Kelly & Michael: Holiday Etiquette Exam With Lizzie Post

Lizzie Post: Emily Post Etiquette

Lizzie Post is the great-great granddaughter of Emily Post, and the author of the book Emily Post Etiquette. With holiday parties and family gatherings right around the corner, everyone wants to be on their best behavior. Kelly & Michael were in need of some lessons on holiday etiquette, and who better than Lizzie Post for tips and advice?

Let’s take a look at some of the helpful tips Kelly & Michael learned in Lizzie Post’s holiday etiquette exam.

Lizzie Post: Extra Party Guests

Lizzie asked the hosts a series of true/false questions in the form of a statement. The first was in regard to extra, uninvited party guests.

• If a guest brings extra people with them, they must be turned away at the door.
• This is false. Michael doesn’t like this idea, but of course, you must always be a gracious host and welcome them in. As they say, the more the merrier!

Lizzie Post: Hostess Gifts

• You always should bring a hostess gift to a holiday party.
• True. Never show up to a party empty handed.

Lizzie Post: Disciplining Children

• You can discipline someone else’s child if they misbehave at your home.
• False. The polite thing to do is to save the discipline for the parents.

Lizzie Post: Phone at the Holiday Table

• You should put your phone away and not check it during the holiday meal.
• True. Be polite, give your guests your full attention and save the emails for later.

Lizzie Post: Re-Gifting

• Re-gifting is never acceptable under any circumstance.
• False. Re-gifting is appropriate under certain circumstances (for more, read Lizzie’s book).

Lizzie Post: Cutting Down on Gifts

• It is okay to cut down on gift-giving list if you need to.
• True. As Michael said, “people should be glad they’re getting anything at all!”

Lizzie Post: Cash as a Gift

• Giving cash as a gift looks thoughtless and cold.
• False. People love getting cash!

Lizzie Post: Family Holiday Update

• It’s okay to include a brief, modest family update with your holiday card.
• True. Just be sure to keep it brief, and definitely leave out any sad news or bragging.