Etiquette experts break down what you should do before, during, and after your stay.
Julie Soefer
The holiday seasonoften means packing up the car or booking a flight to visit loved ones.
But the lines of what is courteous and expected of guests can be blurry.
Credit:Julie Soefer
We asked etiquette experts to divulge what you should (and shouldnt!)
do when invited to stay as a guest.
Before Your Stay
Be sure to touch base with your host ahead of your stay.
Firm up the dates youll be there and your anticipatedarrival timeso you dont catch them off guard.
So it’s always important to bring a small host gift to show appreciation for being invited.
While the gift doesn’t need to be extravagant, it should reflect the effort level of your host.
Simple observation is often all thats needed to pick up on preferences.
you might look for clues upon entering, Meier says.
If youre unsure of anything, she suggests asking.
Some things to ask about early on during your stay include:
3.
For lunch and dinner, style editor Ellen Flowers says it’s polite to offer help in the kitchen.
She suggests offering to set the table, pour drinks, and helping to clean after the meal.
If you have a certain dietary restriction, Hayes suggests offering to purchase certain ingredients to meet the restriction.
“Guests should aim to be as least imposing as possible for their host,” Hayes says.
Want to watch your favorite show on the big-screen TV or do a quick load of laundry?
It also doesn’t hurt to ask first.
and let them reassure me I can help myself.
Grotts says a good rule of thumb is to follow what the hosts do.
If the host sleeps in past 10, guests should feel free to sleep in, too.
Hayes suggests communicating with the host to determine what sleeping and breakfast expectations are.
Do Your Own Laundry (But Ask First!)
But Hayes says guests should never expect the host to do their laundry.
At the End or After Your Stay
8.
Some prefer to do it themselves, but others may appreciate the help.
Any other areas that you frequently used should also be addressed.
A handwritten card is ideal, but even a quick text when you arrive home will do the trick.
