Professional Courtesy, LLC

Karen Hickman specializes in Etiquette and Protocol Consulting and is based out of Fort Wayne, IN | TEL: 260-486-7758

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Company Profile
    • Bio of Karen Hickman
    • Team
    • Endorsements
  • Services
    • Building Confidence in Yourself, Leadership Workshop
    • Corporate & International Etiquette
    • Dining Etiquette for Business & Pleasure
    • International Protocol
    • Medical & Dental Etiquette
    • Tea & Etiquette
    • Tech Etiquette
    • University Etiquette
    • Nonprofit Fundraising Opportunities
  • Events
    • Speaking Schedule
    • Conferences & Seminars
  • Speaking & Writing
    • Speaking Topics
    • Seminar Topics & Etiquette Training
    • Writing & Editorial Services
  • Blog
  • Media Room
    • Media Kit
    • Articles by Karen Hickman
    • Videos of Karen Hickman
    • Newsletter Archives
  • Products
  • Tips & Resources
  • Contact
  • Cart
You are here: Home / Archives for House guest etiquette

Holiday House Guest Etiquette

December 20, 2021 by procourtesy

Holiday House Guest Etiquette

The perfect house guest.

If you happen to be a guest, even a family guest at holiday time, here are some guidelines that will help you be a considerate and perfect house guest and get invited back.

Be on time.

Arrive on the appointed date. Don’t arrive earlier or stay later than the dates agreed upon. And don’t bring any extra people with you.

Bring a gift

Bring a small hostess gift. A gift of food, wine or something that can be used during your stay or be saved after you have gone is considerate. If your stay is lengthy, offer to take your hosts out to dinner at some point during your visit.

Leave Fido at home.

Leave your pets at home. Asking to bring pets can cause a lot of confusion and extra stress for the host. If they do insist and say it’s okay, then feel free to bring Fido along.

Don’t expect to be waited on.

Don’t expect to be waited on. Your hosts are not your servants and you should be prepared to help out by making your bed daily, keeping your clothes and personal items together and out of the way and leaving the bathroom picked up.

Be helpful.

Do offer to help in the kitchen with food prep and cleaning up. Your host may decline your offer, but your willingness to help will not go unnoticed.

Dress accordingly.

Ask about the schedule of events during your stay. If there are outings or sporting events planned be sure to be prepared with the expected attire so you will be appropriately dressed.

Be prepared to entertain yourself.

Allow for some down time. Don’t expect to be entertained every minute of every day by your host. Finding time to do some things on your own can be a welcome respite for your host.

Follow the rules.

Follow the house rules. If the host retires at a certain time, consider retreating to your room instead of staying up all night watching TV. And don’t expect to sleep until noon when the rest of the house is up early and ready to go for the day.

Unplug!

Unplug. Avoid being on your phone or electronic devises constantly in front of others, especially at the dinner table. If you have to check messages and take calls, excuse yourself and find a quiet place to do that.

Maintain a sense of modesty.

Bring a robe. You may have to share a bathroom that is down the hall. And if acceptable, you may want to wear one at breakfast. However, if everyone else is dressed at the table, I recommend dressing for breakfast.

Be reasonable with dietary requests.

Don’t make unreasonable dietary demands. If you have special dietary needs, be prepared to bring some of your own food or pick another time to visit.

Leave things in good shape.

Strip your bed and gather dirty towels the day you leave. Some hosts may not want you to bother, but offering is appreciated.

Send a proper thank you.

Do send a handwritten thank you note or a gift after your visit.

All of these suggestions demonstrate proper Holiday House Guest Etiquette.

Filed Under: Holiday card etiquette Tagged With: etiquette exoert, Holiday house guest etiquette, House guest etiquette, Karen Hickman, Professional Courtesy, the perfect guest

House Guest Etiquette

May 18, 2015 by procourtesy

Welcome home doormat with close door

Summer is upon us and it’s a time that many of us travel to see relatives or are invited to be guests at friend’s vacation homes. Having house guests can be a fun and wonderful experience. However, there are those guests who try the hosts’ patience and leave them feeling as if they never want them to come back. If those guests happen to be family members, a return visit is likely and something the host will not look forward to.

So, if you happen to be a guest, even a family guest, here are some guidelines that will help you be a considerate and perfect house guest:

*Arrive on the appointed date. Don’t arrive earlier or stay later than the dates agreed upon. And don’t bring any extra people with you.

*Bring a small hostess gift. A gift of food, wine or something that can be used during your stay or be saved after you have gone is considerate. If your stay is lengthy, offer to take your hosts out to dinner at some point during your visit.

*Be prepared to leave your pets at home. Asking to bring pets can cause a lot of confusion and extra stress for the host. If they do insist and say it’s okay, then feel free to bring Fido along.

*Don’t expect to be waited on. Your hosts are not your servants and you should be prepared to help out by making your bed daily, keeping your clothes and personal items together and out of the way and leaving the bathroom picked up.

*Do offer to help in the kitchen with food prep and cleaning up. Your host may decline your offer, but your willingness to help will not go unnoticed.

*Ask about the schedule of events during your stay. If there are outings or sporting events planned be sure to be prepared with the expected attire so you will be appropriately dressed.

*Allow for some down time. Don’t expect to be entertained every minute of every day by your host. Finding time to do some things on your own can be a welcome respite for your host.

*Follow the house rules. If the host retires at a certain time, consider retreating to your room instead of staying up all night watching TV. And don’t expect to sleep until noon when the rest of the house is up early and ready to go for the day.

*Bring a robe. You may have to share a bathroom that is down the hall. And if acceptable, you may want to wear one at breakfast. However, if everyone else is dressed at the table, I recommend dressing for breakfast.

*Don’t make unreasonable dietary demands. If you have special dietary needs, be prepared to bring some of your own food or pick another time to visit.

*Be prepared to strip your bed and gather dirty towels the day you leave. Some hosts may not want you to bother, but offering is appreciated.

*Do send a handwritten thank you note after your visit.

Filed Under: House Guest Etiquette Tagged With: etiquette expert, House guest etiquette, Karen Hickman, perfect house guest, Professional Courtesy, visiting relatives

Follow Me On Twitter

Karen Hickman
  • RT @LydiaRamseyLive: Workplace Ghosting—Another Bequest from Covid https://t.co/kSh1sGKyHb 02:13:10 PM March 08, 2022 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
  • #businessemailetiquette My latest blog post on business email etiquette. https://t.co/VHvw3wkOxq 12:19:29 PM February 08, 2022 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
  • #nationalcomplimentday #Complimentetiquette #sincerecompliments My latest blog post on offering sincere compliments. https://t.co/VCVgcxsXFS 02:41:08 PM January 26, 2022 from Twitter Web App ReplyRetweetFavorite
@karen_v_hickman

Ask Karen

Do you have an etiquette question? Feel free to ask Karen here.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Due to the volume of email we receive we may not be able to respond to all of the questions submitted. Please note: any questions may be published on this blog or in my column, "Contemporary Courtesies" in the Fort Wayne News Sentinel. Full names will be with held for privacy.
*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Like Us On Facebook

Get Karen’s Posts to your Inbox

SIgn up to receive my posts delivered directly to your inbox.

Recent Posts From Karen

  • Business Email Etiquette
  • How to Offer A Sincere Compliment
  • Sending Thank You’s for Physician Gifts
  • Holiday House Guest Etiquette
  • Correct Holiday Greetings

Blog Archives

Recent Comments

  • procourtesy on Correct Holiday Greetings
  • Suzanne Nourse on Correct Holiday Greetings
  • procourtesy on Loss and the Holidays
  • Suzanne Nourse on Loss and the Holidays
  • procourtesy on Thanksgiving Guest Etiquette

Company Profile

Founded in 1999, the mission of Professional Courtesy and Karen Hickman is to present programs of the finest quality with the highest degree of professionalism.

The purpose of the seminars and programs is to enable professionals, executives, and individuals to conduct business in diverse cultural arenas with ease.
Read More

From the Blog

Business Email Etiquette                                                                                      The number of emails we all receive every day can be overwhelming, but they are a fact of life. Keeping that in mind, try to observe some of the basic email etiquette rules for emailing within the business world. Your email message may … Read More

Contact Us

Professional Courtesy, LLC
Etiquette/Protocol Consultants
P.O. Box 15353
Fort Wayne IN 46885-5353

Telephone: 260-486-7758
Facsimile: 260-486-7758
Via Email

Copyright © 2025 · Professional Courtesy, LLC · SA Designs