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 You've
spent the entire day cooking the perfect holiday feast. But it's
an hour before your guests arrive, and you find yourself standing
in front of the table, listening to a little nagging voice in
your head.
Does the knife go on the left,
fork on the right, or is it the other way around? Is that centerpiece
too tall? Should I go ahead and put food on table before guests
arrive, or do I wait until everyone gets here?
If you can't answer those questions,
don't feel alone. In today's eat-on-the-run world, you're not
the only one to flunk holiday etiquette.
"Table manners have become
a lost art," says etiquette expert Jill Slatter. "Think
back 15 or 20 years ago, families gathered every evening for
a proper meal. But these days we're all stretched so thin juggling
work, school and home, most folks don't have time to sit down
together, so when holidays roll around no one's sure what to
do at a formal meal."
 Slatter
is an etiquette coach at Greensboro, N.C.-based Replacements,
Ltd., touted as the world's largest supplier of old and new china,
silver, crystal and collectibles. The company is bombarded with
questions this time of year from folks looking for a crash course
in proper manners and table settings. Based on the most frequently
asked questions, Slatter offers this quick holiday etiquette
101 to give you insight that will dazzle your guests.
Set the Perfect
Table
- Forks to the left, knives and
spoons to the right. Only set out utensils that will be used
for various courses. "If you're not serving soup or salad,
you certainly don't want an extra spoon or fork in your place
setting," Slatter says. "Not only will those get in
the way, the extra utensils may confuse your guests."
- The bread plate goes on the
left of the dinner plate, glasses on the right.
- Wait to pour. Water glasses
should be the only glasses filled before your guests arrive.
Iced tea, wine and other beverages should be poured once everyone
is seated. Wine should be filled halfway, not to the rim.
- Salad and bread should be the
only food on the table when your guests arrive.
- Courses are generally served
in the following order in the United States: appetizer, soup,
salad, main course, dessert.
Are You the
Hostess with the Mostest?
- Remember, the hostess always
sits last.
- Unscented candles are a great
part of holiday decor, but should only be lit during the evening.
"Another thing to keep in mind, flickering candles are more
than a distraction, those can cause headaches," warns Slatter.
"That's why you never want to place burning candles directly
in front of your guest, and make sure you situate the flame below
eye level."
- Centerpiece too tall? Sure those
flowers you spent hours arranging are pretty, but will only get
in the way if your guests have to crane their necks to look at
each other. Make sure your guests can see over any table adornments.
- Passing isn't just in football.
Always pass food around the table counter clockwise to the right
and refrain from serving yourself first. Always pass the salt
and pepper as a set, even if you're only asked for one.
Be a Gracious
Guest
- Avoid the smear. Female guests
should blot their lips before sitting down at the table. This
will keep you from getting lipstick stains on linen napkins or
glassware.
- Wait for the signal. Your host
will let you know when it's okay to begin eating. They may make
a prayer or statement or start by passing a dish.
- If you're not sure which utensil
to use with each course, start on the outside and work in toward
the plate.
- If you need to excuse yourself
temporarily, gently place your napkin in your chair.
- Signify you're finished with
the meal by placing napkin to the left of the dinner plate, and
your fork and knife side by side diagonally across your plate
with the sharp side of the knife blade facing inward and the
fork tines down.
- One of the most panicked questions
we hear concerns what to do if you accidently break a piece of
the host's dinnerware," adds Slatter. "You should certainly
offer to replace the broken piece especially if it has sentimental
value for the host or hostess."
Slatter says don't lose hope
if your host doesn't know the name of the pattern or the manufacturer
- you can always take advantage of Replacements' free pattern
identification service.
If you're still in doubt about
holiday etiquette 101, a cheat sheet is just a mouse click away.
You can find place setting guides outlining the correct layout
for all meals at www.replacements.com,
under the site's "neat things" tab. With these tips
in mind, you're sure to throw the perfect gathering.
Courtesy of ARAcontent.
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