Xoxo, which of the X's and O's be hugs and kisses?

I don't exactly remember the first time someone told me "xoxo". I do know who has used it in conversation with me the most though, one of my best friends. She's Francophone and from what I have come to know about Francophone women, things that some of us think are a bit 'romantic' like kissing on cheeks, they see as more 'platonic'. If you've not seen it in action, you are obviously missing out. Anyway, for a long time, I knew 'xoxo' stood for hugs and kisses. But what are the X's and O's?

Sorry, as much as I would have enjoyed that too, we are not really talking about x's and o's, that of the basketball court. We are not talking tactics to winning games here, but don't you be thinking these 'hugs and kisses' are tactics towards winning some lady's heart. It's a rather harmless greeting that is rather endearing. So you can use it as such. "Talk to you later. Xoxo, Ato". But does 'X' stand for hugs or is it 'O' rather? I could have googled it but what's the fun in that? So I decided to ask.

So #xoxo sef.. Which one be hugs then which one be kisses?
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) April 8, 2013

On Facebook, Jemila mentioned "o = hugs. think of arms around u. x = kisses..... I guess we can think of x representing pursed lips."  So we set out to find out what pursed lips were, and Jemila was backed by Essie, and we had this photo to show. See how the baby has pursed her lips? See the 'x' in there. Yeap, that shows x signifies "kisses". While Samuel was trying to cause mischief (hehe), I really thought "Haha.. But the arms cross each other o.. So that is x too, And the os can be kisses... See how the lips come out n an o happens in the middle lol" But as Jemila rightly pointed out, we wrap our arms around people when we hug them, and we don't cross the arms and leave the hands unattached to the body. Unless, you do some of those half-hugs aka church hugs. (Wait, I have them mixed up?) This statement pretty much settled the debate. "the pic denotes PURSED LIPS. Which is what a kiss is born from. - your lips drawing together = x = pursed lips."

@abocco the hugs be o o. Wey the kisses be x x so e go make #xoxo
— Frank Bruce (@kwasireports) April 8, 2013

Kwasi came to report the answer on Twitter.  But then Mimi disagreed. By then, I had been sold on the other answer so I convinced her otherwise.

Xsfor hugs,Os for kisses"@abocco: So #xoxo sef.. Which one be hugs then which one be kisses?"
— Funmilayo Adekunle (@Mimi_Ciqu) April 8, 2013

@mimi_ciqu people are saying its the other way around o! Hugs have arms wrapped... Which means o lol
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) April 8, 2013

Now that you know, you don't have free reign to go use "xoxo" as a sign-off to an email or conversation o. If you create any weird moments, don't come and credit me. But then again, what do you really have to lose? Try it :-) It's like using the Facebook Poke feature, as innocent as it is risque. :-) But for real, the use of 'xoxo' is for people who are special to you. You can all come for the O's but the X's are reserved. Except for the cheeky ones we'd pull off courtesy our Francophone friends ;-)

But really, if 'xoxo' is hugs and kisses, and the 'x' is for kiss and the 'o' is for hug, why don't people say kisses and hugs. Let's end the confusion, let's all write or speak "xoxo" to say "kisses and hugs". :-)

PS: those of you causing confusion with your 'x', 'xx', 'xxx' usage, unless you are Francophone, watch the way you use it o. Mimi has already alerted us

@mimi_ciqu random.people usig x means kisses abi? I dont think xxx is hugs lol
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) April 8, 2013

PPS:  What was the point of this blog post? Okay, I added too much info but if you don't know the point of this blog post, you miss road.