Whether you are eating with people you have known your entire life or are a guest at a table with people you are meeting for the first time, good table manners lead to a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere that is enjoyed by everyone present.
This Easter, as you gather with friends and family members to celebrate and feast, follow these dinner party tips to foster friendly, cheerful interactions.
With Valentine’s Day, many people’s thoughts turn to love and romance. That is equally true for young adults looking to find someone special.
Whether this is your first time dating, or not, it’s always important to show respect and consideration for others. That is attractive. If you pay attention to these simple rules and conventions, you will be more successful and confident in your dating abilities.
When you are talking with someone, pay attention to subtle social cues indicating whether you are welcome to join in or if it is a private engagement. For example, if someone tells you they are meeting a friend for lunch, don’t assume you are invited to follow along to the restaurant unless they specifically ask you to join them.
As the Canadian and US Thanksgiving celebrations comes to an end, we all turn our attention to the coming Christmas holidays.
With the best of intentions, we set out to fill our homes with cheer, buy gifts to show our loved ones how much we care, and make plans to connect with friends and family. But, all too often, our good intentions get lost in the frenzy of the season, and we are left with frustration, bad-tempers, and rudeness.
Help keep and spread the joy this holiday season with these tips for holiday shopping.
Creating and observing traditions are an important part of creating shared values within a family group.
Through Thanksgiving in Canada (and the United States), families and friends have an opportunity to reconnect, share thanks and celebrate being together.
Here are some key thoughts on preparing for a smooth and successful Thanksgiving celebration:
When attending a Thanksgiving celebration, the host/hostess sets the tone and which traditions are observed. Follow their lead. If they start their meals with Grace, follow along and respect their direction.
On July 1st, 1867, the nation was officially born when the Constitution Act joined three provinces into one country: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Canada province, which then split into Ontario and Quebec.
Although Canada existed prior to 1867, Canada Day is often informally referred to as “Canada’s birthday”. Most communities across the country will host organized celebrations for Canada Day, typically outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts, as well as citizenship ceremonies.
Did you know that Canada welcomed over 13,500 new Canadian citizens during the citizenship week of 2023 in 105 citizenship ceremonies?
However, given the federal nature of the anniversary, celebrating Canada Day can be a cause of friction by some indigenous peoples and in the province of Quebec so it’s good etiquette to respect everyone’s opinion.
Canadian expatriates will often organize Canada Day activities in their local area on or near the date of the holiday.
Being Canadian is truly unique, whether you are an immigrant who has become a citizen or someone born in Canada.
So if you see someone carrying a heavy bag or struggling with something, regardless of age or gender, give them a helping hand. Hold the door open, offer your seat on the bus – not for a reason… just because it is a thoughtful and courteous gesture. And because it’s a Canadian thing to do!
Add a smile and you will make someone’s day!
Spring is in the air, the days are getting longer, children are spending more time playing outside, and Mother’s Day is right around the corner. At Elizabeth Etiquette, we have been thinking about etiquette in the home and treating Mum royally on Mother’s Day.
A day without chores and time to relax is certainly a sure way to make Mum happy. Handmade cards and drawings from the younger children are wonderful keepsakes. Definitely start the day with a cup of tea or coffee and breakfast in bed with something to read.
As an adult, finding an appropriate Mother’s Day gift can be a challenge. As with all gifts, we want them to be thoughtful and considerate of the recipient’s interests and preferences. But older adults have often already accumulated everything they need and may even want to reduce the amount of “stuff” they have around.
Make sure you plan ahead, do not wing it on the day.
Flowers are commonly given for Mother’s Day and are often enjoyed and appreciated. But, if you are looking for something less typical, consider the following ideas:
Not everyone has an iPhone, iPad, or Kindle. A subscription to Mum’s favourite magazine would be most appreciated. There is simply nothing quite like settling down with a nice cup of tea and a good read! A year-long, “Something to look forward to.”
And remember that you may have other women in your family or friends who are mothers so wish them a happy Mother’s Day as well.
Get in touch if you have any questions or need ideas for your Mother’s Day etiquette.
Ben O’Hara-Byrne hosts the national evening show on the Corus/Global News Radio Network.
There was quite a terrible looking handshake between Alberta’s premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the afternoon in Ottawa that got him talking about handshakes and etiquette so he engaged Elizabeth in an interview on his podcast.
WATCH: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith shared an awkward handshake during a frosty sit down ahead of a health-care summit with Canadian premiers.
Read more: https://t.co/w2K985CZnx pic.twitter.com/ufl1T5LQB0
— Globalnews.ca (@globalnews) February 7, 2023
A handshake is a greeting or used in a formal agreement. Good handshake technique includes several small techniques worth noting as it can leave a lasting impression:
Listen to the podcast above in “The handshake heard across Canada” or here (the interview with Elizabeth is from 20:20 to 30:40).
In Canada, as in most Commonwealth countries, November 11th is a day set aside to acknowledge the sacrifices made by the many men and women who have fought in wars for our freedom and way of life, as well as to reflect on the disastrous effects of war on civilians animals, and the land itself. Known as Remembrance Day in Canada, Veterans Day in the USA, and Armistice Day in England, this day was chosen as a reminder of the end to major hostilities of the First World War and the signing of the Armistice “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”.
In most Canadian provinces, Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday. Children have the day off school and many businesses are closed to allow people to attend ceremonies, remember, and reflect. This November 11th, what can you do to honour the significance of this day? Read more »
With the past two difficult years under our belt but many people still health-conscious, it’s more important than ever to have etiquette at this time of the year.
You may be wondering if there ARE any etiquette rules for Halloween so you will be happy to know that, as with most communal occasions, there is!
In fact, there are two sets of etiquette rules:
Our tips provide some guidelines for all those little ghouls and goblins as they parade from house to house, as well as for the people at the houses handing out treats.
Going back to school can be an exciting, but scary, time for children. It’s also time for them to brush up on their school manners.
These guides will provide you with an overview of etiquette manners to review with your children as they return back to school. Reminders about school bus etiquette, classroom etiquette, eating at school etiquette and more.
I’ve created two etiquette guides and two planners to help parents prepare their children for back to school. Both guides review the importance of etiquette in a child’s daily routine.
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