Handshake Health

Today, June 25th, is National Handshake Day! In times of social distancing, we have to get a little bit more creative with our greetings. Let’s start with the history of the handshake and its social importance, along with some fun alternative greetings to keep your hands germ-free!

The origin of the handshake is hard to pinpoint. As it is a non-verbal mode of communication, it may have existed before language and written words. Theories suggest Roman soldiers used handshakes as a way to check for hidden daggers by grasping each other’s forearms in greeting. An even older historical record in Egypt suggests that people believed the handshake held the power of giving. Many kings would grasp the hand of the statue of the god Marduk before taking the throne.

As during ancient times, modern-day handshakes have different customs around the world. The the United States, Russia, Australia, and the United Kingdom handshakes tend to be firm. However, in most Asian countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea, the grip is light and there is no direct eye contact.

Now, all over the world we see its use as an everyday greeting. But, with the new social distancing way of life, we have to be more careful as to prevent the spread of germs. Which means, no handshakes on National Handshake Day! Here are 3 alternative greetings you can use today to celebrate while keeping yourself and others safe.

Waving

Waving is a classic way to say “Hi” to your loved ones while still being a safe distance apart!

The Elbow

Germs love to live on the palms of your hands, but the don’t tend to seek out permanent residence on your elbows! Tapping elbows with a friend is a great germ-free alternative for a handshake!

The Peace Sign

Spread a little positivity back into the community by greeting people with a peace sign or namaste pose!

By avoiding handshakes, you can lower the risk of getting infected. Try to adopt these alternative greetings instead! What other alternatives can you think of? Feel free to share them in the comments!