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The Latest
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. By: Maralee McKee Christmas Season begins earlier and earlier every few years. A generation ago, it started the day after Thanksgiving. A generation or so 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 toutedContinue Reading
19 Easy Ways to Look Better Instantly
Here are 19 easy ways to look better instantly today and every day! By: Nada Manley I used to love makeover shows, but I wasContinue Reading
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, orContinue Reading
Social Distancing Etiquette
By: Maralee McKee Social distancing etiquette is brand-new. But in the midst of the pandemic, we’ve had to create it to establish safe guidelines. AmidContinue Reading
Glove Etiquette: The Top 7 Things To Know
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 articleContinue Reading
The Latest
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 it...
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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. That’s why when you know the five manners of opening every door, you unlock a...
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By: Maralee McKee Valentine’s Day: the most romantic, lovey-dovey, glorious day of affection, gifts, and expressions of love of the year. Or it’s a day you wish you could sleep through so you don’t have to look at even one...
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By: Maralee McKee You’ve probably heard the much quoted joke about the couple that’s been married for decades. The wife asks her husband, “Why don’t you ever tell me you love me?” The husband dryly answers, “I told you on...
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
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 in the US), this area of etiquette has undergone almost a total revision from what it was 25 or 30 years ago. If you haven’t checked out the etiquette of when to stand and why since you were taught it by your mom or grandmother, you’ll want to incorporate these modern manners into your everyday encounters so that your interactions are in sync with today’s best practices. The manners are easy to learn. And with these skills at hand, you’ll be able to rise to the occasion (literally and figuratively!) to interact with ease and graciousness as you greet and interact with colleagues, new friends and old, and family members! Here’s What We’ll Discover! What are best practices for when a man should stand? Should a woman stand to greet a man?Continue Reading
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, and...
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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 face...
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By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor 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...
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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: Maralee...
Continue ReadingDaily Life & Must-Knows
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
Social Distancing Etiquette
By: Maralee McKee Social distancing etiquette is brand-new. But in the midst of the pandemic, we’ve had to create it to establish safe guidelines. AmidContinue 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
Class, Confidence, & Conversation
19 Easy Ways to Look Better Instantly
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 the cards for me. There was no easy way for me to look better instantly. I was already giving it everything I had. But was I really? Sure, I was doing most of the big stuff, from semi-regular haircuts to flattering everyday makeup, but some of the smaller stuff had fallen through the cracks. Fortunately, I’ve learned, and that’s why I compiled this list of the little things; small improvements that yield big results. 19 Easy Ways to Look Better Instantly 1. Whiten Your Teeth or Let Lipstick Help You Do It Nothing makes you look prettier and more approachable than a bright, healthy smile. As Charla Krupp once famously proclaimed, yellow teeth are aging! Fortunately, they are soContinue Reading
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 glove...
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 it...
Continue Reading
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. That’s why when you know the five manners of opening every door, you unlock a...
Continue Reading
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, and...
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. By: Maralee McKee Christmas Season begins earlier and earlier every few years. A generation ago, it started the day after Thanksgiving. A generation or so 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 toutedContinue Reading
Trick or Treat Manners for Kids and Grown-Ups, Too!
By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor There actually is Halloween etiquette on this most laid-back of days. Families have different traditions for taking part inContinue Reading
Do You Know Your Etiquette I.Q.? Find Out Here!
Etiquette and manners best practices are often not what our first instincts tell us. Take this fun modern manners and etiquette quiz and put your knowledgeContinue Reading
Forgetting Someone’s Name — What to Do
By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor Forgetting someone’s name leaves us feeling awkward. We can all relate because it’s happened to everyone more than once, andContinue Reading
Holidays, Dining, & Entertaining
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. By: Maralee McKee Christmas Season begins earlier and earlier every few years. A generation ago, it started the day after Thanksgiving. A generation or so 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 toutedContinue Reading
By: Maralee McKee Valentine’s Day: the most romantic, lovey-dovey, glorious day of affection, gifts, and expressions of love of the year. Or it’s a day you wish you could sleep through so you don’t have to look at even one...
Continue Reading
By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor You can make this your best year ever. No New Year’s resolutions required! That’s a good thing, because while 62 percent of us make them either frequently or sometimes, only eight percent of us ever...
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You could send a thank you note to everyone who gave you a Christmas gift, but it’s not necessary if you thanked them in person. However, there are three persons you really should write an after-Christmas thank you note to;...
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By: Maralee McKee, Manners Mentor It’s 10 AM Christmas morning, and you’re already asking yourself, “Why in the world did I agree to this?” You tell yourself that it’s not all bad. But you don’t fool easily. This isn’t how...
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