Don't Be Rude: Holiday Etiquette... For Your Kids!

The holidays can bring out the best AND the worst in people.... in particular, your children. They want presents, presents, cookies, and more presents and NOTHING can stop them.  Instead of punishing them for their rude, behavior, there are ways as parents, we can help our children use manners. Lisa Gache, Founder and CEO of Beverly Hills Manners shares 9 quick tips to guarantee a stress free, joyous and perfectly refined holiday season! 

1.         Eat, Sleep & Be Merry.  A hungry stomach or a tired body is a recipe for holiday party disaster.  Schedules tend to be packed during the holiday season leaving little or no downtime for children to recharge their batteries.  Avoid any pitfalls by making sure your children get plenty of rest and eat a light snack before attending any holiday celebration.

2.        Dress for Party Success.   Encourage your children to dress appropriately for the occasion.  If your family is attending a party at a ski chalet then a pair of clean jeans, a parka and Uggs will suffice.  However, if the holiday gathering is a more formal affair then party attire, in the form of a dress or a nice pant suit, is a wise choice.

3.        On the Road.  On your way to the party, make sure to review any rules such as the type of holiday party you will be celebrating, who will be attending, what kind of food will be served, and any special activities your children may be asked to participate in.

4.       Arrive on Time & Bearing Gifts. Your hosts are looking forward to your arrival so avoid being late and make preparations ahead of time.  Lay out the children’s suggested attire beforehand, make sure all gifts are wrapped and a proper note has been written, map out your route and write down a contact phone number in case of an emergency.

5.        Essential Holiday Table Manners.  (a) Wait to be seated until everyone has arrived at the table.  (b) Follow the lead of your host or hostess for everything.  (c) Place your napkin on your lap.  (d) Pass all trays of food to the right and all condiments in pairs.  (e) Make pleasant table conversation with the person on your right and your left. (f) Chew with your mouth closed.  (g) Wipe your mouth before taking a drink.   (h) At the end of the meal, place your utensils in the finished position on your plate and your napkin loosely on the left side of your plate. (i) Ask to please be excused.

6.       Clean-Up & Be Invited Again.   If you are attending a sit down dinner celebration with family or with friends, offer to pitch in.  This will guarantee future invitations.

7.        Gracious Gift Receiving.  Teach children to graciously accept all gifts whether they already have them or not.  Focus on something positive to say.  For example, if they do not like a gift, they don’t need to say they do.  They can simply say “thank you” or “that was so nice of you”.  Tell them that being polite pays dividends.

8.        Departures.   Designate an agreed upon beginning and end time with your family to prevent any potential major meltdowns when it comes time to leave the house or return from a party.

9.       Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!  A phone call or, better yet, a hand-written note of thanks to your holiday party hosts shows your appreciation for all their hard work.  If you’ve thanked someone in person for a gift, a thank-you note isn’t obligatory. But, it is never wrong to write a thank-you note. If you receive gifts from family members that you won’t see to thank in person, write them a thank-you note—both to let them know their gift arrived and that you liked it.