Long ago, women would go to school to learn formal etiquette training. In today’s more casual society, there are still several etiquette trends that are still followed. A source of confusion for most young adults, Just Charger Plates offer a glimpse into modern party etiquette.

• Invitations – Always extend invitations with enough time for guests to plan and respond. Today, invitations can be done over the phone, via traditional paper mailings or even using digital services such as Evite. It’s thoughtful to include a GPS-friendly invite, as this makes it easier for guests to find locations. Guests should RSVP as soon as possible and if in doubt, over communication is better than casting assumptions.
• Early – It’s important to arrive on time to a dinner party, but avoid arriving early as this can leave hosts feeling panicked.
• Gifts – While it’s thoughtful to bring a gift to the host, avoid gifts that make the host work. This can include scrambling to find a vase for flowers or bringing over a dish that requires cooking.
• Helping – Guests should always offer to help hosts, asking, “What can I do to help you?”
• Alternatives – Not everyone drinks, so it’s important to make a cocktail that can easily accommodate alcohol and also tastes delicious sans alcohol. Clearly label drinks if they are pre-made and contain alcohol, and hosts should offer a selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Bowls – If serving appetizers or starters, such as shrimp with the tails on, olives with pits or oysters on the half shell, hosts should provide a large bowl for guests to throw away inedible items. Assuming that guests feel comfortable walking around with a handful of olive pits or shrimp tails is impolite.
• Assigned Seating – With small dinner parties, seating arrangements are rarely an issue. However, if hosting a large dinner, hosts may want to assign seats to help create a livelier, more comfortable party.
• Phone – Hosts and guests alike should avoid using their phones and turn their ringers off to avoid being disrespectful.
• Bathroom – Bathrooms should be well stocked with essentials, such as soap and toilet paper before parties. Additionally, hosts may want to consider placing a pleasant smelling candle in the bathroom.
• Spills – Hosts should have a stain-fighting kit readily available for emergencies and spills. It’s important to have a good sense or humor about spills, as accidents are a regular part of hosting parties. If on the other hand, the guest spills something, it’s proper etiquette for the guest to offer to pay any cleaning fees, especially if the damage could be serious.

Just Charger Plates features a variety of charger plates, which are easy to search by shape, color or material. They offer classic glass charger plates, contemporary square metal charger plates and even eclectic royal purple charger plates.