How To Write A Thank You Note

In this day and age, who doesn't need to know how to write a Thank You note? So here are a few tips...

Be as personal as possible- Even if your handwriting is akin to a second graders, notes should never be typed. Always use your own stationery and not one of those folding cards with the words "Thank You". EH.

Don't hold back - A thank-you note is not the time to be understated. Go on, ramble on a bit in a stream of conciousness.

Dinner-party etiquette - A good note should recall some wonderful moment from the evening- the divine chicken, the wonderful company, etc...

Step it up if necessary - There are times when a note is just not enough. If someone throws you a dinner party, send some wine in advance or some flowers with the thanks.

Hope these little tips help, taken from etiquette guru, Marilyn Berger.

Why Can't You Wear White After Labor Day?

I was just thinking about that... so I looked it up.

Originally, the rule was more along the lines of "Only wear white shoes between Memorial Day and Labor Day." Furthermore, it mainly applied to white pumps or dress shoes. White tennis shoes and off-white boots seem exempt, as are any shoes worn by a winter bride. "Winter white" clothing (e.g., cream-colored wool) is acceptable between Labor Day and Memorial Day too.

Experts suggest that because white reflects light and heat, wearing white would make you cooler in winter, and thus should be avoided. But others suggest the rule stems from a class issue. Acting Director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology Valerie Steele notes that in the late 19th century and the 1950s, more people were entering the middle classes. These nouveau-riche folks were often unaware of the standards of high society, so they were given specific codified rules to follow in order to fit in.

So there we go!

http://ask.yahoo.com/20020913.html

Social Gestures- What's the Significance?

Well, most of these courtesies can be traced back to the Middle Ages to the era of kings and queens, knights in shining armour and chivalry. Some of them were created to be courteous, some were meant to be symbolic, and some were simply matters of logic. Learn the significance of these…

1. Raising a Toast - Toast and clinking of glasses together, was originally done so that when the glasses clinked, the drinks sloshed together on impact. This meant that whatever was in one drink passed into both glasses. So if someone is planning to drug a friend, he too would get some!

2. The Handshake - An empty hand presented forward to another person, and receiving the same response, was the easiest and most recognizable way to show someone that people weren’t holding a weapon! Therefore, a handshake meant they were going to talk instead of fight.

3. Yawning? Cover Your Mouth! - This has two logics to it. On a religious level if you yawned, with your mouth wide open, the Devil could reach right in and yank out your soul. Secondly, in the Middle Ages bathing was considered unhealthy, so most of the peasants and nobility stank badly. So it seemed logical to cover one’s mouth while yawning.

4. Keep Your Elbows Off The Table!- First thing to bear in mind is that back in the old days people sat down to dinner, squeezed, into a long table that was set into a row. This meant that each person was packed very tightly in between the people on either side of him, and simply didn’t have much room to eat. The elbows weren’t allowed on the table because if someone had their elbows on the table, the other couldn’t eat.

Etiquette 101

I think I'm going to start a random series of "etiquette tips" that I'm never really sure of... see Emily Post. Feel free to post as well! I think we can all learn more.

Q: What direction should food be passed at the table?

A: Food is passed to the right or counter clockwise.