All in the Family

December 2011

December is a special time for Filipino families—reunions, get-togethers and parties abound as relatives from abroad fly in, busy work schedules give way to extended vacations, and everything else is put on hold in order to celebrate family, the holidays, and all the traditions that come with Christmas and New Year.

It is important to keep up courtesies, even among family members. Not only does it make every occasion flow more smoothly, it also turns each gathering into a no-stress, fun party.

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Delegate and volunteer.

Families usually have self-appointed organizers who take the helm when it comes to planning and execution. Offering to help them in any way you can—whether it’s volunteering your home as a venue or taking care of food or invitations will always be a welcome gesture. If you are taking charge of plans, try to delegate the tasks so you are not overwhelmed as well.

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Adapt and adjust.

Mixing and mingling with second and third cousins, especially during large, extended family parties, can take some adjustment, especially when it comes to varying styles of entertaining. Let any reservations and inhibitions go and embrace the mix of personalities and types of parties.

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Keep things light.

Every family has their share of dilemmas and grievances. Stay positive during family parties and try to keep serious talk out of the celebrations.

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Listen.

It is but natural for old family stories, childhood tales and other such histories to come out during these gatherings. Indulge the family’s natural storytellers and remember that every tale presents an opportunity to learn more about the people in your family tree.

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The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Call Time

November 2011

Whether you’re getting in touch with a client for business or ringing a friend who you haven’t spoken to in a while, phone calls have become a communication staple in this day and age. Conversations that don’t involve face time still pose a set of requisite manners that show consideration and thoughtfulness to the parties on both ends of the phone line.

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Keep these in mind before dialing someone’s number and remember that a pleasant disposition always comes through, whether you’re on a voice or video call.

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State your name.

When your call is answered by someone who does not recognize your voice, immediately identify yourself. Being straight to the point helps keep conversations brief and cuts lag time considerably.

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Check if a conversation is possible.

Once you’re on the line with the person you want to speak to, ask if it is a good time to talk on the phone. You may, after all, have called at an inopportune time. Always offer to call the person back at a better time, in case he is unable to stay on the phone with you.

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Leave a short message.

In case you are unable to talk to the person you’re calling, keep your messages concise. Scribbling complicated messages can be a hassle—you wouldn’t want the note-taker to mix up any important details as well.

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Time it.

If you are making a business call or are attempting to contact someone who is not a close friend or relative, it is generally polite to get in touch with him or her between 9:00 AM and 9:00 PM, excluding emergencies.

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Keep it short.

The person who makes the call is typically the one who ends it—but if a call seems to be dragging on too long and taking much of your time, you may excuse yourself by saying that you simply must go. Wait for a break or pause in the conversation and say it firmly.

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The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Small Talk, Big Gesture

October 2011

Exchanging pleasantries and keeping up a conversation, no matter how mundane the topic, is part of being courteous to the people that surround you, whether at work, at family functions or at social events. A genuine “How’s it going?” or even a short “Hello” may be acceptable and good enough at times, but extending the conversation to create rapport is sometimes necessary too.

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Follow these easy small talk guidelines to get past the curt greetings and establish a relationship that you can build on in the future.

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Be attuned.

Gauge whether the person you are talking to is receptive or not—if he seems distracted or fails to respond to you, then just take a hint and back off. If the person seems to be willing to chat, make sure not to overstay your welcome and give your friends some space.

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Keep spaces open.

Stand to one side while doing small talk and don’t block traffic, whether you’re at a cocktail party or in the middle of a business conference.

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Stay open to others.

If others make a motion to join in on the conversation, be courteous enough to include them. You may have to switch the topic to make sure everybody is in the loop—find a subject matter that everyone can contribute to.

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Be sensitive to others.

Keep your voices low, and watch out for other people’s body language. You may be talking over other small groups of people or creating distractions for other groups within the same space—in that case, take your conversation outside or to another place where you will not be in other people’s way.

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End it well.

Round out your conversation with a pleasant comment such as, “It was nice talking to you” or “I need to get back to work now.” Leaving small talk with a definite close will ensure that the next conversation will start out well.

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The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît

September 2011

While RSVPs have been standard in most invitations for years, guests do still have some trouble actually sending in replies to certain occasions. While it is never really necessary to give an official excuse or offer reasons as to why an invitation cannot be accepted, it is a must to let the celebrators know whether or not you will attend. Keep these tips in mind when sending in your replies or regrets —show some courtesy by helping the people celebrating keep their event as tight and well-coordinated as possible.

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Be prompt.

RSVPs are included in invitations in order to help streamline preparations—finding out the headcount and planning seating positions are important in many occasions, and an actual list of people who will and will not make it is needed to move forward. Make sure to send in your RSVP a few days after receiving your invitation, especially if you are sent a physical invitation. Phoning in too late will defeat the purpose of RSVPs and will not be much help for the event planners. If you were only verbally invited however, it is possible to send in your regrets a little later.

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Follow instructions.

If an invitation was mailed to you and no RSVP card was included, you are expected to mail a note back to the return address of the sender. If telephone numbers and contact persons are specified however, you may get in touch with them by phone or even by email.

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Keep it simple.

The only thing an RSVP requires is your confirmation of attendance—there’s no need to come up with a list of excuses or tell the person why you can’t make it. Keep it short, be polite and express your regret at not being able to attend without going into a rant.

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Accommodate changes.

If you must change your regrets to a “yes,” then do the event planners right by calling in to tell them you can make it. If you are sending in your RSVP straight to a friend or personal acquaintance, you may tell them about your change in plans and why your schedule suddenly frees you up to attend—in any case, your presence will certainly be welcomed and your calling in advance will be appreciated.

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The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Up in the Air

August 2011

As you gear up to prepare for that family vacation while the kids are on break, or as you embark on a short-term business trip abroad, it is important to keep in mind the civility and etiquette that air travel requires. Being in such an enclosed space commands the kind of behavior that will help make a rough (or even smooth) trip comfortable for everyone on board.

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Keep to your space.

If you are on an aisle seat, don’t let your elbows or feet cross over to the actual aisle. Not only does it interfere with the space needed for flight attendants to cross or people to walk through on their way to the toilets, it also gives the person sitting across you more breathing space. If you are working on your table and have materials spread out, make sure they don’t spill over to the floor and on to the next person’s space.

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Say “Excuse me.”

If you’re on your way to the toilet and need to squeeze your way through your row just to get out, it’s perfectly okay to excuse yourself. If the person on the aisle seat is asleep, you may tap him lightly on the arm or gently nudge him. If you find that a person constantly has to move out of the row and you are on the aisle, you could politely offer to trade seats—be understanding, the person could have a medical condition that requires him to be on the go all the time.

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Don’t snoop.

Because you are sitting in such close quarters, it may be tempting to look over at the book your seatmate is reading or steal a glance at his laptop screen. Keep yourself from being nosy and try to stick to your own business.

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Stay quiet.

Whether you’re striking a conversation with another passenger or telling your kid a bedtime story, try to keep your voice down. Airplanes are noisy in general and adding to the ambient noise can be irritating to other guests who just want some peace and quiet.

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The Blue Leaf is a great place to host parties, whether you're looking to entertain corporate clients or throw a get-together for friends and family. We can help you forge new bonds and make new memories, no matter what the occasion. For inquiries, call The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion at 898-BLUE or visit http://www.theblueleaf.com.ph/ for more information.

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The Blue Leaf Events Pavilion • 632 8872175 • 632 8875687 • inquiries@theblueleaf.com.ph

100 Park Avenue, McKinley Hill Village,Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.