Western Etiquette

1. You have to lift the spoon up to your mouth

2. Lift your elbows and sit up straight!

3. Anyone wearing hats – remove them. This is just good manners. The host or hostess will move people into suitable seats with a person of honor at the head. This person gets served first directly by the hostess or the eldest of the home. As the offers for milk, sugar and lemon go around, a simple please or no, thank you do the trick. Or, as some mother’s have been known to say, "mind your P’s and Q’s".

4. Tea cups are filled from the right hand side of each guest. Again its nice to offer more than one type of tea so as to please various tastes. As you enjoy the warm, tasty tea remember to avoid slurping, and if you have to leave the table at any time excuse yourself gracefully.

5. Now, even with Miss Manners at the table you can have a good time. Tasteful jokes and stories are acceptable. Getting raucous, however, is generally frowned upon in formalized settings. Additionally avoid text messaging during tea – there are real people here wanting to enjoy a conversation with you, not with your cell phone.

6. Use the correct utensils to eat the correct food.
Example: Apples are quartered with a Fruit Knife, Steak Knives can be called into service if Fruit Knives are not available in your sterling pattern. The core of the apple is then cut away from each quartered piece, and the pieces are eaten with the fingers. If you choose to remove the skin, pare each piece separately. You do not use the Main Course/Dinner Fork to quarter the apple.

7. The left hander should be sitting at the far left of the table to ensure everyone has enough elbow space.

World of Chinese Culture