The Christmas parties are starting and Mister Manners, Thomas Farley has some Etiquette tips to help you out this holiday season! When thinking about your holiday parties, consider Boston Market as your one stop shop! They have holiday menus with something for everyone! You can order a la carte, heat and serve, or just have them cater it fully! (Don’t tell my family, but I am considering getting the heat and serve for our Christmas dinner…so easy and no work for me!)
Here are the Etiquette tips…and read to the bottom of this post because you won’t want to miss out on a high dollar giveaway!
Q: What are your favorite tips for party-goers to keep in mind during holiday gatherings?
A: It’s so important that we bring the gift of presence – be engaged, talk with people and turn off the
tech! Also, avoid controversial topics and don’t ask personal questions in front of large groups of people.
Q: As a host, is it polite to ask your guests to bring a dish?
A: Couch your request in a compliment. We all have our favorite family recipes – and this is the time of
year we want to experience them. As a host, you should say “Gosh, you did such a wonderful job last
year, would you mind bringing the sweet potatoes again this year?”
Q: What should you bring to a holiday gathering?
A: A host’s favorite guests are those that arrive with something in both hands – a dish for party guests to
enjoy, and an item for the host to indulge in after the party has ended. The Holiday Experts at Boston
Market help provide delicious and affordable solutions on-the-go! They served more than 1 million
guests last Thanksgiving.
Q: Does the old “no elbows on the table” rule still apply?
A: The fact is, elbows on the table are fine as long as there’s no food on the table. Elbows on the table
are appropriate in between courses, and after the meal has finished – because leaning forward can
demonstrate you’re engaged in conversation. Just keep them off if food is on the table!
Q: When should you use place cards?
A: If you have a family where you know conversation either gets very heated, or very quiet, you should
mix up the table with place cards. It’s a thoughtful way of keeping the conversation going.
Q: What’s the right direction to pass food items around the table?
A: The thing you want to watch out for, particularly on Thanksgiving, is to avoid mid-air collisions of
platters as they’re being passed around the table. Guests should always pass a dish to their right. By
doing so, you’re able to hold the platter for the person next to you – who can then use their dominate
hand to serve themselves before passing the dish on.
Q: Is it okay to go back for a second helping of food?
A: Providing that everyone at the table has had a first crack at a favorite dish on the table, going back for
seconds is the ultimate compliment to the person that cooked that dish. Never hesitate to go back for
seconds, thirds or fourths – providing that everyone has had their share.
Giveaway:
Want to win a $150 giftcard to Boston Market! Think about that… Christmas dinner DONE! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite Holiday Party tip! Can be anything! For (upto 3) additional entries, share this post on your social media channels and leave links in the comments! Good luck! Giveaway ends on 12/15 at 5PM CST. Giftcard will be mailed by 12/17 so you have it for the holidays!
My tip is to make it a potluck but to let people know a certain category of food they could bring – salty, sweet, chocolate, drink, etc. so you end up with a good variety!
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Both cheese platter and hot drink station are my tips of having a fun holiday party.
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my holiday party tip is leave peppermints in a bowl it refreshes the taste buds and is a sweet little treat and have extra napkins on the side
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My tip would be play a game. We always play Christmas Candy Bingo! Everyone brings a box of candy and eventually everyone wins! We even have the kids play too! It’s fun for EVERYONE. Playing games no matter what the game is gets conversation going and encourages connections.
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Since Thanksgiving is so elaborate, we attempt to keep Christmas simple with appetizers, instead of a full meal. Everyone is busy with gifts anyway and can eat at their own pace!
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I like too cook as much as I can in advance! Really helps out day-of.
My holiday party tip is to always have Christmas music on, it makes it so much more festive!
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My tip is to have the kids help make place settings, it is a nice personal touch.
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My tip is to try and prepare as many dishes as possible a couple days before the party that can easily be heated in the oven on party day.
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My favorite Party tip is to have a potluck and have family each bring a dish and dessert so everyone can enjoy and not one person has to do all the cooking. And have a big bucket of ice with all the drinks in it to keep cold.
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My favorite tip is to stock up on snacks and drinks a few days before the party
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My favorite tip is to clean as you go and prepare most of the food ahead of time so you can relax and enjoy your party!
My best tip is to focus on the experience and enjoy the people around you instead of focusing on needing everything to be perfect and the mechanics behind it. Just let loose and have fun.
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My favorite holiday party tip is to have others pitch in on dessert. Have each guest bring something.
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