How do you greet someone on a first date?

Do you give them a hug? Or shake hands? Hugging seems kind of familiar... and shaking hands seems kind of impersonal.

I'm a hugger so the poor person who's on a date with me for the first time, is getting one. I was raised that way too. My culture hugs and kisses as a greeting. If we don't kiss on the cheek, then we at least give a hug. I mean it's a friendly sign of wanting people to be comfortable and relaxed, isn't that what you're trying to accomplish on a first date anyways?

I think a hug is a much better way of greeting someone. I wouldn't do a handshake. I think I would either hug or just a "hi". A handshake seems too business like. I agree that it is important to feel comfortable and that the other person feels comfortable as well.

I'm a hugger myself, but a lot depends on the person I am meeting for a date. If their energy and facial expression gives me the sense of warmth, then chances are I would give that person a hug. If it turns out that person is shy, or perhaps not sure, I am happy to smile and return a sense of warmness to that person. Afterall haven't we all been nervous on our first date?

Yes, I've a slightly fragile back so hugs even from familiars sometimes irritates me. A hand shake is for men or work colleagues and a hug is a very aggressive gesture to get the ball rolling on a first date.

A good compromise to the hand-shake/hug riddle is the hand clasp. Take her hand and then use your other hand to clasp both your hand and hers. You get the same warmth but without the awkward orangutan arm-waving theatrics normally associated with the hug.

I don't see why I that technique wouldn't work for women as well.

I usually kiss the hand of the girl on the first date. On succeeding dates, it can be a kiss on the cheek or a hug depending on how comfortable is the girl with me. A hand shake can be more formal and should be reserved in business transactions or at least when first introduced to each other and not on the date. Anyway, that is just a personal opinion.

I don't generally do first dates. I usually know the person already when we start dating, so a hug might be appropriate at that point. If it was a blind date or I really didn't know them that well, I'd be happy with just a wave and "hi!" or whatever. I'm more likely to follow their lead, though, and if they lean in for a hug, I wouldn't pull away or anything.