Signifying sunshine, beauty and freedom, butterflies are ubiquitous in our culture, ever-present on greeting cards and used to sell everything from oven chips to SUVs.
But almost everyone avoids handshakes when greeting friends and family, instead bumping elbows or moving a hand towards the heart.
Then there is the middle aged man who has been visiting for follow up, and thinks I am fed up of seeing him again, but doesn't realise that I secretly look forward to his cheery greeting as he energetically strides into my room greeting me with friendly familiarity by the shortened version of my first name.
European Union officials are not necessarily known for their sharp one-liners, but European commission head Jean-Claude Juncker had a scathing welcome for Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban at a summit in Riga on Friday, greeting him with "Hello, dictator".
He was in his element on the campaign trail – stealing the show in a TV debate on independence, a joust with opponents in a public meeting in Portree or greeting people on the streets of Dunfermline.
"Here is the president greeting the people with his smile that expresses kindness," it said.
The Daily Star continues: After the prayer, Assad was shown [on state TV] spending time with other worshippers, greeting and chatting with some of them.
Mr. Bouley is not really the chef at Brushstroke, though he can sometimes be seen in the large open kitchen or strolling the dining room in a fine dress shirt beneath his crisp chef's jacket, greeting guests.
There should be no physical contact when greeting guests, and the hotel's visiting card should be presented with both hands.
As ill-judged handshake go, there's no beating Nevill Chamberlain's greeting of Adolf Hitler in September 1938 in Germany.
Interviewed on his return to Paris with regard to his impressions of London, M Zola said: "I must thank my friends in England for their greeting.
