- Cuddle party
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A cuddle party or cuddle puddle is an event designed with the intention of allowing people to experience non-sexual group physical intimacy through cuddling.[1]
Cuddle parties are described by organizers as "workshop/social-events" that gives adults an opportunity to "give and receive welcomed affectionate touch in a no-expectation, friendly setting, according to your needs, desires, interests, and boundaries." Cuddle parties are described as non-sexual events but kissing may occur at some parties.[2]
A cuddle party is a group experience, while the one-on-one analog is a cuddlebuddy relationship. However, "cuddle-buddies" are almost always ongoing relationships after being formed from prior relationships (friendship, etc). Whereas in formal cuddle parties usually each person only has prior bonds with part of the total membership and the membership relationships are often not ongoing (e.g. same group may never meet again or only a few times).
Maybe referred to as a "puppy pile party" or "Contact Comfort Gathering" depending on the political sensitivities of the sponsor.
Events have occurred across the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montgomery, Alabama, Seattle, Boston, Minneapolis, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Chicago and Kansas City, Howland, Ohio; and abroad reaching Toronto, and Vancouver, Canada, London, England, Melbourne, Brisbane, Australia, Berlin, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Denmark and Gothenburg, Sweden.
Contents
History
Reid Mihalko[3] and Marcia Baczynski,[4] a pair of self-described "relationship coaches" in New York City, founded Cuddle Party[5] in New York on February 29, 2004. According to their website, the events were initially created for friends who were too intimidated to attend Mihalko's informal massage workshops. Upon publication of the Cuddle Party website, the events were opened to the general public, and, thanks to a swarm of media attention, became a phenomenon in New York.[6][7][8][9]
In order to meet the demand for Cuddle Parties in other cities, Mihalko and Baczynski began a training and certification program in January 2005, and have since trained a number of individuals to facilitate Cuddle Parties in various cities. As the Cuddle Party people decided there were to be rules and restrictions they instituted the no sex rule.[10][11]
Media
- A cuddle party was featured on an episode of CSI: New York titled "Grand Murder at Central Station".[12][13][14]
- Cuddle parties received a 'Wag of the Finger' from Stephen Colbert on the April 29, 2008 episode of The Colbert Report.
- Penn & Teller's Bullshit!, season 3, episode 4 includes a short segment about a cuddle party.
- In an episode of King of the Hill Peggy asks Boomhauer, Bill, and Dale if they have heard of cuddle parties to determine whether or not they are "cool".
- A cuddle party was featured on an episode of the popular TV Series An Idiot Abroad
See also
References
- ^ New York Magazine
- ^ "Need A Lift? It May Be Just A Cuddle Away — Cuddle Parties Are Nonsexual Ways Of Getting The Human Touch". NBC 10 Philadelphia. November 10, 2004. http://www.nbc10.com/news/3900430/detail.html. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ Washington Post
- ^ Telegraph.co.uk
- ^ Cuddleparty.com
- ^ People
- ^ ABC News
- ^ New York Observer
- ^ Seattle Times
- ^ Gothamist
- ^ Dailycal.org
- ^ "The CSIs Get Cuddly On 'Grand Murder At Central Station'". CSI Files. http://www.csifiles.com/news/310705_01.shtml. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Orange County Cuddle Party. http://www.oc-cuddle.com/html/frequently_asked_questions__fa.html#HowAreLimitsEnforced. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
- ^ "Cuddle Party". NYDailyNews.com. http://www.nyDailyNews.com. Retrieved 2007-05-01.
Categories:- Interpersonal relationships
- Non-sexuality
- Parties
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