Talking table etiquette
Table manners are dead. Or are they?
If you think about it from a new angle, many of these rules could be reminders to be present. Putting your phone away, removing distractions like your hat, and taking small bites to chew slower and enjoy your food – these put the people we are with and the meal in front of us in focus.
UK newspaper The Guardian’s Jonathan Jones wrote a piece on the sustenance of table etiquette in 2011, saying “Table manners define the meaning of a meal. Eating is a physical need, but meals are a social ritual.” British Vogue’s Claire Finney argues in a 2024 article that “To pull someone up for leaning a casual elbow on the table as they reach for a few more chips feels as outdated as critiquing them for mishandling a grapefruit spoon.”
For some, avoiding dining etiquette invites a more relaxed, inclusive, enjoyable dinner party. Whether you think it is a necessary practice or not, Christmas is an opportunity to invite this notion of being present and respecting your meal and guests.
