HOW TO WELCOME VISITORS- ADEWOYIN OLAWUNMI.M
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Howdoyouwelcomevisitorsathome? Howdoyoucomport yourself in the presence of visitors? Are you nice or nasty; hostile or hospitable?
I once had friend whose youngest daughter frowns each time she comes to open the gate for visitors to their home. With deeply-etched furrows, the daughter’s face always carries a rude impression one can interpret as meaning “I- don’t- know-what-you-are-looking-for-in-this-house anyway!” Coincidentally, every of her friends had received a good dosage of her daughter’s boorish behavior and everyone had unilaterally decided never to visit again, to avoid the crippling dirty look from her daughter. It didn’t take my friend long to realize that she was fast losing her very dear and dependable friends. When we all met at another friend’s wedding bash one Saturday, she bitterly accused of abandoning her. “I’ve been doing all the visiting and none of you has reciprocated,” she remarks. And in unison, we all chided her, “Go and train your daughter on good manners.”
This is one of the fall-outs of a lousy reception of visitors at home. “First impression,” they say, “goes a long way.” The way and manner you welcome a first time visitor to your home often leaves a lasting impression which not only depicts you as a well brought-up child, but also puts a seal on the caliber of parents who raised you. Your manners rub off on your parents and it can stigmatize or earn them more respect. Manners or etiquettes have to do with knowing how to treat others; it is civility and also has to do with social behavior, customs, politeness, decorum, courtesy and respect. A good host must make the home habitable for a guest. What more? There’s nothing as elevating and rewarding as good manners. With good manners, you make more friends, admirers, acquaintances and like your personal public relations, it opens all doors for you whenever you need people’s assistance.
How then, do you exhibit good manners to visitor? There are certain things that we take for granted in our conduct in the presence of visitors and such habits can be really off-putting. Here are rules and guidelines of etiquettes to follow when welcoming or entertaining guests at home.
Do not behave like xenophobic who detests the sight of strangers; some kids are like that. The sight of a visitor simply transforms them into a monster making them very hostile. Always learn to accommodate strangers or at least tolerate them. In as much as one has to be at alert as regards the kind of visitors one allows in, on recognizing or identifying the visitors, the first rule is to welcome and address them with decorum-young or old.
You have been watching television, playing a video cassette or other games and a visitor comes unexpectedly. The most polite thing to do is to excuse the visitor especially if he/she is an elderly person and take your game inside.
It is mannerless to eavesdrop on conversations your parents or other people are having with guests in the living room, corridor, garden or patio.
It is also mannerless to exhibit poor phone numbers in the presence of visitors by dialing and phoning endlessly every number you could get and chatting loudly on the phone.
Avoid interrupting a conversation without first seeking permission to speak.
Remember to always be a neat host; leave the home neat for your guests. From the living room to the lavatory, everywhere must look spic and span. Do not throw objects around haphazardly; it can hurt visitors or repulse them.
Do not turn the house into a battleground while guests are around. It depicts you as boorish and unruly. Moreover, it can also embarrass your parents and other elderly people at home.
Do not make unnecessary noise by blaring your radio, shouting along or banging your feet on the staircase or indulging in other noisy past-times. Remember that noise is a nuisance; nobody likes it.
Always serve guests drinks with appropriate tumblers. The tumblers should be clean. You should know the difference between a wine glass and a tall glass for serving water or fruit juice.
If the guest is joining you at the table for lunch or dinner, always endeavor to comport yourself. Do not eat like a glutton, make noise with cutlery or chat endlessly while eating or spill water or other drinks on the dining table. Always try to be careful at the table; also, learn to set a table.
Learn to greet others when they arrive or return home. By this, you would have imbibed the habit of how to welcome visitors.
Finally, remember the axiom that “manners maketh a man.” The way you comport yourself at home to your family, friends and by extension, visitors, are parameters that would determine how you will comport yourself in public. Your manners would determine your social behavior and give a picture of the kind of home you come from. Always emulate the conduct of adults who are civilized; they should serve as your role models.