How about all the attempted hugging during the “sign of Peace?
That “huggy” stuff gets to me. It is minimal at my home parish, but when I’ve traveled (again with the exception of the Bytantine parish in Williamsburg, VA and the Maronite parish in Roanoke, VA), I thought I was at some sort of love-in. Everybody going into turbo-hug mode. I’ve snatched my hands away more times at the “Our Father” when I’ve traveled....and the looks I get when I do! LOL!
Kissy-face/huggy-bear stuff is fine outside of Mass. A simple handshake and smile or nod and smile is enough for Mass.
>>How about all the attempted hugging during the “sign of Peace?<<
Handle it one of two ways....
1. Sneeze into your hand, wipe your nose on your sleeve and pucker up as you lean in for that hug
or
2. Scratch your head, smile sweetly and say “Lice”
Hugs are too much! But what about people who cannot stick with the simple “peace be with you” but have to come up with their own clever variations, like “God’s light be upon you” or “Peace and love!”
I've got a worse one than that. I'm an interpreter for the deaf at Mass. Unfortunately in the Parish where I interpret, everyone holds hands during the "Our Father." My deaf congregants want to sign the Lord's Prayer with me. However, on occasion some hearing parishoners actually go and try to grab their hands, even though up to this point they've clearly identified themselves as deaf by signing things like the Responsorial Psalm, the Penitential Rite, etc.
So not only are the hearing congregants doing something un-liturgical, they are impeding the worship of someone else.