Have you ever ended a message with one or multiple “X’s” and wondered why? It is universally known that the X at the end of a message means sending someone a kiss. However, it has been sealing love letters and messages for centuries, and the history around it is a lot steamier than you’d expect!
There were even some “X=Kiss” scandals throughout history. One of the biggest ones was In 1898 when a British woman sued her Ex-Fiancé for going back on his promise to marry her. She presented over 1000 letters with more than 15.000 handwritten “kisses” as evidence of his affection for her. While it became more mainstream in the following decades, this is not the origin of the written kiss. Keep on reading to discover where it actually came from!
The Myth vs. The Truth of the Handwritten Kiss
One of the most popular theories on the origin of “X” is that illiterate people would sign documents with a cross and then seal them with a literal kiss to show sincerity. However, it turns out that “X” was just one of many secret love symbols that people started using.
Before “X” took over, Victorians got creative, using ink blots, wax dots, and coded marks to smuggle flirty messages past nosy parents. “X” eventually won out, becoming shorthand for affection. By the 20th century, it was so popular that military censors briefly banned it during WWII, fearing it gave soldiers too much emotional attachment to home.
A Tradition That Stuck
While French and Spanish lovers kept writing out ‘bises’ and ‘besos,’ English speakers embraced “X” as the universal sign of a kiss. Fast-forward to today, and we’re still dropping flirty “X”s in texts, DMs, and love notes. So next time you add an “X” to your spicy message, just know—you’re carrying on a romantic tradition that’s been melting hearts for centuries.
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- Featured Image credit: Dylan Sauerwein/Unsplash
