Over half of Israelis to get a New Year's kiss'

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Some 55 percent of Israelis will kiss their significant other during New Year's celebrations, according to a poll published on Sunday. Sponsored by lip balm maker Blistex, the poll also showed that 7.5% of Israelis were not planning to kiss anybody, while 3.3% were ready to kiss any willing person during New Year's parties. More men than women said that they were willing to kiss anybody - 5% of men as opposed to 2.8% of women. In addition, the poll suggested a correlation between one's income and one's chances of getting kissed. Of those who earned NIS 7,000 or less, 37.7% said they would kiss somebody, as opposed to 59.9% of those earning between NIS 7,000 and NIS 10,000, and 67.4% of those earning more than NIS 10,000. More secular Israelis than traditional Israelis said they would kiss during New Year's - 58.4% of secular Israelis as opposed to 47.2% of traditional Israelis. In addition, 30.8% of traditional Israelis said they did not believe in the New Year's tradition of kissing at midnight. The poll was also divided along geographical lines, and showed that in the Sharon region 62.8% would get a kiss, versus 47.1% in Haifa and the North, 54.4% in the Tel Aviv region, and 58.1% in Jerusalem and the South.