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The Latest
After-Christmas Thank You Notes — Who You Should Write Them To
You could send a thank you note to everyone who gave you a Christmas gift, but it’s not necessary for those you thanked in person. However, there are some people you really should write an after-Christmas thank you note to. Here, you’ll discover who they are! Christmas has passed. The parties are over. You’ve unwrapped all the gifts. And whether the party was memorable or something you’d rather forget, and whether the gift made you sigh with an audible “Ahhh! It’s perfect!” or a silent “Why in the world?”, the other person deserves a thank you. Sometimes it’s easy to gush over the party or gift we’re writing about. Sometimes we have to think hard to come up with what to write because we’re nicely giving the person an A for effort rather than for results. A lot of us already have thanked everyone in person or through text, email, voice-mail, or a phoneContinue Reading
The Top 10 Manners for Hosts and Guests on Christmas Day
Here are ten manners for hosts and guests on Christmas Day. When put into practice, if you’re having a great Christmas, they’ll help youContinue Reading
5 Questions Not to Ask at a Christmas…or Any Party
Knowing what not to say is often more important than knowing what to say. Here are five questions not to ask at a party –Continue Reading
Christmas Tipping – Your Complete Q&A Guide with Suggested Amounts
Here’s your simple and complete guide to holiday and Christmas tipping etiquette. You’ll find who is usually tipped, plus suggested tip amounts based on whatContinue Reading
Re-gifting Etiquette — How to Do It Graciously and What Not to Ignore
Sometimes re-gifting is perfectly fine, and sometimes it’s not. Because of this, there’s an etiquette of re-gifting that you don’t want to ignore.Continue Reading
The Latest
Oftentimes all eyes are on us when we open our Christmas gifts, and it can be nerve-wracking! Here you’ll find the 5 manners of opening gifts and the number-one don’t. Put these skills into practice, and you’ll always know theContinue Reading
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Christmas card etiquette helps you send out your Season’s Greetings with the warmth and good wishes you want them to have. From what to write under the printed message to how to sign the card and address the envelope, andContinue Reading
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When you’ve been invited to a dinner or party, most of the time it’s customary to bring a gift for the host or hostess as a way of showing your gratitude for having made the shortlist of guests toContinue Reading
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Because of shipping delays, Christmas 2021 is going to see more shoppers in the stores even with online shopping continuing to rise. With busy stores and fewer gifts to go around this year, now more than ever, we all needContinue Reading
Continue ReadingBusiness & Technology
What to Do Right Now Instead of Shaking Hands
By: Maralee McKee Most of us learned to shake hands when we were children, and we’ve been doing it ever since. Now, twenty, thirty, or more years later, it’s second nature to us. Shaking hands is a deeply rooted social custom in the U.S. and most of the Western world, and until a few months ago, it was considered good manners 101. There’s a New Alternative to Shaking Hands That Allows for Social Distancing Now, amid a pandemic, it’s anything but polite to extend your hand. In a matter of months, shaking hands has turned from a gesture of goodwill to one of lack of consideration for the health and safety of others. Yet for many of us, our right hand, almost instinctively, extends toward the other person. The good news is that there’s something to replace the goodwill, respect, and kindness expressed with a handshake! This new action also uses our right hand. YetContinue Reading
When to Stand and Why
By: Maralee McKee With the changing roles of women in the workplace, and workplace etiquette becoming more the norm in social situations (especially inContinue Reading
Opening and Holding the Door for Others – The Top 5 Manners
By: Maralee McKee There’s more to opening and holding the door for others than turning the knob or holding it for the next person.Continue Reading
10 Outdated Etiquette Rules You No Longer Want to Use
By: Maralee McKee Using outdated etiquette rules can make us seem stuffy and out-of-sync with the expected norms of today. Here are ten old-schoolContinue Reading
Social Skills & Special Occasions
How to Choose and Give the Perfect Hostess Gift
When you’ve been invited to a dinner or party, most of the time it’s customary to bring a gift for the host or hostess as a way of showing your gratitude for having made the shortlist of guests to attend out of all the people they know. There’s definitely an etiquette to picking the perfect hostess gift, and the gifts people most commonly give, sadly, are on the worst list instead of the best list. For instance, flowers, food, and, wine, with a few exceptions, are all on the worst list. (I’ll explain why!) If all the usual gifts aren’t the ones we should be giving, what is on the best list? I’ve got you covered! I’ll share examples. Plus, there are certain moments and methods for giving the gift that will help the host remember your kind gesture fondly and make sure that other guests who didn’t bring a gift don’t feel awkward.Continue Reading
By: Maralee McKee With the changing roles of women in the workplace, and workplace etiquette becoming more the norm in social situations (especially in the US), this area of etiquette has undergone almost a total revision from what itContinue Reading
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By: Maralee McKee Using outdated etiquette rules can make us seem stuffy and out-of-sync with the expected norms of today. Here are ten old-school etiquette rules you’ll want to retire so that you’ll come across as current, confident, andContinue Reading
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By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor You’ve just been handed a gift and are about to open it. All eyes are on you. If what’s in the box isn’t what you would have picked out for yourself, you hope your faceContinue Reading
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Here are ten habits of gracious ladies (and gentlemen) that we can all make our own. When we put them into practice, we’ll be gracious, confident, and savvy — admired traits personally, socially, and professionally. By: MaraleeContinue Reading
Continue ReadingDaily Life & Must-Knows
How to Say Grace Amazingly Well This Thanksgiving and Any Time — With Examples
Saying grace before a meal, whether you’re the host or guest, can be nerve-wracking. Here’s help for saying grace amazingly well in all situations. Why Many People Are Uncomfortable Praying or Saying Grace Aloud Two of the most common fears people share are public speaking and heights. I bet if we took a poll, we’d be surprised to find out that for a lot of folks, their third biggest fear is praying out loud, even if it’s around people they know. It ties in to the general fear of public speaking, but with praying or saying grace in front of others, there’s an extra added something that makes people feel they’ve got to get it perfect. After all, no one wants to be known as what Corbett, my youngest son, calls a bad “pray-er.” 🙂 When he was younger, after every prayer, the same short conversation would repeat itself: “Mom, did I do OK? IContinue Reading
Manners & More From Around the Web — Thanksgiving Edition
Here’s a curation of links from around the web gathered for your reading delight this Thanksgiving week! What really was on the menuContinue Reading
Links to Love from Around the Web- Valentine’s Edition!
By: Maralee McKee, The Etiquette of America Here’s a collection of links to love from around the web. You’ll find Valetine’s Day centered postsContinue Reading
Should You Send a Christmas Card to Someone Suffering a Loss This Year?
By: Maralee McKee, The Etiquette School of America Should you send a Christmas card to someone suffering a loss this year? Absolutely! InContinue Reading
Class, Confidence, & Conversation
5 Questions Not to Ask at a Christmas…or Any Party
Knowing what not to say is often more important than knowing what to say. Here are five questions not to ask at a party – at Christmas or any time. I find that people often have friends a lot like themselves. Because of this, we probably have quite a bit in common with other people at parties we attend hosted by our friends. Meeting friends of friends is a great way for us to make new friends ourselves. At least it is if we step out on the right foot! None of us mean to say the “wrong” thing; we all want to leave others with a good impression of ourselves. However, it happens to everyone. We ask a question without realizing the impact our words had on the other person. It seemed innocent to us, so what’s making the other person emotionally back away? The answer: We asked one of the five questions most oftenContinue Reading
Saying grace before a meal, whether you’re the host or guest, can be nerve-wracking. Here’s help for saying grace amazingly well in all situations. Why Many People Are Uncomfortable Praying or Saying Grace Aloud Two of the most common fearsContinue Reading
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Here are 19 easy ways to look better instantly today and every day! By: Nada Manley I used to love makeover shows, but I was always slightly dejected when each episode was over. There was no miraculous makeover in theContinue Reading
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By: Maralee McKee Let’s talk about glove etiquette, including dress gloves, winter gloves, and wearing gloves during flu season. See the end of this article for surprising advice on wearing gloves for protection from viruses. Today’s reader question about gloveContinue Reading
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By: Maralee McKee With the changing roles of women in the workplace, and workplace etiquette becoming more the norm in social situations (especially in the US), this area of etiquette has undergone almost a total revision from what itContinue Reading
Continue ReadingChildren & Family
How to Graciously Let Others Know You Won’t Be Buying Them a Gift This Year
How do you tell people you won’t be buying them Christmas gifts this year? For your news to be well-received, you need to address both the practical and the emotional side of giving presents. You’ll find seven how-tos below for graciously telling others you won’t be giving them a gift this holiday season without anyone thinking for even a moment that you’re Mr. or Ms. Scrooge. Christmas Season begins earlier and earlier every few years. A generation ago, it started the day after Thanksgiving. A generation before that, our great-grandparents celebrated the 12 Days of Christmas. And go back about 100 years or so, and most people put up their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve for a two-day celebration. But now, as soon as a pumpkin spice anything is back on the menu at Starbucks, you know that stores are decorating for the holidays, and Christmas sales are being touted as “Pre-Pre-Black Friday BonusContinue Reading
5 Tips for Getting Your Child to Say Thank You at Christmas and Always
Getting our children to say thank you and actually mean it isn’t easy, but it’s more than possible! Here are the five most important tipsContinue Reading
When to Stand and Why
By: Maralee McKee With the changing roles of women in the workplace, and workplace etiquette becoming more the norm in social situations (especially inContinue Reading
Opening and Holding the Door for Others – The Top 5 Manners
By: Maralee McKee There’s more to opening and holding the door for others than turning the knob or holding it for the next person.Continue Reading
Holidays, Dining, & Entertaining
After-Christmas Thank You Notes — Who You Should Write Them To
You could send a thank you note to everyone who gave you a Christmas gift, but it’s not necessary for those you thanked in person. However, there are some people you really should write an after-Christmas thank you note to. Here, you’ll discover who they are! Christmas has passed. The parties are over. You’ve unwrapped all the gifts. And whether the party was memorable or something you’d rather forget, and whether the gift made you sigh with an audible “Ahhh! It’s perfect!” or a silent “Why in the world?”, the other person deserves a thank you. Sometimes it’s easy to gush over the party or gift we’re writing about. Sometimes we have to think hard to come up with what to write because we’re nicely giving the person an A for effort rather than for results. A lot of us already have thanked everyone in person or through text, email, voice-mail, or a phoneContinue Reading
Here are ten manners for hosts and guests on Christmas Day. When put into practice, if you’re having a great Christmas, they’ll help you insure that others do, too! And if you’re disappointed enough that you’re about to letContinue Reading
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Knowing what not to say is often more important than knowing what to say. Here are five questions not to ask at a party – at Christmas or any time. I find that people often have friends a lotContinue Reading
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Here’s your simple and complete guide to holiday and Christmas tipping etiquette. You’ll find who is usually tipped, plus suggested tip amounts based on what others give. Thriftiness is a virtue, so it’s a positive thing that manyContinue Reading
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Sometimes re-gifting is perfectly fine, and sometimes it’s not. Because of this, there’s an etiquette of re-gifting that you don’t want to ignore. It’s one most people don’t know, and it’s this unknown (and thus unfollowed) etiquette thatContinue Reading
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