In today's day and age, folks treat the dinner table pretty casually. Sometimes meals aren't even eaten at the table, instead being devoured on the couch or even eaten on the run in order to get from one meeting to the next.
But sitting down for a dinner or a lunch used to be a pretty involved affair. Before TV dinners took over, table manners were incredibly important for everyone, no matter what age.
How do you think your table manners compare to the standards of yesterday? We may not realize it, but our manners are probably way, way, way below the standards of the past.
I personally do a couple of these, but most of them are totally foreign to me.
Do you think that these manners should be brought back into play, or do you like the way things are now? Some of these dinner table expectations truly make a lot of sense if you think about them!
Please SHARE this list of mostly forgotten rules with your family and friends on Facebook!
[H/T: The Vintage Cook]
Thumbnail sources: Flickr 1, 2
1. Never Sip With Your Mouth Full
You may not realize it, but you probably take sips of water or wine with food in your mouth all the time. In the past, you had to make sure your mouth was empty before taking a sip so no food debris got on the rim of the glass.
2. Soup Must Cool On Its Own
Blowing on spoonfuls of soup used to be completely unacceptable. Instead you had to wait for your soup to become a tolerable temperature on its own.
3. Place Your Napkin Properly
You were supposed to lay lunch napkins out fully in your lap, while inner napkins were supposed to be kept folded in half in your lap. You would always place the napkin casually to the right of the place setting once you were finished.
4. Modify Your Conversation
Today just about anything goes, but back when table manners were in style, you had to keep dinner conversation very clean and polite.
5. Share Food The Right Way
Reaching across the table with your own used fork was acceptable. A fresh forkful had to be handed to the other person to taste the dish.
6. Blow Your Nose Quietly
There's nothing like a spicy dish to clear your sinuses, but back in the day it was rude to loudly blow your nose at the table, and you had to do it as discreetly as possible if at all.
7. Maintain Good Posture
Everyone today eats with their elbows on the table, but that used to be acceptable only between courses.
8. Never Use Your Own Spoon For The Sugar
Nor your own knife for the butter or jam. There was a specific utensil for each.
9. Leave Your Food Alone
You weren't supposed to mush anything together or cover it in ketchup or any other kind of sauce, as it was an insult to the chef.
10. Always Say Grace
No matter what religion, you were always supposed to say at least a simple thank-you before each meal.
Do you still follow any of these much-neglected practices? Please SHARE with family and friends on Facebook.
