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tips4me.com - social etiquette | SOCIAL ETIQUETTE |  | | TOP 5 ETIQUETTE TIPS FOR A GREAT HOLIDAY |  | |
Here are some simple tips to keep in mind, to make your family vacation a little more memorable and easy:
1. There is no bigger turn off on vacation than a family member who's got his or her mind at work or has actually brought it along. Avoid discussing work totally as it is bound to disrupt ruin the holiday feeling.
2. Have frequent discussions with your family members/kids/younger siblings about acceptable behaviors prior to departure. Set mutually acceptable rules ahead of time regarding things like manners, holiday bedtime, eating habits, pocket money, curfews, shopping budgets, etc.. Involving membes in the rule making will help them to understand why the rules are there in the first place and oblige accordingly.
3. Often things may not go as planned; an expected strike or weather changes may disrupt plans. Take these changes in your stride and draw other alternatives, even if it means dumb charades in your hotel room. The idea is to have fun.
4. Avoid losing your cool when the room is not up to the mark or the flight is delayed, or the museum was shut for the day and you were leaving that night. Laughing about it, and taking it in your stride will only help keep the holiday spirit.
5.Go with the flow – let the majority win always. Don't be too demanding or domineering or inflexible. You will be labeled the spoil sport.
| | Tips For A Polite Holi! | |
Water balloons, colors and a whole lot of festivity might be in the air when Holi comes around next month, but that doesn’t mean you forget your basic manners. Here are a few tips on how to be well-behaved this Holi and keep the fun clean.
| Splashing color on everyone around you might seem to go with the festive atmosphere, but do exercise some caution in who you smear. You might offend someone you don’t know if you are over-familiar and smear them with color without having ever even spoken to them. Stick to your friends and family, the ones you know will appreciate your festivity. | | Hitting people with water balloons might seem like a lot of fun, but that’s all it should be. Make sure you’re not bruising someone in the process. Be very wary with elders, children and anyone who may be recovering from an illness or bruise. | | Another thing you must consider is that not everyone might be as enthusiastic as you are about celebrating Holi. This may be especially true for senior citizens and children. Even so much as threatening them jokingly with color might frighten them. Appreciate that some people’s idea of fun may be very different from yours. | | Children should be encouraged to stick to their relatively harmless water pistols and few colors. Do not be the one to introduce them to dark oil paints and harmful balloons as they may cause much damage to others in their innocent use of these things. | | If you’re one of the Holi extremists who have a knack for experimenting with food items such as tomatoes, eggs and the like, make sure that the party at the other end feels the same way. Your etiquette gaffe might have you throwing an egg at a strict vegetarian, which will offend and might earn you a bad reputation. | | Although it might be really hard to adhere to boundaries at a time like Holi, you have to! Respect anyone who says ‘no’ and don’t forcibly smear him/her ‘just-a-little-bit’ if they’ve told you they’ve declined your invitation to join in the fun. | | Lastly, everyone’s idea of celebrating Holi is different. If you’re being asked to play in a way you don’t really want to, politely decline the offer. Be firm now and it can save you some nasty repercussions later. | | | How To Become The ‘Most-Wanted’ Guest | |
Many of us often forget that there is a certain kind of decorum to be followed even if you’re a guest. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:
| Pay equal attention to the hosts and other guests. Many of us tend to latch on to people we’re familiar with or those that we haven’t met in a long time and tend to spend most of the evening catching up. | | Don’t make the mistake of whispering or communicating in a language not everyone know. Such mannerisms could indicate that you wish to convey something that you don’t want the others to know. | | No matter which social event you’re a guest at, make sure you flatter or at least compliment the hosts. Guests, who make positive statements about the hosts, their family, home, food or some aspect of the evening, can be sure to be well received for the most of the their future gatherings. | | Try to stay till the end of the meal, even if you’re in a hurry to go. It is considered extremely rude if you wish to leave early while the other guests are still getting done with their main course. (Avoid doing this with the permission of the host as well, where he can’t really refuse you leaving. ) | | If you have promised to be present make sure you are there. The host has probably taken efforts to make the evening special keeping you in mind. Saying ‘something came up’ at the last minute is inconsiderate. | | Remember your `Thank you’ and acknowledge efforts made by the host. | | | PARTYING RIGHT! | |
Even if it's the most fantastic party that you've attended there will always be something or rather someone that might seem a tad out of place. It could be the clothes or the things that people say that are rather inappropriate for the occasion in question. Remember that conducting yourself gracefully is a combination of everything from the way you look to the things you say. Since the party-heavy season is around the corner here are a few tips that should get you through most of the social do's.
| Keep in mind the occasion and the kind of people that will be there. This should give you a fair idea of the kind of clothes that you should be wearing. If you're unsure, you can ask a friend or call up the host. | | Once at the event, the possibility of you being thrown into a pool of unfamiliar people is quite good. Smalltalk might seem cheap, but at occasions such as these, it is quite a necessity. More often than not, there will always be something that you and another person have in common. In the case where boredom gets the better of you, politely excuse yourself and look for familiar territory. Often, in the spur of the moment, you may tend to bad mouth something that might annoy you. Often, this isn't such a good idea in a social situation such as this. There will be people around and someone other than the person you're talking to could hear you, often not to your advantage. | | One of the last but most important things you should keep in mind is the alcohol intake. Experimenting with drinks might not be the best idea if you're around a lot of people you don't know. Stick to the usual. Also, drink a little less than you always do. This way you're pretty safe, and having a good time. | | | DO YOU HAVE THE SPORTSMAN’S SPIRIT? Girija Naiksatam | |
No matter what the game – on a field or indoors with a board – having a sporting spirit is essential. We've all heard of 'bad losers' and obnoxious team mates – those people who just can't stand to lose and generally get on their team mates' nerves. How can you ensure you aren't one of those people when at play?
| Make sure you are present at the required place at the required time with all your gear in place. Formal sporting events run on a tight schedule and you shouldn't be the one disrupting it. | | If you are on a team and have a coach in charge, know that he has the final say. Avoid arguing and creating a scene even if you believe you're right! | | Blowing one's own trumpet and boasting about your skill doth not a fine sportsperson make! Trying to scare newbies by telling them about your past victories just reflects very poor character! | | The biggest challenge arrives when one's team loses. It is very essential to keep a tab on your reactions. Losing might be disappointing, but what's worse is making an obnoxious public display of your disappointment. | | Conduct yourself as gracefully as possible. Keep the phrase 'good game' handy. Make sure to congratulate all the players, no matter which team you are on. | | | | | | HELLO? ARE YOU BEING POLITE? | |
Telephonic conversations are needed constantly whether at work or for personal reasons. These basic etiquette tips will ensure you don’t offend anyone at the other end of the line!
| While answering a call, do not scream or use a harsh voice. Begin softly saying, “Hello” and introduce yourself. | | | In case of a poor connection or when you are abruptly disconnected, the individual who originated the call is responsible for calling back the other party. | | | If your phone has caller ID, avoid greeting a caller by using his name before he says "Hello" and identifies himself. | | | If you want to leave a voice mail message on the phone, repeat your name and telephone number twice, clearly. | | | Always ask the person you’re talking to for permission before putting him on speaker phone. | | | | | | IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START! | | |
As parents of young children, you’re surely used to temper tantrums and screaming fits. Children under the age of ten are especially used to getting their way using any means possible, and parents often just get used to dealing with all the kicking and screaming. It can be embarrassing though when this happens in public places like quiet restaurants or movie theatres.
It’s never too early to start teaching your children good manners. Children pick up new habits very easily at young ages and so this is just the right time to mould their personalities. It’ll be easier to teach your young children manners rather than break their bad habits when they’re older.
One key way of ensuring your children pay attention when you’re teaching them good manners is to not lecture them but make manners fun. Create catchy phrases and rules which you can remind them of in front of company maybe as an inside joke. For instance, the “No See Food” rule tells a kid no one should be able to see his food once it’s inside his mouth! This means no eating a second bite while they’re still chewing the first and no chewing with their mouths open!
Here’s an interesting way to teach your kids to remember their P’s and Q’s from popular children’s writer Enid Blyton. In one of her short stories, the mother of a young girl who never remembers to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ pins a newspaper cut-out in the shape of ‘P’ or ‘Q’ to her dress each time she neglects to use the words. Every time she remembers, one of the letters is unpinned. The girl has to walk around school and even go to a friend’s birthday party with newspaper P’s and Q’s pinned all over her dress! A great way to teach your kids lessons they’ll never forget.
Finally, turning manners into games makes the rules of etiquette fun for kids. Games succeed when the entire family participates in them – adults and kids alike. So let’s say every time someone puts their elbows on the table, they have to stand up and sing a song in front of everyone as their punishment! You’ll find your children eagerly noticing others’ elbows and taking great care to keep theirs off the table!
The most important thing to remember is that children do as they see. If you keep your elbows on the table or talk while eating, so will they. Children learn a lot through emulation, so you can only raise a well-mannered child if you’re a well-mannered parent!
| | IMPORTANT ETIQUETTE TIPS WHILE ATTENDING MASS | |
Mass is a time for spiritual reflection. Respecting the sanctity of this institution is paramount, and by doing so you’d be making the attendance of Mass a pleasant experience for yourself and your fellow churchgoers.
Here are some etiquette guidelines to keep in mind when attending mass.
| 1. | Appropriate Attire
Churchgoers of all ages should dress conservatively. Coat and tie is appropriate for men, but not required. Women should wear modest dresses, skirts and slacks. Avoid tank tops, short skirts or tight-fitting clothing. | | 2. | Arriving On Time
Arrive at least ten minutes before Mass begins. This helps reduce distractions and provides time to get settled. Latecomers should wait to be seated by ushers so as not to disrupt the service and the congregation. | | 3. | Entering The Church
It is optional to bless yourself with holy water, but as a sign of respect for the Blessed Sacrament, genuflect before taking your seat. Slide over to the center of the pew to accommodate others who arrive after you. | | 4. | Quiet Time
The liturgy is not the time to socialize. Instead one ought to sit silently and pray. Turn off cell phones and pagers. Additionally, one must avoid chewing gum or candy while at church. | | 5. | Kneeling
Respect for the Eucharist demands that one kneel without leaning back on the pew. Be careful not to drop or bang into the prayer kneelers. If ill or disabled, it is acceptable to remain seated. | | 6. | Communion
Receive the holy Eucharist with reverence, bow slightly and respond “Amen.” If receiving the host by hand, place the left hand over the right (or opposite if you are left handed) and raise your arms slightly. | | 7. | Leaving The Church
The final part of Mass is singing a closing hymn. Leaving before the hymn ends is inappropriate. Genuflect toward the altar before leaving the pew or at the end of the pew. | | | | | | |
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