A personal Etiquette Holiday Cheat Sheet

 Written By: Sandi MacCalla ~ 11/14/2022

The Christmas holiday season brings out the best music, food and heart-felt feelings of care … for others and us. Frame your holidays with these etiquette reminders and let your heart be your guide.

• Personal Care to Feed your Heart
  • Do Deep Breathing
    • In through the nose, relax the belly
    • Breathe out through the mouth. Let it GO!
  • Connect with others from your heart
    • Make eye contact
    • Notice and compliment others
    • SMILE! Your smile sets a tone reminding all to relax and enjoy!
    • This can be a sensitive time…give plenty of room to everyone (and yourself) to not be perfect.
    • Be available
      • Appreciate the time you spend with others.
      • Respect your time by sharing your availability.
    • Share sincere and specific good wishes
  • Create special time to savor the holiday. Schedule:
    • A spa treatment
    • A special dinner out
    • An activity you enjoy, but don’t take time to do:
      • a party with close friends only, day in the snow, take the monorail into town to walk and shop (and save on parking).
    • Hum a favorite holiday tune as you go through your day.
• Parties:
  • If you are hosting:
    • Engage a greeter(s) to welcome guests and to:
      • Take coats
      • Show where bathrooms are
      • Offer refreshments
        • Serve the first drink: punch/wine/etc.:
          • With a punch cup cradled on your palm and the handle facing the guest, ladle in punch. This minimizes fumbling.
        • Introduce guests to others
          • Share similarities to start the conversation. EX: “How do you know the host?”
  • If you’re a guest:
    • A gift is always appropriate to thank your Host
      • If you’ve brought wine, do not expect the Host to serve it at the party.
• Christmas
  • Gifting at the Office
    • Keep gifts uniform among staff; no hint of inequality
    • Best if the gift comes from the company versus individuals
    • The safest and most FUN gift exchange is “Secret Santa” or “White Elephant Exchange”
  • Thank you note Etiquette
    • It’s always appropriate to acknowledge receiving a gift:
      • Within 2 weeks of receiving a gift … The sooner, the easier it is to share your personal reaction to a gift.
      • If the gift is not to your liking, thank the giver’s intention (thoughtfulness).
      • In the thank you note, comment on the giver’s good qualities (giving nature, etc.) or good qualities of the gift (favorite color, an item on my Christmas list).
      • Always be truthful and positive.
  • Holiday cards
    • Business
      • Minimize an impersonal, Corporate feel
      • Generally holiday cards strengthen business relationships, not advertise.
      • Ask key company staff to sign it.
    • Personal
      • Always sign your full name; not just first name(s)
      • If a recipient fails to send a card for two years, you may remove them from your list
• When the holidays are over:
  • Make these activities a year-round tradition
    • Exercise your compassion muscles and offer to help.
    • People interact best (and do business) with people they respect and are comfortable with.

Working alongside others, sharing your talents and knowledge gets better when it’s based on true friendship and respect…Is there anything better?

Have your BEST Holidays EVER!

Etiquette For You is a valued source for one-on-one training, sharpening a team’s competitive edge and strengthening your social skills. Set an online appointment to discuss your questions and design a program for you and/or your team: sandi@lifeskillsacademy.expert

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