Saturday, October 31, 2015

Buffet Etiquette

From Southern Lady:
There are three options for a buffet. One is the standing buffet. Guests serve themselves and simply stand to eat. However, chairs should always be provided for elderly people.

The traditional buffet calls for guests to be served from the main table; then they move to other rooms to find places to sit. Each guest should have access to a table—or a portion of one—on which to place their drink and plate. It is also quite acceptable to sit on the floor if the occasion is casual. A thoughtful hostess provides small folding tables for guests—it makes them more comfortable and helps avoid accidental spills.

At a seated buffet, guests serve themselves from the buffet table and then sit at the dining-room table or at small tables that have been placed throughout the house. In this case, the hostess should ask guests to find their places first and then to be served by tables. This allows people to eat together while their food is still warm. (Read more.)
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2 comments:

Gette said...

It would be nice to see some articles such as this one stressing etiquette from a Catholic p.o.v. Elena, you might consider writing such a book, or articles! In such a work, for example, I would expect to see it include suggestions for warm and welcoming respect given to the priest guest and elderly in casual gatherings as well as formal ones. For instance, the priest should be invited first to serve himself, after he has said grace over the lovely meal. This might be done nonchalantly by the host or hostess casually handing the priest a plate and inviting him to serve himself. Also, as Catholic gatherings often comprise of all generations together, the elderly guests should be seated and served first by the hostess or some helpful guests. The option of seating children separately might be discussed, and when it is best to serve the youngsters. (Those of us who have had children might say, "the sooner the better!")

That's my two cents worth...I often stay much longer at my computer when I am avoiding housework!!

Happy All Hallow's Eve and a most holy All Saints and All Souls day to you and your dear ones!

elena maria vidal said...

Happy Feast to you, Gette! Great idea!! There is such a book called The Correct Thing and it was written by a Catholic lady about 100 years ago but most of it still applies!