It's more hygienic to exchange kisses on the cheek than to shake hands, so the swine flu pandemic should not make people afraid of kissing under the mistletoe this holiday season, Britain's authority on etiquette says.

But Debrett's, an etiquette publication, warns people to observe proper etiquette by kissing others on the cheek instead of the lips and to avoid touching the person being kissed except on the shoulder or the upper arms.

Debrett's etiquette adviser Jo Bryant warned people who are not feeling well to avoid parties altogether.

She also urged those who have been drinking a lot to steer away from the mistletoe — because their "social skills will be impaired." She did not elaborate on the swine flu implications of that.

Santa precautions

Elsewhere in Europe, Hungary's state health authority said Santa Claus should avoid avoid kissing children and shaking their hands to prevent spreading the flu and should get vaccinated against the illness.

In Hungary, Santa Claus traditionally comes on Dec. 6, when children find gifts in shoes placed on window sills the night before.

"For Santa Clauses, prevention is especially important as they meet lots of children in early December, and therefore they face a high risk of infection," the authority said on its official website over the weekend.

"If Santa Claus is elderly, overweight or has a chronic illness, and therefore belongs to a high risk group concerning the flu … then getting a vaccination against the flu is particularly important," it added.

A Santa school in Calgary and a professional Santa group in the U.S. have also issued hygiene advice, such as asking everybody to sanitize their hands before visiting with Jolly Old Saint Nick.

The number of flu cases in Hungary jumped by more than 22,000 in a week, the country's health authorities said last week. The increase was partly attributed to H1N1.