Humans have the urge to gather but there are 11 things etiquette experts want you to know that are rude if you do them at someone’s house.
1. Touching and moving things. Feet off the furniture, don’t open the fridge, don’t take books off the shelf.
2. Don’t demand a tour of the house. If not offered a tour of the house don’t take one on your own.
3. Overstaying your welcome. If the hosts change into their pajamas get the F out. A friend of mine will stand up at a certain point if he has people over and announce “the evening has come to a conclusion”….subtle.
4. If you spill something or break something say something. Don’t try to hide it. To be safe drink clear drinks.
5. Never bring an uninvited guest unless cleared with the host.
6. If invited to a meal reveal dietary restrictions well in advance. Don’t announce at the table when steak is served you don’t eat meat.
7. Don’t feed the host’s dog under the table.
8. Listen to what the host says about shoes on or off. Bring socks or slippers just in case if you wear no socks and you don’t like to be barefoot and the host wants shoes off at the door. That’s always clumsy all around.
9. Don’t switch place cards at the table. Sit where you’re assigned.
10. Don’t show up empty handed. Wine or flowers are a nice gesture.
11. Don’t snoop in medicine cabinets. Some hosts will put marbles in their medicine cabinets so when opened by a snooper they’ll fall out and make a racket. And rig up some kind of alarm to your underwear drawer and your party is ready to go.
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Garry