Joy-Filled Holiday - Cheat Sheet

A handy personal Cheat-Sheet

Holidays are HERE – Make JOY your central theme

• Key Daily Activities
  • Do Deep Breathing
    • In through the nose, relax the belly
    • Breathe out through the mouth; Let it GO!
  • To experience JOY, share JOY with others
    • Make eye contact
    • Make a positive observation of the other person
    • LET IT GO!
      • This can be a sensitive time for others…give them plenty of room (and yourself) to not be perfect
    • Be available
      • Even with limited time, we can still make another person appreciate the time we do spend with them.
    • Share sincere and specific good wishes
  • Create special time for yourself to savor the holiday. Schedule a:
    • Spa treatment
    • Special dinner out
    • An activity you enjoy, but don’t take time to do:
      • Movie, Games, Special party with close friends only, Day in the snow, Take the monorail into town to do shopping
    • Select a favorite holiday tune and hum it as you go through your day
  • Hosting a party:
    • Appoint a greeter to welcome guests
      • Take coats
      • Show where bathrooms are
      • Offer refreshments (serve the first drink: punch/wine/etc.)
        • With punch cup cradled on your palm and the handle facing the guest, ladle in punch – minimizes fumbling.
      • Introduce guests to others – Share similarities with others to start the conversation. EX: “How do you know the host?”
  • If you are 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 members; no hint of inequality
    • Best if gift comes from company versus individual managers
    • Safest gift exchange is “Secret Santa” or “White Elephant Exchange”
  • Thank you Notes
    • Always appropriate to acknowledge receiving a gift
      • Send within 2 weeks of receiving a gift, however, the sooner the easier to recall your personal reaction to gift
      • If gift is not to your liking, always thank the giver’s intention.
      • When sending a thank you note, comment on the giver’s good qualities (thoughtfulness, giving nature, etc.) or good qualities of the gift (my favorite color, an item I’ve been wanting for some time, etc.). Always be truthful and positive.
  • Holiday cards
    • Business
      • Minimize an impersonal, Corporate feel
      • Generally these cards strengthen business relationships, not advertise business
      • Ask company staff members to sign
    • Personal
      • Always sign full name; not just first name(s)
      • Use the 2-year rule on sending cards:
        • If a recipient fails to send a card one year, do not remove them from your list unless they don’t send a card the second year.
• When the holidays are over:
  • Make Key Activities a year-round tradition:
    • Be personable, available, transparent, connect heart-to-heart
    • Make eye contact while visiting
    • Make positive observations of others
    • LET IT GO (expecting perfection of others and yourself)
    • People interact (and do business) with people they like and trust

Serving alongside others with your talents and knowledge gets better when it’s based on true friendship and respect…does it get better than that?

Etiquette For You is a valued source for one-on-one training, sharpening a team’s competitive edge and strengthening personal social skills. A free consultation is offered to customize topics and solutions. Set an appointment to discuss your questions and design a program for yourself and/or your team: sandi.maccalla@gmail.com 

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