Dining Etiquette
British dining etiquette is quite exquisite. If you are invited to someone else’s house, there are several situations to consider. For example, when should you arrive at the host’s house? If it’s not serious business, it’s just a social gathering, and it’s rude to arrive early. The hostess is getting ready, and you will arrive before she is fully ready, which will make her feel very embarrassed. 10 minutes late is best. Arriving half an hour late is too late and needs to apologize to the host.
When should you leave? There are no rules, but it is rude to sit too late at the host’s house. If you are only invited to have dinner and chat, then you’d better leave between 10 and 11 o’clock or say goodbye 1 hour after the meal.
If you are invited to stay for a few days or spend the weekend, you should buy a bunch of flowers for the hostess before leaving, which will make her very happy. In addition, send a note to thank the host the day after leaving, and attach a small gift such as a box of chocolates or some flowers.
Banquet etiquette
There are various ways of banqueting in the UK, mainly tea parties and banquets. Tea parties include formal and informal tea parties. The British do not serve dishes at the table, and it is entirely up to the guests’ interests to take them, but it is generally polite to eat up the dishes. Those who do not drink alcohol put their hands to the mouth of the cup when the waiter is pouring the wine. Guests can shake hands or nod their heads when they say goodbye.
The UK is very particular about drinking tea. People from all walks of life like to drink tea, especially women who are addicted to tea. The British also have the habit of drinking afternoon tea. The host often invites you to drink afternoon tea together. In this case, there is no need to refuse.
It is worth noting that at formal banquets, smoking is generally not allowed. Smoking at meals is considered rude. The British love to drink alcohol, and Scotch whisky and gin are well known. In the UK, there are many people who like to drink, mainly because it is also a wine-producing country.
The British often have more than two kinds of wine at their banquets. White wine is served when eating fish, red wine is served when eating meat, and champagne is also served at larger banquets. The British do not persuade alcohol during the banquet, and it is entirely voluntary to drink more and less, but for the sake of politeness, they also raise their glasses and say “Cheers” from time to time. Those who do not drink do not have to force themselves. When the waiter comes to refill the wine, as long as he puts his hand on the mouth of the glass, the waiter will realize that he will not refill the wine.
Costume etiquette
The British pay attention to clothing, and dress should vary from time to time. They often judge people by their appearance, and they must pay special attention to their appearance and attitude. They are particular about dressing, and as soon as they leave the house, they have to be well-dressed. Therefore, they have developed a traditional gentleman and lady demeanor, generally enthusiastic about tradition and reserved and solemn.
Most British men wear a tie or bow tie every day to maintain their graceful demeanor. Scottish men like to wear a kind of ethnic “Gelt” skirt. This skirt is made of tweed material, which is waist or even knee long, and is equipped with a wide belt. The front is decorated with a small oval scarf. The Scots regard this short skirt as a national symbol, and every festival, men wear this skirt to dance the folk dance under the backing track of the national music.
Meeting etiquette
The etiquette of meeting in the United Kingdom is rich and colorful.
1. Bow
Bow is a courtesy between subordinates and superiors or between peers. When saluting, you must take off your hat, and your right hand (if you can hold something with your right hand, you can use your left hand) to hold the center of the front brim of the hat and remove the hat. After the right hand is lowered, your body is aligned, and you stand at attention. Look at the recipient with both eyes. The upper part of your body is tilted forward about fifteen degrees, and then return to its original state. When you take off your hat, you use the opposite hand to salute the person on the left and take off your hat with your right hand; when you salute the person on the right, take off your hat with your left hand.
2. The nod ceremony
The nod ceremony is the etiquette of the same level or peers, and the hat must also be removed. If you meet on the road, you can salute during the march; if you meet an officer or an elder on the road, you must stand at attention and bow, but the officer can nod or reach out your right hand or touch the brim of your hat during the walk.
3. Raise your hand to look at the ceremony
Raise your hand to look at the ceremony is military etiquette. Raise your right hand when saluting, with your fingers straight and aligned, your fingertips touching the right side of the brim, your palms slightly outward, your upper arms are shoulder-high, and your eyes are fixed on each other. After the other party answers, you can put your hands down. Salute to the officer or elder every time you meet.
4. Shake hands
Shake hands are the most common etiquette in Europe and the United States, and are used in many countries around the world. When saluting, about one step away from the other party, lean forward slightly, stretch out your right hand, put your four fingers together, and extend your thumb to the recipient separately. In hotel room service, it should be noted that guests can only shake their hands when they extend their hands first. Don’t shake hands with people inside the door or outside the door, especially avoid four people shaking hands. Women who meet for the first time usually do not shake hands, but only bow. The tighter the handshake with a man, the deeper the friendship, and the lighter the handshake with a woman. They don’t hug as often as Eastern Europeans. It is considered indecent to slap a guest casually, even after official business is over.
5. The hand-kissing ceremony
The hand-kissing ceremony is a kind of etiquette popular in the upper class of European and American society. When meeting a noble woman or lady in the upper class, if the woman reaches out her hand first in a drooping pose, she will gently lift her fingertips to kiss him. But if the woman does not reach out, she will not kiss. When giving the hand-kissing ceremony, if the woman’s status is high, she should bend one knee in a half-kneeling pose, and then shake hands and kiss him. This etiquette is most valued in British and French society.
6. Kissing ceremony
The kiss ceremony is the etiquette of showing intimacy and caress between superiors to subordinates, elders to juniors, friends, and couples. Usually a light kiss is given on the face or forehead of the recipient. When you are happy, or when you are happy or sad, you usually give a kiss to express your intimacy and condolences.
7. “Ladies first”
The British treat people politely and speak very politely. Thank you and ask for your words. You should also be polite when speaking to the British. Whether they are waiters or drivers, you should treat them with courtesy. When asking him to do things, you should be tactful and don’t make people feel commanding. Otherwise, you may be treated coldly. The British have more respect for women. In the UK, the social atmosphere of women first is very strong. If you walk, let the lady go first. Take the elevator and let the woman go first. When taking the bus or tram, let the woman go first. The wine should be poured first for the female guest or the hostess. When walking on the street, the man should go outside to avoid danger and protect the woman from harm. Husbands usually participate in various social activities with their wives, and they are always used to introducing their wives to the VIPs first.
Business etiquette
British business etiquette is known as a model of etiquette in the business world. Nowadays, almost all the common etiquette in the world is based on British business etiquette. A strong sense of professionalism is a major characteristic of the British. If you choose a career, you must make your business better.
In business interactions, they place great importance on friendship, do not deliberately pursue material things, and do not weigh two catties. They are like everyone’s style. When it comes to business negotiations, they are often not fully prepared, and they do not pay attention to the details, which makes them seem a little loose. But British businesspeople are very kind, friendly and easy to get along with. Therefore, problems are easy to solve. They are sociable, adaptable, have good flexibility, and respond positively to constructive opinions.
When talking about business, you must be conservative and cautious. Shake hands with each other for the first time or on special occasions, or when you express your approval and congratulations.
When British people do business, they first start by building credit, and then consider “helping” people. So when some things in the negotiation fail, you must not force others to do it. This will not work in the British business community. When encountering this situation, you have to find another way, or wait for the next opportunity, and it is absolutely impossible to express your feelings.
In addition, when doing business with the British, there are certain procedures for everything, and you can’t rush it.
According to British business etiquette, you should wear a three-piece suit and wear a traditional conservative tie at any time, but don’t wear a striped tie, because the British will associate it with the uniform tie of the old army or the old school. They are well-dressed, and when attending banquets or parties, they are used to wearing black dresses, and their clothes must be ironed.
The British have a strong sense of time. To visit or negotiate business, you must make an appointment before the visit. It is very important to be on time. It is best to arrive a few minutes early. The way they get along is to keep their time and keep their promises. Business activities are best from February to June, mid-September to November. It is best not to go for two weeks before and after Christmas and Easter.
British famous people still follow the traditional habit, and it is advisable to avoid using the word English to mean Britain. If you meet two businesspeople, one is Scottish or Welsh, and you say he is British, then he will correct you and say that he is Scottish or Welsh, so the word British should be used.
In the UK, it is not popular to invite each other for breakfast to discuss business. Generally speaking, their lunch is relatively simple, and they pay more attention to dinner, which is regarded as a main meal. British businesspeople generally do not like to be invited to their homes for banquets, and most parties are held in hotels and restaurants. Therefore, major banquets are held during dinner.
After being treated, you must write a letter to express your gratitude, otherwise it will be considered impolite. If you have not met in the past when you want to go on a date, you must write a letter to tell the purpose of the interview, and then make an appointment. In short, everything must be well-behaved. If you are not polite or not restrained, it will be difficult to proceed smoothly.
In the life of business, the UK, like other countries, will have private entertainment after having a business relationship. The British entertain guests for a long time, first drinking juice soda, then changing to white wine, red wine, then cigar, and finally adding a brandy, which takes about three hours in total. Once the date of the British is confirmed, it will be difficult to go to the appointment.
Marriage customs and etiquette
Everyone knows that France is a romantic country, and in the United Kingdom, marriage customs and etiquette are not only romantic but also have their own traditional and peculiar colors. The marriage customs of the English are rich and colorful, from marriage proposal to honeymoon, they are carried out in their own traditional way. In York, northern England, the way of marriage proposal is quite peculiar. It has inherited the ancient folk customs. When the girl is mature and needs to get married, she will wear tight clothes of different colors and signal to the man.
Different colors mean different things, just like traffic lights. Green means: Come on! I’m willing to fall in love, pursue it boldly! Yellow means: There are opportunities, if it suits me, there is still a chance of success. Red means: I don’t want to fall in love yet, don’t pursue me. Brave young men will pursue boldly according to the color of the other party’s clothes and according to their own choices, and will never be labeled as misbehaving.
Once the two parties have established a relationship, the man should give the woman an engagement ring and hold a ceremony. This custom is all over the United Kingdom. Wedding or engagement rings are traditional customs of many ethnic groups. When the English hold wedding ceremonies in churches, the groom wears a ring for the bride. It is an indispensable and important content.
People even think that a marriage without a ring is invalid. When the priest asks the couple whether they want to be each other’s wives or husbands, whether they can respect each other and grow old together, the groom puts a ring on the bride’s ring finger. It symbolizes the husband’s pure love for his wife, and the wife also expresses acceptance and faithfulness to this love. Most of the inscriptions on the rings today are only engraved with the first letters of the groom and bride’s names.
Travel etiquette
When traveling to the UK, it is important to note that all local vehicles drive on the left side of the road. The British are disciplined, and even if a few people get on the bus, they will consciously queue up to get on the bus.
When taking a taxi in the UK, the tip is generally around 10%, and restaurants that include the tip in the service bill do not need to pay additional tips. If you stay at the host’s house for a few days, pay the servant some tips as appropriate.
