Grateful Togetherness
Greetings, Traveler Weekly Readers!
I’m Sherry Gordon-Harris, Certified Etiquette Consultant, owner and instructor of Royal Purpose School of Etiquette. Our purpose is to assist with the Total Refinement of You, including children and adults, by offering classes and workshops on Etiquette and Proper Manners.
As we learned in the last article, Etiquette is the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Manners are a person’s outward bearing or way of behaving toward others. It’s a way in which a thing is done or happens. In general, Etiquette is simply respecting others and not causing an offense to others.
This is the time of year when typically, lots of families and friends come together. Different cultures may celebrate in various ways according to their own customs and beliefs. But one practice that seems to be common among all cultures is celebrating with food in a formal meal setting.
Regardless of your tradition, there are a couple of important etiquette tips to remember at a formal dinner. One is to wait to be seated. If you are a guest at a formal dinner and there are no place cards with names, wait to be directed where to sit. Don’t assume because you sat in that location before that it will be the same this time again. You may not know what other guests were possibly invited.
Another important etiquette tip is to remember to turn off your cell phone at the table. This time is for fellowshipping with family and friends. Some of them may not have seen each other for a great deal of time and want to catch up on missed time. Not only should cell phones be turned off at the table, but they should also be put away and not placed on the table. Leave them in your purse, pocket, or elsewhere other than on top of the table. This could make it too tempting to scroll through social media pages, send or reply to text messages.
This time is to celebrate togetherness. And it is to be grateful for all the many blessings we have received. Cherish the time together. And remember, politeness is always in season.
It has been my pleasure sharing this Etiquette tip with the Traveler Weekly Readers. There’s more to come. Well wishes to you and your family. I encourage everyone to “Live your life with Purpose in a Royal Manner.”
So whether you, your family or group want to learn Etiquette for the first time or just want to brush up on your skills, consider enrolling in a scheduled class or book a private class with Royal Purpose School of Etiquette LLC. We can help with the Total Refinement of You. Contact Sherry Gordon-Harris at (309) 585-6145 or e-mail RoyalPurposeSOE@gmail.com or visit http://www.RoyalPurposeSOE.com. Thank you.
The Traveler Weekly 