Etiquette Friday – Manners for All the Family at Christmas

It’s Friday and the day I request you join me in my campaign for 2012 to change “Casual Friday” to “Etiquette Friday”, to get people and companies involved. If we consciously make an effort every Friday then hopefully it will become a habit every day. I challenge you to make one small change a week and by the end of the year let’s hope we have a more pleasant and positive society.

Consideration for all the Family during the Festive Season

It is very well documented that during the Festive season, when families spend so much time together, they can end up in a family argument. Plus, one member of the family can bear the majority of the workload for getting the Christmas meal on the table.

The festive season should be a joyful time of year for all the family to get together,  and not for one person to have all the stress of organising presents, food and generally hosting everyone else.  All the generations need to allow for and help each other. Children can get very excited with all their presents and the festivities and the older generation can find it too noisy. What we all need to do is take a deep breath and allow for one another and perhaps give some space to each other. It is important to make the most of having a family and to make an effort to get on. We need to remember our manners and be thoughtful.

Here are some guidelines and tips to help you:

1. Ensure you all chip in and help to prepare meals, wash up and tidy away.
2. It’s important to consider others people’s feelings and listen to them.
3. Think before you speak – avoid speaking about any unhappy skeletons in the closet.
4. Make an effort to talk about other people’s interests.
5. Give one on one attention, especially to the elderly, they may be hard of hearing, cannot see very well and remember they are likely to walk more slowly.
6. Don’t take too large a portion of food, more than your share, first time around.
7. Avoid drinking too much and avoid drinking when driving.

Children

Obviously small children can get very excited, tired and more noisy than usual what with the excitement of presents and new toys and seeing many of the family all together in one place. However, it is still important to remind them to say their “Ps & Qs”, to eat properly and not throw food around and avoid shouting at people.

Have fun and enjoy

Treat others as you wish to be treated (allowing for age and personality), smile a lot, think positively and you may well be pleasantly surprised at how much fun and enjoyment you have on the day!