Christmas etiquette: How to be a good guest

If someone has invited you for a holiday dinner, party or overnight stay, be a gracious guest and most importantly, mind your manners. Here are a few tips to ensure that you are a good guest this festive season.

Always ask the host or hostess what you can bring or how you can help. You don’t need to limit it to food. The host or hostess could need something that’s more than food – it could be extra folding chairs, fun board games for the kids, or maybe just your time.

Be mindful about the way you share how Christmas is at your house. If the topic of discussion turns to your family traditions, it’s perfectly okay to share the way you and your family do things, but you should refrain from trying to tell the host or hostess how to plan or go about their evening. Even though there’s no malice behind your innocent comments, it could come off as criticism.

If you make an accidental mess, you should tell the host or hostess immediately and you should help clean up. If you spill a drink or maybe even some gravy, apologise and offer to help clean up. If the stained surface needs professional cleaning, you should be the one who pays for the service.

You should express your gratitude by calling the host or hostess to thank them for inviting you. If you really want to go the extra mile, you could even send them a Christmas card and you don’t even have to spend a ton of cash either; you could go the artistic route of making one.

When you’re celebrating the festive season, don’t forget to be kind. Not only will you have a more jubilant festive season, but so will the people around you.

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