Why elbows table

But once the dinner is clear and you are having a conversation, maybe with only drinks being consumed, your friends are probably not going to mind if you lean forward with your elbows on the table, etc.

You know if a friend is the kind of friend you can let loose and be yourself around. So go by your gut. This is another, less commonly known and practiced, etiquette rule. I actually got this one drilled into my head and always found it quite impractical. The rule is that you should always keep your left hand, or your non-dominant hand, pinned down by your side while eating.

Yes, you are allowed, within this rule, to use your other hand to help cut meat or as generally needed to deal with the food, but you should immediately put down any extra utensil, such as a knife, and return the free hand back to its immobile prison. Try it and see how much you enjoy your dinner! Yet, this rule of the invisible hand was not the case on the European continent, where diners usually were encouraged to keep both hands in plain sight on the edge of the table at all times.

People were quite often itchy in the old days, not having a morning shower like we do, and they were apt to scratch at the table; bad manners indeed. So, now you know what I think, but what do you think? Comments Add Comment. Back to story Comment on this project. Tell us what you think Thanks for adding your feedback. All rights reserved.

If you ignored the border created by your cutlery, it suggested you had a general lack of restraint. While the fear of a fight breaking out is no longer a common one at the dinner table, the no elbows rule remains part of good etiquette. Leaning forward with your elbows on the table can make it harder for others around you to have a conversation.

But in a causal, familiar setting, it's totally fine to do it every once in a while. In fact, etiquette queen Emily Post is known for happily eating with her elbows on the table from time to time. By Meghan Overdeep. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team.

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