Sunday, October 10, 2010

Puerto Rican Manners -- my mother's version

Odilia Rivera Santos
http://twitter.com/bezotes

1. Never ask for something. Wait until someone offers.
2. If someone offers something, say yes, thank you or say no, thank you.
3. If someone comes to your house, always offer a beverage and snack even if it is the plumber.
4. If you say you are having a party, make sure there is a hot meal, snacks, drinks and separate spaces for dancing and for sitting to eat.
5. If you go to someone's house, bring something: a bottle of wine, fruit, juice, music. It is a token of appreciation for having been invited. It is not to feed one individual's materialism. It is to show how grateful you are that a person would allow you into his or her sanctuary

It stems from a belief in reciprocity and energy movement. Without reciprocity, there is stagnancy.

And this is the Santería religion of my mother and she has practiced Santería for 66 years, so I don't argue with her.

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2 comments:

Adrover said...

Very true.

Siempre que llego a una casa y me ofrecen algo, puedo estar 'esmaya'o', siempre digo: No gracias. Cuando insisten, entonces acepto.

Mi esposa es particularmente cuidadosa con llegar a las casas sin las manos vacías, y mi madre siempre le empuja un plato de comida a la gente cuando llega de visita.

Anonymous said...

So true. My mom taught me the same things except #4, and we're Mexican! These manners are so engrained in my brain, it feels sacrilegious not to follow them. I love this quote: "It stems from a belief in reciprocity and energy movement. Without reciprocity, there is stagnancy." True words.