Be Our Guest...Be Our Guest.....

Hello, ladies! It has been a while since the mood has struck me for a post but then LO and BEHOLD...I had brunch with a friend on Sunday and she pointed out an issue that needs to be addressed. What happened to manners and common courtesy in the good ol' US of A? Have we stopped teaching this and expecting this of our children and our adults? I mean, ladies seriously, if you are guest at someone's home, either spending the night or just for dinner, do you treat them like it is a hotel or restaurant, UM NO, you are a guest and should treat your hosts like you have some class. Here are some basic rules from JZZRGRL:

1. If you are spending the night at someone's home, please offer to make the bed or strip the sheets in the morning. Also, do not leave your wet towels on the floor after showering, offer to take them to the laundry room.

2. If you are going to someone's house for dinner, offer to bring something, a dessert, an appetizer, drinks...and if the host refuses, STILL bring a bottle of wine or coffee OR SOMETHING. Do not show up empty handed.

3. If you are eating at someone's house and they serve something that you don't like (for example, I don't like tomatoes or onions), take a few no thank you bites or eat around the part that you don't like. Don't sit there and refuse to eat. I mean, unless you have an allergy, is it going to kill you? AND if you do have an allergy, let your host know ahead of time.

4. If you have stayed at someone's house, when you return home, it is nice to send a written thank you card or send a small gift. I have had guests leave me candles or chocolates, which is such a nice gesture.

5. If you are eating a meal at someone's home, offer to clear your plate from the table after dinner or offer to serve dessert, you shouldn't expect your host to wait on you like you were at a restaurant...unless you are going to tip them ;).

6. If you are staying at a friend's house for multiple nights, all of the above applies, but you also might want to offer to take them to dinner or lunch. Or buy them a gift certificate for a restaurant.

And here are a few more common courtesy, classy things we can do:

1. If a close friend or relative has a birthday, GO to the store, buy them a nice card and send it, don't send an email, TXT or FB message. You can do that as well, but put some thought in the card, it means a lot more.

2. If someone buys you a gift, SEND A THANK YOU CARD!!! Wow, my mother would have never let me get away with not sending a card. In fact, my sister makes my 7 1/2 year old niece and 5 (on Sunday) year old nephew write thank you cards and they can't really write sentences yet.

3. If someone close to you has a baby or a death in the family, send a note, flowers, a gift...offer to go to their house and make a meal or clean...you don't have to spend money, but it is a classy gesture!

Here is one more note, if you have asked someone to housesit, petsit or babysit and stay at your house, this person is a guest in your home...don't leave the house without any food. If the sitter needs to take the animal or the child to an appointment or for a meal, leave money for them. Also, don't expect them to clean or do laundry unless this is something that you have set up with them prior to your departure. It is a nice gesture to stock the kitchen with food and possibly alcoholic OR non-alcoholic beverages that the sitter likes. When you return home, bring a gift or send a thank you note to the sitter!

WOW...it is really upsetting to me that people don't follow these common courtesy steps. Ladies (and gentlemen) seriously, have some class, a little bit goes a long WAY. The golden rule does apply here...treat people like you want to be treated, period. Take that advice to the BANK!

Cheers and CIAO BELLAS!!