Last of a dying breed

[binley100]

When I was little and had finished eating I had to ask if I could leave the table. One day I went to friends for tea and when I had finished I duly asked 'please may I leave the table'.
Her dad started laughing and said 'well you're not going to take it with you' .
I was sooooo embarrassed .

[RedThorn]

nah Binley. He was just uncouth!
Same rule applies in our house and woe betide the person who asks to be excused before all have finished eating too...

[TheGirlsMum]

My girls ask to leave the table and are complimented on it when they eat out. They always clear their plates away too.

[bubblewrap]

"Not cutting bread with a knife" What's a bread knife for then?! And are you supposed to get better results with a spoon? :confused

I eat my peas with honey,
I've done it all my life,
It makes the peas taste funny,
But it keep them on the knife.

[jackie j]

When I was little and had finished eating I had to ask if I could leave the table. One day I went to friends for tea and when I had finished I duly asked 'please may I leave the table'.
Her dad started laughing and said 'well you're not going to take it with you' .
I was sooooo embarrassed .

We also had to ask ' please may I leave the table ' to which dad would reply ' well you cant take it with you. lol
We were not allowed to talk at the table, gran lived with us and she always had a balloon stick by her side and it would come crashing down on the table if you dare utter a word, except of course when saying please and thankyou.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

Totally agree about holding the door open for anyone - man, woman, or child, it's not nice getting smacked in the face with a door. I've only walked into a room once and a gentleman stood up (I blushed), he was truly an old fashioned gent. I use a knife to cut open my rolls As for spitting - I'd sew people's lips together to stop them! Why anyone has to eat with their mouths open I do not know

[bubblewrap]

Farting in public isn't very nice is it??...

I did once and was told to stop it........................I replied certainly which way did it go??

[OllieMartin]

Just after I wrote this I left for lunch and remembered the 'walking on the road side' one.
As for holding doors open, I think you're right, it is just polite regardless of sex. I think what I meant to say was; always allowing a lady to go first AND holding the door open, whether you're walking with them or meeting from opposite directions. That's what I was rebuked for doing as mentioned in the previous post. Even if I'm in a group of people and they all stream through, I'll always hang back for a lady, someone with a load or the elderly/infirm.

I went to a restaurant once for a family birthday; as we were leaving a group of lads were piling in through the door obstructing my mum from exiting. My brother, a 6'2" slab-of-a-lad, just put his hand on the first lad and pushed him and 3 or 4 of his friends backwards through the door and said, "when I was a lad", (bearing in mind he was probably 17 at the time), "it was ladies first!". The guys looked so embarrased, but my mum floated through with the biggest grin on her face.
Etiquette: 1, Bad Manners: 0.

[Brengirl]

Allowing people to come out of a shop before pushing your way in
Accepting with a smile and 'thankyou' any courtesy offered you.
Never repeat anything given in confidence

When I was a child it was considered vulgar to eat anything outdoors.
Never embarrass guests. We had prawns for tea one night and a friend ate them whole, head legs and tail. I daren't say a word until he started choking.
Sending a thankyou card for gifts received. I must admit I don't always but my grandchildren do and I congratulate their parents for insisting on it.

Start to clear a dining table when someone is still eating

[Two_Sheds]

I know someone who eats with his knife. He alternates: fork, lick knife, fork, lick knife. Drives me crackers. He thinks I'm just fussy.

[OllieMartin]

Start to clear a dining table when someone is still eating

That's the worst thing the waiters/waitresses do in a restaurant. I'd rather have bad food than bad service...probably.

[RedThorn]

arggh don't get me started on the eating and licking the knife thing TS, EX-wife used to drive me crazy doing that!

[OllieMartin]

"Not cutting bread with a knife" What's a bread knife for then?! And are you supposed to get better results with a spoon?

I believe the origins of this are from an era when you'd have a communal loaf in the middle of the table. Cutting a piece off was rude because it suggested that you didn't want to share, but you could tear a piece off as and when you wanted some.

[Glutton4...]

My MIL had a totally different upbringing (abroad) from me and my family, and she goes potty at bad service and bad etiquette. If we're all out for dinner, and get less than 'silver service' it virtually guarantees a frosty atmosphere!

Unfortunately, the correct way of waiting tables is seldom taught nowadays - it seems to be acceptable to just grab the plates and bung 'em on the table.

I like to have doors held for me, but don't expect it, and I also hold the door for whoever is following behind me. If it's just left slamming in my face by the person I'm following, I usually make sure my hand makes a noise when connecting with the door, and if that doesn't get a reaction, I have been known for a little sarcasm Yes me! LOL

[SueA]

I was brought up by older parents & taught to have manners in much the same way as all of you have mentioned, saying please & thank you, sending thank you notes, holding doors open for people, never taking anything unless invited to do so etc. The motto of my school was ' Manners maketh man' & we all had to stand up when the teacher first entered the room & had to stand if the headmistress came into a classroom for any reason.
I noticed in the papers recently a boy who had refused to stand when the headteacher came into the room & he had been reprimanded but was being supported by his father who said he shouldn't have to stand up, the headmaster had to earn his respect!