manners MATTER
BY KAREN LA CORTE
T
he holidays are my favorite time of the
year. It is a time of family and friends
gathering together to share food, drink
and companionship. It is a time to reflect
on what and who we are thankful for. It is not
always about gifts, although gift giving is a
custom at Christmas. It should not be just about
numerous holiday parties and the dread of what
to wear. It should not be about the pressure to
have the perfect tree adorned with creative orna-
ments. It is simply about being thankful - the most
important courtesy in the manners department.
The holiday season is a time to put all our
manners in check. It is a warm and fuzzy time
of year with cinnamon scents, crackling fires,
golden falling leaves and crisp dewy mornings.
It is sweater weather. It is a time to celebrate
what is important in our lives and what kind of
person we aspire to be.
Family traditions are something to look for-
ward to when planning your holiday gathering.
Being organized in the days ahead make for an
effortless event for everyone.
Giving
Thanks
The Ultimate Lesson in
Manners at the Holidays
THE MENU – The food is the center of attention
here. Turkey, prime rib, ravioli’s and our traditional
cracked crab for Christmas Eve, are some of my
favorites. What are yours? Oh, and don’t forget
the raspberry jello mold for Aunt Mary!
Karen La Corte is an
etiquette and manners
expert trained and certi-
fied by the Emily Post
Institute in Vermont. She
has been teaching eti-
quette and manners to
children and adults for
over thirty years. She is
also a certified image
and fashion consultant.
Karen is happy to answer
any personal etiquette or
image questions you may
have by emailing her at
karen@marxtowing.com
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THE GUEST LIST – Invite family and friends of
your choice at least a month in advance. This is
a common courtesy so folks can plan ahead and
know where they are going and what time. Be
specific. Being late for the planned party is bad
manners.
Assign pot luck items to include folks in the
meal preparation process. A bottle of wine can
be assigned to a family member who doesn’t
cook or who is traveling from a distance.
Make sure there are non-alc