7.20.2011

WEDNESDAY BAG ♥ HOSTESS HOW-TO (NOT)

Here are some tips for being a gracious hostess to the person(s) you've invited into your home...I might have issues like a lot of people do with their parents. But one thing I am proud of is that my mother really taught my brother and I how to treat people especially if they are in our house. Unless they're your official roommate, everyone should really make their guests feel at home and at ease......



1. DO NOT LET YOUR CAT SLEEP ON TOP OF YOUR GUEST'S HEAD IF THEY HAVE TOLD YOU THEY ARE REALLY ALLERGIC TO CATS. Now, come on, people. If someone says they are deathly allergic to cats and you actually bring your cat and place it right on top of the pillow they are sleeping on...you have problems. (People actually do this...it's unreal.)

2. DO MAKE SURE THERE IS DRINKING WATER IN THE HOUSE IF YOU ARE LEAVING FOR WORK/THE DAY. It's really weird when you are staying with someone, and you wake up to find the house empty and no drinking water. Maybe some of you live where the water coming out of the tap is healthy. But if it's not, it would behoove you to make sure there is water for the guests to drink or make tea or coffee when they get up so they don't have to leave the house to get water and then come back and make tea. That's just wrong.

3. DO KEEP DINNER PLANS WITH YOUR GUESTS IF YOU HAVE (a)SUGGESTED DINNER PLANS YOURSELF TO YOUR GUESTS AND/OR (b)YOUR GUEST HAS ASKED YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO CATCH DINNER. Don't get excited and say things like,"YES YES!! LET'S  DO THAT!" to your guest and then run out later without a word only to return to the house with a giant pizza all for yourself.  Additionally, do not act passive aggressively when you realize your guest is confused and/or hungry because they didn't know you were blowing them off to get your own giant pizza. Additionally to that, do not, after you have realized you have blown off your dinner plans with your guest who is now probably starving, take your giant pizza into another room and eat it like a hoarder as your guest sits bewildered in the other room...hungry and awkward.

4. DO NOT USE YOUR GUEST'S FANCY BATH PRODUCTS AND/OR BEAUTY PRODUCTS SECRETLY WITHOUT ASKING. This is gross. It's the grossest thing when you go to your face cream and see cat hair inside. It's also very frustrating when your guest has a new fancy shampoo and then she sees it's almost finished because you are taking three showers a day and using her products. Just don't. It's gross. At the very least, ask if you can try it out.

5. IF YOUR GUEST DOES NOT HAVE A CAR AND YOU LIVE IN A PLACE WHERE YOU MIGHT NEED A CAR TO GET BASIC NECESSITIES LIKE TOOTHPASTE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, DON'T TELL THEM YOU'RE TAKING THEM TOMORROW "FOR SURE" AND THEN BLOW IT OFF AND THEN TELL THEM YOU'RE TAKING THEM THE NEXT DAY "FOR SURE" AND THEN BLOW IT OFF AGAIN. I mean, come on.

6. DON'T COPY EVERY HAIRSTYLE THEY HAVE EVERY DAY. It's just weird. Maybe you have a stylee friend who likes to get gussied up. But it's just weird when you copy her hair every day and/or outfit every day. Can you say SINGLE WHITE FEMALE?

7. DON'T LEAVE THE HOUSE WHEN YOU ARE BOTH SUPPOSED TO BE GOING SOMEWHERE TOGETHER WITHOUT SAYING SOMETHING LIKE, "I'LL MEET YOU OUTSIDE." I consider this part of single-child-syndrome (no offense...I'm sure some or a lot of you single children have the best manners ever...but others do not).  It's very odd when you're getting ready and you walk out of the room and find the house empty. Likewise, do not get out of the car and run away into the store and leave your guest trailing behind. Just weird. It's not all about you.

8. WHEN YOU SEE YOUR GUEST IS MAKING A BIG EFFORT TO CLEAN THE HOUSE BY WASHING THE DISHES EVERY DAY AND MOPPING THE FLOORS AND TIDYING UP SO THEY ARE NOT A BURDEN AND GIVING YOU SPACE, DO NOT COME IN AND THROW A BUNCH OF DIRTY DISHES INTO THE SINK AND TRASH ON THE FLOOR. It's also very weird. Your guest is obviously trying to help out and keep everything nice for you as a thank you. Appreciate it. Your guest is not your maid.

I know this post is weird. But I'm so sick of all the gauche behaviors out there. I get some people never learned. But that's why I did this post. No matter what (unless they are hell in a basket), just be nice. It will come back to you. It's just as hard to be a guest as having a guest in your home. Some people don't like to have guests...I guess I'm different. My homes have always been warm and well-received because I like having people over. If you hate it, then just don't. But don't say yes and then make your guests feel unwelcome.  
Don't be gauche!

from dictionary.com:

gauche[gohsh]–adjective

lacking social grace, sensitivity, or acuteness; awkward; crude; tactless: Their exquisite manners always make me feel gauche.

OH YEAH...HERE'S A BONUS NUMBER 9:
9. If you know your cat is going to pee and poo all over the bathroom like a human if you don't clean the litter box, then do clean it instead of leaving it and letting him pee and poo all over the floor and expecting the guest to clean it up! 

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