For the longest time I would use my children as an excuse not to hold hands...I'd be holding the kids instead! That would work unless someone reached over and touched my hand or shoulder instead. Ugh! Now I clasp my hands, bow my head and close my eyes. If someone attempts to hold hands I just shake my head. When I lived in the Milwaukee diocese the people would cross over the aisle to join hands trying to connect the entire congregation. I know those people hated me! I always sat in front and on the end and refused to move. Just my little way of protesting where the priest could see. I'm in a little bit better place now in the KC/St. Joe diocese. I am having to church shop but have found several possibilities!
When I was at my old Protestant/Catholic Community, the seniors who would go to Florida for the summer, would come back to the new innovations. They, living through Vatican II, would just go along with anything because they didn't know that they didn't have to, thought they were wrong and the rest of the church was right or didn't want to look out of place. Like Mrs. Don-O, you could see these poor people grimace when someone grabbed their hands and pulled them up for the "Group Orans"
I would sit in the last pew at the corner with my six year old. When the Our Father started I would tell her to close her eyes and think of Jesus. I began to notice smiles around me and we got a little group going of non-hand holders in the two back pews!
It was not long after that I escaped.