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We love it when the news is as soft and fuzzy and huggy-wuggy as a roll of Charmin. Especially on a Friday. So here's the latest soft-as-a-baby's-bottom news out of Sweden: They like to hug. A lot. And there we were thinking that the country was full of model types with ice-blue eyes who like to double-cheek-kiss just to make us feel like lumbering, uncouth Americans. But no: ninety percent of Swedes hug someone at least once a week, 25 percent hug same-sex colleagues at least once a week, and 14 percent hug opposite-colleagues. (Though only 4% attempt to hug it out with the big boss.) But here's our favorite stat: 55% of Swedes would hug a stranger who had just found their wallet. We can't even imagine getting a high-five for that in this country.

But then again, perhaps that's a good thing. Maybe we spent too many years living in New York City, but with personal space at a premium and manners on the wane, we're not sure that random acts of hugging is really what we need. But maybe we just don't get hugging. After all, when we read about those Cuddle Parties that the kids were throwing in Williamsburg, all we could think of was people trying to cop a feel. That's just a lot of body contact to share with someone over a returned stack of credit cards. Because what is a hug if not a snapshot of a slow dance? And everyone who's been to junior prom knows what slow dances are good for.