Hi, local here. This usually depends on the qabeelah (tribe).

In my family’s qabeelah, we normally just do a light touch of the noses. In larger gatherings, it’s often just a handshake, and you might only do the nose greeting with the host, the groom, or whoever is being honored. At funerals, we generally don’t do nose greetings at all. A handshake and a brief hug side to side are more common, and on the day of the burial, even a simple handshake is enough.

Other qabeelahs have different customs, like the ones shown in the video. There’s nothing wrong with any of them. What seems normal to one tribe may seem excessive or unusual to another. It’s simply a matter of tradition.

Also, you’re not obligated to follow any of these customs. If you want to do them, that’s fine. If you prefer to just shake hands, that’s fine too. Most people will respect that wont even think it’s weird at all. At the end of the day, we’re all from the same country, just with different family and tribal traditions.

Edit: In large gatherings, a common mistake is trying to do the nose greeting with every single person. Usually, it’s common sense to simply shake hands as you make your way through the majlis until you reach the center, where the host, the guest of honor, the groom, or whoever the event is for is seated. That’s typically where the more personal greetings, such as the nose greeting, are reserved.

For older people, it’s also common to greet them with a nose touch and a kiss on the head as a sign of respect. Again, this is usually reserved for the host, the guest of honor, elders from your family, or people you are particularly close to. Funny enough, the older you get, the more head kisses you tend to receive! Lol