Etiquette Classes - Georgia and Florida » etiquette classes

Thank You Note?

Ginny Brown — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:14:55 +0000

I enjoy reading Rhonda Rich’s column in the Sunday issue of The Gwinnett Daily Post. I think she is a very talented writer and has a great sense of humor. I have commented on her articles before in my blog. I pay special attention to her articles when they focus on manners. Sunday’s article was about thank you notes. She raised a point which caused me to do some thinking.

Basically what the article was about was the expectation of receiving a thank you note. I gathered from her article that Ms. Rich is a believer in thank you notes and practices this form of etiquette. I, too, believe in writing a thank you note and teach this in my etiquette classes. A point made in the article was to give with your heart and not have set expectations of receiving a thank you note. She pointed out that we never know what is going on in the person’s life who has received the gift which you sent. I agree with her totally. We don’t walk in other people’s shoes. As Ms. Rich said, the recipient could have a serious personal situation that they are experiencing. Life happens, and we don’t always get the thank you note written even though we have good intentions to do this.

I don’t know that I expect a note when I send a gift or do something for someone. Yes, I do like receiving them, and I try very hard to send thank you notes. However, I think we all need to remember that we don’t give with the intention of receiving the note. We don’t need to judge the person who doesn’t send us the thank you note. Having said this, I believe that it is still good manners to send a thank you note and especially under normal circumstances.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Ginny Brown
The Etiquette School of Northeast Georgia
Hoschton, Georgia (Hamilton Mill area, Dacula, GA)
Email Ginny Brown
770-296-4159 cell

http://etiquette-blog.com

Summer Etiquette Fun

Ginny Brown — Thu, 21 May 2009 11:51:22 +0000

Summer is almost here. Summer is a great time of the year. I always looked forward to summer almost as much as my children did. Schedules are more relaxed, families tend to do more, people enjoy more outside activities, and there is just a bit more cheerfulness in the air. This is a time when families can relax and move at a slower pace without all the stress of the school year. Summer is also a time to keep your children busy with fun and enriching activities. Have you thought about a manners class for your child/children that’s fun but also teaches them some new things? This is a great class to add to your child’s summer program.

Please check out the website for more on topics covered in the manners classes.

Ginny Brown
The Etiquette School of Northeast Georgia
Hoschton, Georgia (Hamilton Mill area, Dacula, GA)
Email Ginny Brown
678-889-4814 office
770-296-4159 cell

http://etiquette-blog.com

How’s Your Comfort Level?

Ginny Brown — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:12:36 +0000

I received the loveliest wedding invitation to my best friend’s son’s wedding. I was flattered to receive the invitation since the guest list was quite limited due to the small size of the chapel chosen for the wedding. I enjoy weddings especially when you know a member of the wedding party well. I was unusually excited about this invitation as the wedding was being held in a place that I had not visited. It is a resort town I have always wanted to visit because of its beauty and quaintness.

Even though my friend was the mother of the groom and not in charge of the wedding, I knew the weekend affairs would be lovely because of previous parties I had attended given by my friend. This one was, however, going to be even more special. Some of the people hosting parties and attending the wedding are famous dignitaries. I knew the events would be first class and sophisticated. Often when a person receives invitations such as these, they immediately think “Do I know how to handle myself in this situation?” You know the reception will be a very formal dinner with four or five courses served. You think “Will I know which fork to use?” You also know that there will be many new people and some dignitaries who you will be meeting. You then think to yourself “Do I know how to greet someone properly and how to introduce people properly?” All sorts of etiquette questions run through your mind when you think of the type of situation you will be in at the affair.

Fortunately, I was taught etiquette at an early age growing up in my small hometown. Manners were just a way of life. I was most fortunate to have the benefit of learning manners and practicing them so that they became second nature. In most social situations throughout my life, I have felt properly prepared. After receiving my certification as an etiquette consultant, I feel even more confident of being able to handle myself in various social situations. I knew I could attend the wedding festivities and not worry about feeling uncomfortable or out of place with my manners. None of us likes to be placed in a situation where we don’t know what is proper. It embarrasses us, and this hinders our ability to shine as the wonderful people that we are.

If you feel the need to polish your manners, read an etiquette book or better yet, take an etiquette class. You will be amazed at how much you will learn, and you will find that it is not an overwhelming task to learn some new etiquette tips.

If you have had an experience where you were not prepared and would like to share it, please do. Or if you were in a situation and your manners led the way, please share this. Any comments are welcome.

Questions or comments are always appreciated.

Ginny Brown
The Etiquette School of Northeast Georgia
Hoschton, Georgia (Hamilton Mill area, Dacula, GA)
Email Ginny Brown
678-889-4814 office
770-296-4159 cell

http://etiquette-blog.com