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The Latest
The 5 Manners of Valentine’s Day Everyone Should Know
By: Maralee McKee People seem to have either one of two thoughts about Valentine’s Day. Some see it as the most romantic, glorious day of affection, gifts, and expressions of love of the year. Others view it as a day they wish they could sleep through so they didn’t have to look at even one gushing, bouquet-carrying, heart-shaped-chocolate-eating, drunk-on-love person. I’ve been on both sides of the Valentine’s Day love fest, and on both sides feelings are deep and emotions are high. There’s a problem with the way we celebrate Valentine’s Day. It should never hurt, because it should never be an either-or day. Valentine’s Day should be a day when no one feels left out. That’s because everyone is loved by someone, and that someone (or lots of someones) should express it. The day would be sweeter if there were less stress about gifts, dinners, and flowers. It would be sweeter if there wereContinue Reading
Links to Love from Around the Web- Valentine’s Edition!
By: Maralee McKee Here’s a collection of links to love from around the web. You’ll find Valetine’s Day centered posts and more. Enjoy!!! What isContinue Reading
5 Simple, Savvy, Sincere Ways to Show Your Love
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’tContinue Reading
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.Continue 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
The Latest
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
Continue ReadingHere’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
Continue ReadingSometimes 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
Continue ReadingOftentimes 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
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
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
Social Skills & Special Occasions
Daily Life & Must-Knows
Links to Love from Around the Web- Valentine’s Edition!
By: Maralee McKee Here’s a collection of links to love from around the web. You’ll find Valetine’s Day centered posts and more. Enjoy!!! What is The History of Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day history is anything but romantic. Different theories abound, but the most common ones contain pagen rituals and, yikes, decapatation. Here, from NPR, is the dark histroy of the origins of our modern Valentine’s Day. Who was St. Valentine, and Why Was He Martyred? There are actually two priests named Valentine that were martyred by the same Roman emporer. Both are tied to our celebration of love. This priest stayed true to his convictions and contrary to the orders of the emporer he refused to stop performing marriage cermonies. How Did Valentine’s Day Get Known for Love? The idea that Valentine’s Day is for celebrating love is believed to have originated in this epic 699 line poem by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parliment of Fowls. ItContinue 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
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
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
Continue ReadingBy: 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
Continue ReadingChildren & Family
5 Simple, Savvy, Sincere Ways to Show Your Love
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 our wedding day. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.” It’s a classic case of a couple with differing expectations of the need for and the how-to of ways to show their love for one another. In the joke, the example is so obvious that no one can miss it. However, in millions of important close relationships of every type (marriages, dating, best friends, parent and child, adult child and parent, adult siblings…), the same thing happens in ways that aren’t obvious. In fact, to notice them you have to be looking for them. And looking for ways to love other people that speak to their heart is exactly what we want to do so thatContinue Reading
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 bothContinue Reading
How to Express Gratitude Around Your Thanksgiving Table — 7 Easy and Unique Ideas
Saying thanks around our Thanksgiving table is the core of Thanksgiving Day. The holiday is a special 24 hours set aside for us not onlyContinue Reading
Holidays, Dining, & Entertaining
The 5 Manners of Valentine’s Day Everyone Should Know
By: Maralee McKee People seem to have either one of two thoughts about Valentine’s Day. Some see it as the most romantic, glorious day of affection, gifts, and expressions of love of the year. Others view it as a day they wish they could sleep through so they didn’t have to look at even one gushing, bouquet-carrying, heart-shaped-chocolate-eating, drunk-on-love person. I’ve been on both sides of the Valentine’s Day love fest, and on both sides feelings are deep and emotions are high. There’s a problem with the way we celebrate Valentine’s Day. It should never hurt, because it should never be an either-or day. Valentine’s Day should be a day when no one feels left out. That’s because everyone is loved by someone, and that someone (or lots of someones) should express it. The day would be sweeter if there were less stress about gifts, dinners, and flowers. It would be sweeter if there wereContinue Reading