Really silly etiquette

[jon79]

Oooh...

Just thought of one.

 

The curtains being open on bright/sunny days being obligatory.

 

Why?

 

It bugs the hell of out me.

 

Especially when I'm or someone else is watching/trying to watch TV and insist on having the curtains open because "it's a sunny day"or "besides, what will the neighbours think?".

 

The heck with the sun, or what the neighbours will think - I'm trying to watch TV and I don't want the sun reflecting on the screen on interfering.

 

I can recall that one causing a few - ahem - "debates" when I was younger. Happily people just leave me to it now mostly.

 

Still annoys me when it happens. Even worse when where you're sitting is affected by sunlight but the other person's position is okay - and they (unreasonably in my opinion) won't allow you to draw the curtains over.

 

 

I was brought up with this as well when i was younger. Later on i found out, curtains are closed to signal someone has died in the house to inform any visitors passing the house or visiting.

I once had curtains drawn while parent were away on holiday, and weeks afterwards parents returniing, found out family friends had not called on the house out of respect as thought had been a death.

Edited March 31, 2008 by jon79

[harmony]

Describe any etiquette you find really silly that nobody should follow but society en-masse still stubbornly sticks with or only started to abandon recently. I'm more interested in etiquette from after 1945 as opposed to Victorian etiquette that was obsolete by the mid 20th century.

Does any one still use fish knives? I have 24 of them, one set from grandparents, one set a wedding gift! have never used them, should I have, they seem like a bit of a waste of time to me. Also have 12 silver napkin rings, again never used. Lovely tea cups and saucers, but never managed to get my little finger bent at the correct angle. Also have sugar tongs, china coffee pot, and a dozen soup plates (apparently they are not called bowls) We also have a large selection of sherry glasses, port glasses and 2 decanters. Does anybody ever use this stuff! I can't imagine what my grandparents did with it all, as I never saw them use it either. Perhaps I should sell it on ebay, or save it for kids, so they can store it in their attics, when I get tired of it in mine.

odd things that get passed down through the family-could be another thread-

[Canopus]

Does any one still use fish knives? I have 24 of them, one set from grandparents, one set a wedding gift! have never used them, should I have, they seem like a bit of a waste of time to me. Also have 12 silver napkin rings, again never used. Lovely tea cups and saucers, but never managed to get my little finger bent at the correct angle. Also have sugar tongs, china coffee pot, and a dozen soup plates (apparently they are not called bowls) We also have a large selection of sherry glasses, port glasses and 2 decanters. Does anybody ever use this stuff! I can't imagine what my grandparents did with it all, as I never saw them use it either. Perhaps I should sell it on ebay, or save it for kids, so they can store it in their attics, when I get tired of it in mine.

odd things that get passed down through the family-could be another thread-

 

Funny you mention this. In my grandparent's house is a wall unit filled with glassware. There is a tray of sherry glasses; another tray of port glasses; a pair of brandy glasses; and several champagne flutes and wine glasses. I asked my grandparents about this glassware when I was a kid and why there are different shaped glasses for different drinks. They never seemed to use any of it because they rarely drink alcohol. My grandparents also had a set of fish knives that won't cut anything.

 

In the 1950s and 60s, my grandparents lived in a terraced house with no bathroom and an outside toilet. The downstairs had two large reception rooms - a living room at the back and a parlour at the front. The only time they ever used the parlour was when people visited. My mother couldn't understand the mentality of this because the parlour was an empty wasted room most of the time as all activity took place in the living room.

[mossgrove]

In the 1950s and 60s, my grandparents lived in a terraced house with no bathroom and an outside toilet. The downstairs had two large reception rooms - a living room at the back and a parlour at the front. The only time they ever used the parlour was when people visited. My mother couldn't understand the mentality of this because the parlour was an empty wasted room most of the time as all activity took place in the living room.

 

This was very common. Go back a few years when many houses were much smaller than they are today, and families much larger, and the fron parlout was a 'high days and holidays' only room and would certainly not be in day-to-day use. In this sense your granparents were typicall of many families of their generation, inclusing my own grandarents. Family life happened in the kitchen around the stove, even if that kitchen was tiny. I suspect this changed when TVs became affordable enough for poorer households to own one.

 

Simon

[Bagpuss]

My mum still lives mainly in her kitchen, as did my nana. All family gatherings were in the kitchen, well, mainly the women tbh. My mum even has a telly in hers, and only ventures out to go to the loo, bed or garden. Even when she comes here I have to suggest we go through to the living room, because I get a numb bum on my kitchen chairs, but she'd much prefer to sit in the kitchen at the table, drinking gallons of tea.

 

My nana and grandad had an outside toilet too when I was very little.....freezing and full of spiders. Mind you, getting bathed infront of the fire was worse..........no fun when your 18 (only kidding ), by that point they had an indoor loo and bath.

 

They too had glasses that were never used but displayed...and plastic fruit on a table in the living room.

[pearl]

Just send all your unused sherry glasses to me - its my tipple of choice & I am always scouring charity shops trying to find them!

[Canopus]

This was very common. Go back a few years when many houses were much smaller than they are today, and families much larger, and the fron parlout was a 'high days and holidays' only room and would certainly not be in day-to-day use. In this sense your granparents were typicall of many families of their generation, inclusing my own grandarents. Family life happened in the kitchen around the stove, even if that kitchen was tiny. I suspect this changed when TVs became affordable enough for poorer households to own one.

 

Many people in my grandparent's street used their parlours on an everyday basis in the 1950s. Some even watched TV in them. It was my grandparents who were still living like the Victorians did. They even had gas lights because the house didn't have electricity!

[mossgrove]

Just send all your unused sherry glasses to me - its my tipple of choice & I am always scouring charity shops trying to find them!

 

That explains a lot!

 

Simon

[pearl]

Yes it does ...

[Canopus]

Just send all your unused sherry glasses to me - its my tipple of choice & I am always scouring charity shops trying to find them!

 

Those old fashioned concave sided sherry glasses are the sort of item for the Antiques Roadshow. Most people nowadays drink sherry out of a glass similar in shape to a wine glass. Most experts in wining and dining will tell you that it is bad taste to serve sherry in sherry glasses at social events apart from say the vicar's tea party.

[pearl]

Mine are like mini wine glasses Canopus. When we stay in holiday cottages they NEVER have sherry glasses, only wine glasses, so I am forced to drink double the amount