I love New Year’s Eve! It’s the perfect time to bond with friends, while reflecting on goals and aspirations for the new year. I really believe in the power of intention. Starting the year off with good intentions sets the tone for the rest of the year. That being said, some people can get a bit unraveled during the New Year’s Eve festivities. You know, alcohol has a tendency to make us a bit more, shall we say, relaxed. With the holiday fast approaching, I want to cover five etiquette tips for New Year’s Eve…so read on.

1. Be an Awesome Guest

Like most people, you’ll probably be invited to a number of New Year’s Eve affairs. If it’s a potluck, don’t be a tightwad. It’s unfair to attend a party, eat all the food and take home leftovers, when you only contributed a two-liter of soda. If it’s not a potluck, ask the host if there’s something you can bring anyway or bring a bottle of champagne. In addition to food, you’ll want to confirm the dress code for the event. It will be awkward if you arrive in jeans and a t-shirt, while everyone else is dressed in their finest cocktail attire.

2. Don’t Forget to R.S.V.P.

People who don’t confirm their party invites are one of the worst offenders of poor etiquette. It takes extensive planning and preparation to make a great party go off without a hitch. One of the things which helps in that department is when guests actually confirm if they plan to show up. Don’t wait until December 30 to confirm in hopes that a better invite will come along. With today’s e-invitations, your host will see through that right away. Remember to be courteous and don’t forget to hit the RSVP button.

3. Host Etiquette

Planning a great New Year’s Eve bash can be a lot of fun. But you definitely want to make sure you’re exhibiting the utmost decorum, when it comes to considering those around you. Always inform your neighbors if you plan on hosting a party that will last until midnight or require cars to be parked down the block. In fact, the most polite thing to do would be to invite them! Even if they decline, at least they’ll be aware of the noise level that might occur. Keep in mind, not everyone is into partying into the wee hours of the morning.

4. Don’t Be a Party Pooper

It’s really tempting to stay in your comfort zone by only socializing with people you know throughout the night. Make the most of your night by conversing with new people around you. You never know who you might meet in a new setting. Additionally, come to the party with good energy. You may be a little down that you’re single or frustrated that you’re not where you thought you’d be by the end of the year, but resist the urge to complain about these things during the night. Nobody likes a Negative Nancy. Parties are all about having a great time. So no matter how you’re feeling, keep the mood light.

5. Do Not Get Drunk

This is probably easier said than done. New Year’s Eve is almost synonymous with having one too many. Just because you may be offered a ton of free alcohol, it doesn’t give you the right to get drunk. You want your New Year Eve to be memorable, and not in a bad way. There are plenty of taxis, Ubers and free driving services available during New Year’s Eve. As host, make sure that all of your guests are able to get home safely. Brew a pot of coffee towards the end of the night and call cars for those who cannot drive. It saves you the legal liability.

I am truly grateful for all of the viewers of this blog and clients who I have come in contact with over the past year. My hope for you is that you get all of the things you desire in this New Year and more. Enjoy the festivities, be safe and have a fabulous New Year!

Crystal L. Bailey

Click for CNN Interview

THE BIG PICTURE: Movie Theater Etiquette

I get it. We no longer dress up for the “picture show” in our finest high button shoes to hear a rousing piano solo before the black and white film begins, but why! oh why! must we be without the slightest modicum of decorum at the movies? Here are my Top 5 Rules of Movie Theater Etiquette

1. Not so Smart Phone. This would seem basic and a lot of people have wised up from actually taking calls in the theater and have learned to put phones on silent or vibrate. “Hey I can’t talk right now, I’m at the movies” is not the right answer. That’s what voicemail is for. However, now that we text, Tweet and Instagram our every move, people (especially the young and tech savvy) find it impossible to go 90 minutes without connecting. There are several problems with this. But the main one is the kryptonic light emitting from your smart phone. It is a real eye sore.

2. The Buffer Seat. In a large mostly empty theater, it seems as if there is always the person or persons who decide to come and sit directly next to you. If there is space in the theater, spread out a bit. If you are tall and there is a petite lady behind you, check to see if that person can see. On the flip side, if the theater is a packed opening night crowd, acknowledge that you may not get your “buffer seat” you may just have to suck it up, take your jacket it out of the seat and make room for the couple who is looking for seats together in a theater of buffer seats.

3. Seats and Feet. It kills me to see people take their stinky little shoes off as if they are at home and kick their feet up on the seat. Even if I am rows behind, I still see your toes, and I did not pay for that! Additionally, sticking your feet between the seats or on seat backs is equally disturbing to those in the row in front of you as you push them back and forth with your every move. Keep your feet to yourself!

4. Children and Babies. Refrain from bringing small children and babies into theater. Not only is there the issue of crying babies and out of control kids, but adult and R-rated movie audiences expect an adult crowd because of the content. There are many theaters that now offer Mommy/Daddy & Me movies during the day where babies are welcome.

5. Clean up after yourself. Yes the theatre will remove your trash. And yes, they will sweep. But theater employees are not your butlers. And I know your mother raised you better. Be a gent and a lady and actually remove your trash when leaving the theater. It is flat out tacky to leave it.

Netiquette becomes a point of contention with some parents of younger children. But in a world where there are apps marketed for not only toddlers but babies, I believe netiquette should begin before iPad mini can even be uttered. Very often, I like to focus on netiquette with children in my In-home lessons and workshops. For those of us less savvy, Netiquette [net-i-kit, -ket] is defined as the rules of etiquette that apply when communicating over a computer network. I use a much broader definition and expand it to cell phones, tablets and basically any electronic.

Many parents think that netiquette is not yet at issue because their kids don’t have phones. Well, they are among the few. Many of their peers do, they have access to your technology and ultimately you won’t be able to say “no” to adding them to the family plan. If parents are not proactive in teaching our young people proper usage at a young age, I warn parents that they will end up with kids who text you from their room to find out what’s for dinner, Instagram what you’ve cooked with the caption “yuck” and then spend the rest of the night tweeting about how much they hate you.

To that end, I enjoy broaching the subject with young people who may not understand why it is rude to use their phones while dining with friends or sitting through class. But who can blame them, when I have to deal with their parents yelling through the phone in the bank line, or texting though a business meeting. Just because times have changed, does not me our standards of civility must. Adults are the number culprits of poor cell phone usage, tactless e-mails and tacky Facebook posts. How can a young person growing up today even begin to develop good habits, when we ourselves are setting poor ones?

Consider participating in National Day of Unplugging, March 1-2. This would be a great time to test our dependence on or rather independence from technology and to reconnect with those who really matter.

Did you know that Girl Scouts can earn badges in etiquette, manners and social skills? The Etiquette Institute of Washington offers comprehensive Etiquette and Manners programming for Girl Scouts of the USA. From the Juniors Social Butterfly badge to Tea Party Patches, the Institute has all your needs covered. Give your girls skills they can use for a life time!

Contact us at: 202.670.7349 or info@washingtonetiquette.com for more details.

Click HERE for Programming & Pricing