almost never in a normal social situation. For some reason the only blokes I've encountered who handshake outside work are Christians. Strange but true. I find it's mostly men who handshake, and they will initiate it. The trick is to keep an eye out for the small upper arm movement that tells you how they'll move their arm, then smile affably, look them straight in the eyes and return the gesture with a strong grip. I find it to be a "sizing up" ritual whereby they try to guage how the power dynamic is likely to run and how strong your personality is.

Air kissing, IMO, is weird and slightly disturbing.