Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Holiday Party Etiquette 101

With the holidays comes the holiday parties. These can either be the best or the worst part of the season. Awkward, drama-filled parties are no fun for the host or the guests but exciting and friendly ones can be a ton of fun. So here is my guide to surviving the holiday party season.

1. Don’t be late!
I love being fashionable. But in this case, being fashionably late is not very stylish. This is especially true of dinner parties. Chances are, the host has carefully planned every second of the party, and has made sure that all the food would remain warm and fresh. A good host also knows to wait for all the guests to arrive before serving the food. So, if you’re late, everyone will be sitting impatiently (and probably very hungry) waiting for you. Nothing is more awkward then showing up late and having a tablefull of angry, hungry faces staring at you. And when the food is finally served it will probably either be cold or overcooked. So please, don’t be fashionably late, be fashionably on time.

2. Holiday Fashion
One of my favorite parts! There’s nothing like getting dolled up for a glamorous cocktail or dinner party. The usual rules of clothing etiquette apply here. You’re not going to a club, so watch how short your hemlines are and how deep the v-neck is (especially if it’s a family friendly party). Here are some stylish outfits I put together for casual, semi-casual, and formal parties. I’ve used some ultra chic Orangefish accessories to add some extra bling. The holidays and new years is a great excuse to add sparkle to your outfits!


3. Table Manners
Please, I beg of you, use basic table manners. I’m sure we’ve all seen people eating with their hands, double dipping, reaching across the table, or picking their teeth and wondered “what were you thinking”. Of course you don’t have to act like you’re out for tea with the Queen of England but you also don’t have to eat like you’ve never seen a utensil before.

4. Hostess Gifts
Though this may seem like a small detail, it makes a huge difference. If someone is gracious enough to invite you over, its polite to at least bring a small gift. This can be a a bottle of wine, or a home decoration. If you are staying at their house overnight, consider purchasing a larger gift.
These Napkin rings are a great hostess gift that is both practical and stylish: http://www.orangefish.ca/products/bargainbuys/$25.00/1/blackandrednapkinrings

These winestoppers are a great alternative for the typical wine gift. Attach them to a nice bottle of wine with a pretty ribbon and you’ve got a perfect gift! http://www.orangefish.ca/products/bargainbuys/$25.00/1/heartwinestopper

Just relax and have fun at this years holiday parties. As long as you don’t make any comments about your aunt’s bad haircut, or point out that someone has been eating a few too many Christmas cookies, you’re sure to have a great time. The Holidays are about friendship and family so banish the drama and bring on the laughter! 

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