Posts Comments

You are here: Home / Archives for holiday party tips

Holiday Manners We Forget

November 17, 2015 by

thanksgiving-table-1328473-1279x852

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, it’s safe to say it’s holiday season!

With company events, parties, dinners, and holiday celebrations galore, there are so many fun events to attend in the coming month.

However, all of these gatherings bring up an important topic: proper holiday etiquette. We may not be Miss Manners, but it’s always great to have a reminder this time of year on how to be a fabulous guest.

Read on for 5 holiday etiquette tips!

Don’t come empty handed

Always offer to bring something to a party ahead of time. Even if in years past, the host has taken care of everything, it’s so important to call ahead of time and see if there’s anything you can bring to lighten his or her load.

If you’re already planning on bringing food, it’s gracious to call well in advance to give the host an option of telling you what would best complement the meal (and ensure no duplicates).

Bring a gift

Even if you’ve been told to not bring a thing, it’s always nice to show up with a small gift such as wine, cookies, or a decorative ornament.

If you were planning on giving the host a holiday gift, this is also a great opportunity to bring it (and avoid the extra trip!).

However, it’s inappropriate to hand out holiday gifts to more than just the host at the event, unless the party has been specifically designated as a gift exchange.

Be helpful

Don’t just offer to help; step in and start assisting. Hosts often don’t want to ask for help, and simply asking “Is there anything I can do?” sometimes just isn’t enough. If you see somewhere you can be of help—just go ahead and put yourself to work!

Thank your host

At the end of the event, make sure you thank each host. It’s also considerate the next day to call and say what a wonderful time you had and thank them again.

Send invites in advance

Of course there are etiquette rules for the host as well! You should offer plenty of advance notice of the time and date of your event. There is a lot going on during the holidays, so giving a heads-up will be helpful for your friends’ planning out their holiday calendars.

Please share your holiday etiquette tips below or on our Facebook page!

Filed Under: Health and Wellness Tagged With: , , ,

Tips For a Healthy and Fun Holiday Party

December 9, 2013 by

Holiday Parties - Safety TipsWe all love the merriment of the holidays, and parties are the best part of the festivities for many of us. However, it’s easy to get carried away, but we have the following tips to avoid that (and perhaps avoid a hangover or unwanted weight gain).

Decide what you’re going to eat and drink ahead of time.

If you have some idea of what you’ll be served, you can plan your indulgences before you go. You can determine what you’ll drink and eat. When you go to a party and are prepared, you’re less likely to overdo it. If you’re offered alcoholic beverages you’ve never had before, just have one…you never know how you might react if you have more.

Also, if you know you’ll be served hors d’oeuvres only, you can decide whether to eat a meal before or after the party. If you’ll be drinking, it’s a good idea to have substantial food in your stomach.

Drink one glass of water or juice for every alcoholic drink.

This will help pace your drinking and reduce your chance of a hangover, since you’ll keep yourself hydrated. You might also consider having a cocktail with fruit juice so you have some vitamin C in your system.

Follow the one-plate rule.

Fill your plate just once, and choose the smallest plate you can to avoid overeating. Your waistline will thank you! While you want to have some fun sugary foods, fill the majority of your plate with veggies, fruit, nuts, and meat.

Keep an eye on your designated driver, or call a taxi.

Hopefully you decide upon a sober driver before you enter the party, but if you don’t, call a taxi. Your designated driver can have one or two drinks when you get to the party, as long as you’re there for at least two hours.

If your driver overindulges, or you end up alone for some reason, it’s much better to pay for a taxi ride than for a drunk-driving incident—and it’s much safer for everyone involved.

Filed Under: Health and Wellness Tagged With: , ,