Is it appropriate to bring a gift to a dinner party?
I've been invited to a dinner party at someone's home. Should I bring something? If so, what — wine, flowers, dessert? What if I don't know if the hosts drink alcohol? Is showing up empty-handed rude? What's the etiquette for being a good dinner guest?
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I think kindness goes a long way here. Whatever the 'right' answer is, you can usually find it by treating people the way you'd want to be treated. That old rule still works better than any complicated theory.
7 Answers
I think kindness goes a long way here. Whatever the 'right' answer is, you can usually find it by treating people the way you'd want to be treated. That old rule still works better than any complicated theory.
Great question. I've thought about this a lot and honestly I think both sides have valid points. The key is finding a balance that works for your life rather than following what everyone else does.
My grandmother always said the more things change, the more they stay the same. Every generation thinks the one after it is going to ruin everything, and somehow the world keeps turning. I try to keep that perspective.
The cultural context matters a lot here. What's considered normal or acceptable varies enormously between different regions, generations, and social groups. There's no universal standard on this.
I used to have a strong opinion on this and then I lived in another part of the country for a few years and completely changed my mind. Travel does that. What seems obvious where you grew up isn't obvious everywhere.
Honestly I think people overthink stuff like this. Just do what feels right to you and don't worry so much about what other people think. At the end of the day you have to live your own life, not theirs.
I think the real issue here is that society is changing faster than most people can keep up with. What was normal 20 years ago might be considered outdated now, and what we think is normal today will probably seem old-fashioned in 20 years.
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