The Importance of Personal Hygiene Etiquette

Washing hands

Some of you may have heard the saying,

“Horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow”

…but let’s be real, as humans, we all sweat and may have body odour. Keeping ourselves clean and smelling sweet is a sign of respect not only for us but for others.

The importance of personal hygiene is something nobody really talks about, so let’s start with the basics:

  • Shower/bathe or wash every day – it may seem like common sense, but not something everybody does.
  • Our hair can also give off odours – an alternative to washing your hair every day is dry shampoo.
  • Don’t forget to apply deodorant before leaving the house – if you are someone who tends to sweat profusely then re-apply, re-apply, re-apply!
  • Let’s talk sweaty feet. A quick wash doesn’t always do it, spend a little extra time in the shower giving your feet a good scrub to stave away foot fungus and any nasty odours.
  • For persistent sweaty feet try a foot deodorant – placing fresh teabags or dryer sheets in your shoes and runners help absorb any odours.
  • Not all bad odours come from sweat – don’t forget mouth hygiene.

Cartoon man nose smellKeeping your mouth fresh and clean:

  • Brush your teeth a minimum of twice a day- morning and night.
  • However, food odour can be pungent and linger. Don’t forget to keep something to freshen up your breath at work, school or when you’re out and about.
  • Oral hygiene is not just about your teeth. Don’t forget to brush your tongue and use mouthwash to clean any lingering germs.
  • Flossing! A must- every day.
  • Remember, odours linger. Hence, the importance of keeping our clothes clean and fresh.

A thought to ponder. Are you nose blind?

Noun; The gradual acclimation to the smells of one’s home, car, or belongings, in which the affected does not notice them, but your guests do!

Tip: If you think you might be nose blind, it may be worth asking a trusted family member or friend for their honest opinion.

Teens and Money

Coins

We love our teens and young adults in our families. We care about their future. In fact in economic times such as they are, we especially care about their financial future.

This scenario may sound familiar to many of you with teens, and young adults, in your family that are learning to drive. The big day for the driving test looms in the not too distant future and your teen states:

“My instructor says I only need a few more lessons before the test and I will pass, Mum.”

Another $365 vacuumed from your bank account and you think you are done with disposing of your hard-earned cash for the evening. That is until your teen produces a receipt for $5.36  for Uncle Joe’s birthday card, he/she bought for you on the way home. Presenting it with “MUM” neatly written on the top. For your information, that’s in case you forget to pay up.

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Dressing for Holiday Parties

holidaydressingNothing ruins the fun of a holiday party more than feeling self-conscious or out of place and the clothes you are wearing play a big part in how comfortable you feel. When you choose the right outfit for an event, you’re free to enjoy yourself. But knowing what is appropriate for each holiday event can be tricky.

Use these tips to help you make the right choices.

1. Pick an outfit that is suitable for the occasion

If you arrive at a black tie event wearing jeans or at a backyard barbeque in a ball gown or tuxedo, you will feel awkward no matter how good you look. Before you decide what to wear, check the invitation. A formal event will typically indicate the dress code. If it doesn’t specify, you can gather clues by the time of the event and the location. Events in the evening are usually more formal than those in the afternoon, and a formal venue, such as a dance hall or up-scale restaurant, warrants more formal attire than an event held in a home or office.

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Being a Guest for the Holiday Season

So you’ve been invited to Aunt Lillian’s house for the holiday season. Observe a few golden rules and the holiday invitations will keep coming…

Gift

It’s good etiquette to bring a gift for your host/hostess, especially during the holiday season. It’s a great sign of appreciation and helps show your festive cheer during the holidays. Your length of stay should help you determine how much to spend on the gift, ie for the Christmas weekend only, a nice bunch of flowers would be perfect.

Luggage

Be courteous of your luggage in someone else’s home, ie broken wheels on hardwood floors.

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Christmas Holiday Gift Giving

Christmas gifts

Christmas holiday gift-giving is a custom filled with noble intentions that sometimes have the unintended effect of sapping the cheer from shoppers. At Christmas time, we set out to choose gifts that show our affection and appreciation, but the process of finding the perfect gift can create stress.

That said, to help get you started we have some tips for you to keep your holiday gift-giving pleasurable and stress-free!

Keep the holiday cheer in your gift-giving with these simple tips:

  • Start early. Don’t leave your shopping to the last minute, hoping that the perfect gift will materialize. You will end up amongst thousands of other frenzied shoppers abandoning your budget, forgetting your good intentions, and buying anything you can find.
  • Create a budget and stick to it. Holiday gifts don’t have to cost a lot to be meaningful and valued by the recipient.
  • Make it personal. Before you head to the mall, spend some time thinking about each person on your list. What are their interests? What could they use?
  • A word of caution for online shoppers. Order early to avoid the item being, “Out of Stock.”

Still not sure what to buy? The following list of gift suggestions and ideas may help get you started as you think about the loved ones on your list:

For the avid reader

  • Books. Of course, if you don’t know what genre they prefer or what they have already read, consider a gift card for a bookstore.
  • For a book lover who has a long commute, consider an audiobook they can play while driving.
  • Bookmarks are available in a range of unique styles and quality and make wonderful small gifts, stocking stuffers, or gift tags.
  • Out-of-print and collector editions would be treasured by the book collector in your life.

For parents

  • Double your reading speed (download a sample) using both sides of your brain while reading a book! It makes getting through your children’s homework that much faster then slow down for your favorite book.

For teens and young adults

  • Anyone who has recently started driving would appreciate a gas card.
  • For the University student, a gift card to the University book store may be appreciated.
  • A gift card to a favourite coffee shop.
  • A gift card to their favourite clothing store.
  • A pre-paid Visa/MasterCard to purchase their own gift of choice.
  • Dinner and movie tickets.
  • For those who ski or snowboard, a day pass/tickets for the local hill.

Elderly relatives or parents

  • Lambskin slippers.
  • Blanket wrap or house jacket.
  • Silver photo frame with a special photo of a special memory, perhaps, or an updated photo of your family.

Family and close friends who live far away or overseas

  • Calendar or picture book of the area where you live.
  • A photo montage of your family during the year. Photos can now be easily added to calendars, DVDs, mugs, and other items.
  • Souvenir ornament that highlights a meaningful special event or yearly marker.
  • A food item or treat that is only available in the area where you live.

For the host/hostess

  • A seasonal bouquet or table centrepiece.
  • A fine wine or after-dinner liqueur.
  • Specialty chocolates or cookies.

Other alternatives

  • Donations to your favourite charity instead of giving gifts to others (it’s good etiquette to let people know you are doing this; mention it in a Christmas card or make a special card).
  • Giving the valuable gift of your time speaks volumes.
  • Give the gift of a new website or an email newsletter. Our friends at Market 2 All have some great free options and offer plenty of help to get you started.

We hope this gives you ideas. If you would like to know more about Christmas traditions, ask James Cooper at www.whychristmas.com. He is a hive of information!

. . . .

Proper Etiquette and Downton Abbey

Ann, Krissy and Adam

Elizabeth was recently interviewed by Krissy Van of CTV Morning Live about proper etiquette and what we can learn from the Downton Abbey movie.

Ann and Krissy

Elizabeth with Krissy Vann (CTV Morning Live)

A special Thank you to CTV Morning Live. A wonderful morning at the beautiful Fairmont Hotel Vancouver discussing proper etiquette with the delightful Krissy Vann and what we can learn from Downton Abbey.

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Etiquette Training for Miss BC 2019

Miss BC 2019

Congratulations to all! Miss BC 2019! It is my pleasure to announce that Elizabeth Etiquette was once again the official etiquette trainer for Miss BC, Mrs BC and Miss Teen BC this year. During the three-day event, all of the participants were provided with professional training in areas such as public speaking, community development, health, fitness and nutrition, choreography, assertiveness training, media relations, self-defence and more.

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Bus Etiquette

School bus

Traveling on Public Transit in Style

Many children take a bus to school and, as with any public situation, following basic rules of etiquette helps to make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.

Whether your child takes a school bus or uses public transportation, the start of the school year is a good time to review these etiquette rules related to taking buses:

Getting on the bus

While waiting for a bus, it is most polite to form a line. When the bus arrives at the stop, everyone can then board the bus in an orderly fashion without pushing or shoving to get on.

It is not acceptable to arrive late and join friends at the front of the line to board the bus ahead of others who were waiting. However, it is extremely considerate to allow elderly people or people with disabilities to board the bus ahead of you, even if they arrived later.

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Air Travel Etiquette

Air travel

With travel season around the corner, this is the perfect time to brush up on our air travel etiquette.

There is no doubt about it, traveling on airlines is stressful and tries the patience of many, otherwise, good-natured people. The crowds, delays, inadequate meals, and confined spaces often combine to make people more than a little grumpy and impatient. Unfortunately, in times of stress, we often forget to be respectful and considerate of others – something that can improve our own mood, if even just a little. On your next flight, try following these basic air travel etiquette tips and see how they can make the trip more pleasant for you, the airline staff, and your fellow passengers.

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The Etiquette of Being an Online Guest

Computer man

First impressions are everything.

Whether we participate in video-conferencing, online meetups, Skyping with clients, or making online presentations, you can leave a lasting impression. So make it a good one because a poor one is hard to shake off.

Etiquette before, during, and after the meeting is also something to bear in mind so make sure you follow up and thank the host/your partner if necessary.

Where do we start? Read more »

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