TresSugar

The How-To Lounge: Arrange the Seating Chart For Thanksgiving Dinner

DearSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:00:00 -0800

I know what you're all saying, you can't believe Thanksgiving is just four days away, but it's time to accept the fact that it's early this year, so get cracking on setting your table! If you are at a loss as to who should sit next to whom, check out some of my tips.

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Since Thanksgiving is a time when all are welcome, especially those who are far from family and close friends, be sure to use name tags at the dinner table to avoid seating anxiety and ensure no one forgets anyone's name!
Similar to seating at a wedding, I suggest seating boy/girl. It mixes up the conversation well and is aesthetically pleasing.
I always like to separate couples, brothers and sisters, and best friends in order to avoid cliques and encourage people to go outside their comfort zone.
Typically the hosts sit at either end of the table, and the person that is doing most of the serving should sit closest to the kitchen.
Be sure to sit a shy guest next to a more outgoing one and make an effort to seat people together who have similar interests so you don't have to worry about everyone getting along - Thanksgiving is supposed to be fun!
A lot of people have an open-door policy on Thanksgiving day, so make sure to have some extra chairs if you're expecting anyone to drop by.

I hope these tips help, and for any and all things Thanksgiving, check out what my good friends over at YumSugar have to say!

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The How-To Lounge: Seating at a Wedding

DearSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:30:00 -0700

One of the fun, yet challenging jobs of preparing for your wedding is mapping out your seating assignments at your reception. Regardless of the kind of dinner you have, sit down, buffet, or station, you have to provide your guests with a place to sit and enjoy their meal and good company. I am here to help fill in any blanks and answer any questions you might have on seating etiquette.

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Before you start to map out tables, make sure you have the final guest list. You don't want to have the table perfected and then have a couple decline your invitation
This is not a task that should be done on your own. Enlist the help of your parents and future in laws. They will know how to best seat their friends and family members
Make sure your tables are clearly numbered and every guest has a place card that tells them exactly where they are seated. You don't want your guests to be wandering around aimlessly trying to find their place setting
The head table usually consists of the bridal party and their guests only. Obviously this is not a rule, but an easy starting ground
To avoid anxiety once your guests get to their assigned table, make sure to have personalized place cards at every seat
I always suggest seating in order of male/female. It looks clean and is typically better for conversation. If you decide to split up couples, make sure to seat them close to each other
If you choose not to have a sit down dinner and opt for buffet style or strictly passed foods, smaller tables without name tags is the best way to provide your guests with a place to eat, drink, and converse
Although it is poor form for guests to attend your wedding with an uninvited date, that situation is more common than not. Be prepared for extra seats at one of your tables as it is easier to remove place settings than to add them
Your family and close friends should be seated closest to the head table and I always advise to seat friends with friends to ensure they are comfortable
At every wedding, there is a "singles table". Try to seat "like people" at these tables to ensure good conversation and perhaps even a love connection!
Rectangular tables are best for conversation, space, and viewing the bride and groom and the dance floor

Since most of your guests will be playing a game of musical chairs, do the best you can with the seating arrangements, but rest assured that no matter who your best friend from college is sitting with, all your guests will have a great time at your wedding!

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The How-To Lounge: Seating Your Guests

DearSugar — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Figuring out where to seat the guests at your wedding is not a small task and can be a source of a lot of anxiety, but I'm here to offer some helpful tips on how to map out your reception seating. Regardless of the kind of dinner you have - sit down, buffet, or station - you have to provide your guests with a place to sit and enjoy their meal and good company. To see my tips, click here to read more

Don't start this project until you have received all your RSVP cards. It'd be a real shame to have every table perfected before you know who is really coming.
Know before starting the seating chart that it could take a few tries, so try not to get too flustered!
Since there will be guests at your wedding that you don't know very well (parents, friends, or new inlaws) you'll need to ask for help from relatives when it comes to finding a place for them to sit.
Be sure that every person has a place card. Even if you pick out who you want at what table, it's best to assign them a proper seat as well.
Regardless of the shape of your table, I always recommend sitting boy/girl. It looks clean and can aid in good chit chat. One thing to remember is that a rectangular table is best for conversation, space, and viewing the bride and groom and the dancefloor.
There is usually a head table at every wedding. This typically consists of wedding party and their guests only, but some couples opt to include their parents as well. While there are no strict rules, space is always something to consider.
You should seat other family and close friends near the head table so they don't feel left out.
People disagree on whether or not you should sit couples and close friends together. I happen to feel that you should never split up couples - you want your guests to have fun and to feel comfortable, so why separate them from their loved ones?
Since there will presumably be single people attending your wedding, it's always fun to have a few singles tables. This is your time to play matchmaker so seat "like people" together.
If you choose not to have a sit down dinner, or if the meal isn't a big part of your reception, you should still make sure there are plenty of tables and chairs for people to sit down, but in this circumstance, place cards aren't necessary.
It's inevitable that some people won't show, and even though it's in poor form, sometimes guests bring uninvited dates so always prepare for the unexpected. Make sure you have a few extra chairs and place cards on hand.
Know that your guests will be moving around throughout the night, but don't think this is because you haven't done a good job with the seating assignments. They're probably just being social, which is a good thing!

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Never Pass Up a Freebie

GiggleSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

If it's good enough for the toilet seat, then I think it'll suffice as western wear.

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Some Overweight People Are Calling For a Law to Protect Them

TresSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Overt racism is not tolerated in most places, but fatism is flourishing in our society. Many overweight people say that the normal rules of decency and common courtesy don't seem to apply to them, and they're trying to organize a new rights movement.

In a news article yesterday, the BBC recounted the plight of an overweight train passenger who was beaten up by another commuter for taking up two seats. The aggressor yelled "you big fat pig" before she kicked the victim in the stomach. In addition to suffering verbal and physical abuse, overweight people who are speaking out say they are victims of systemic discrimination. For example, many airline companies in the US now charge larger passengers for two seats. Such a policy is considered illegal discrimination in Canada, where there is a one-person-one-fare law. The US has no such rule, nor is there a federal law forbidding employers from firing people because of their weight. (Michigan is alone in prohibiting employers from firing people for being overweight.)

Last year, a study from Yale revealed that weight discrimination is tolerated because many believe that people have control over their size. The truth is more complicated. Economics, health issues like type 2 diabetes, and genetics can affect a person's weight.

The study also revealed that overweight women are twice as vulnerable to discrimination than overweight men. If you want to find out if you have implicit biases against overweight people take this quiz developed by Harvard researchers. You might be surprised by the results.

Would you like to see a federal anti-weight discrimination law?

Awkward! I'm on a Plane and Person Next to Me Wants to Talk

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

We've all been there. You're on a plane. You have a long flight ahead of you with some choice reading material and hopefully a few movies to keep you occupied. And then it happens. The person in the adjoining seat starts giving you that vibe that they want to talk . . . and maybe talk and talk and talk. CNN.com found one such complaint on a site I can't wait to visit:
flightsfromhell.com. How would you respond to the following awkward situation?

"As soon as the guy beside me sat down in the aisle, I knew he was itching to strike up a conversation. I avoided eye contact like the plague, but he wasn't a master of social cues. I grabbed my book and made the mistake of turning my light on, an action that inspired him to break the ice. Immediately, he was completely facing me, leaning into my seat and asking me questions."

If you have some awkward tales of your own, join our Awkward! group to share etiquette questions and stories with other readers.

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Dems Pick Up Five Repub Senate Seats, Races Still Unclear

CitizenSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:30:00 -0800

Democrats picked up the majority plus at least five seats in the Senate Tuesday by seizing seats from Republican incumbents in New Hampshire and North Carolina, while also gaining seats left by retiring Republicans in Virginia, Colorado and New Mexico.

The New York Times has a comprehensive Senate map with the state results as they come in, but at 4:30 EST on Wednesday Democrats had 56 seats and Republicans had 41. Fifty-one is considered a majority, but it could be a few weeks before Democrats learn the final stats.

Democrats are still short of the 60-vote majority that would enable them to push bills to a vote by overcoming filibusters.

Front Page: Georgia's Runoff For US Senate Seat Underway!

CitizenSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:19 -0800

Today Georgians go to the polls to vote in the runoff for their US Senate seat. If Democratic challenger Jim Martin beats Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss, the Democrats will be one seat away from a 60-seat supermajority. - Atlanta Journal
After declaring a fiscal emergency in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged lawmakers to "get off of their rigid ideologies" and work toward solving the state's financial crisis. The Governor warned that California could run out of cash in two months. - LA Times

India's foreign minister has demanded that Pakistan arrest and turn over about 20 people wanted under Indian law as fugitives. Indian officials maintain that the planners of the recent attacks are at large in Pakistan and have demanded Pakistan take action. - New York Times
A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, caused by contaminated drinking water, has killed nearly 500 people. - BBC News
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Obese Air Travelers in Canada Have Right to Free Seat

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:30:34 -0800

As a tall woman, I am relieved when the seat next to me on a flight ends up empty, since the space I paid for is painfully too small. As of today, obese people flying Canadian airlines officially have a right to that extra seat, at no extra cost.

The Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear airline objections to the Canadian Transportation Agency's regulation that states that people "functionally disabled by obesity" do not have to pay for an extra seat.

Earlier this year the agency implemented the nondiscrimination "one-person-one-fare" policy because those with severe disabilities had limited traveling opportunities due to the doubled price of travel. Do you think the decision is a blow against discrimination, or the beginning of a slippery slope for troubled airlines?

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Front Page: Blagojevich Announces Pick for Obama Seat

LibertySugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:10:04 -0800

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's selection of former state Attorney General Roland Burris to Barack Obama's Senate seat brings race into the drama surrounding the embattled governor, who is facing impeachment for trying to sell the Obama seat. With Obama out, Burris would be the only African American in the Senate. - Chicago Sun Times
Israel has rejected the proposal of a 48-hour cease-fire in Gaza after five straight days of air attacks. The country didn't rule out future diplomacy and is open to ways of increasing humanitarian aid. - New York Times
A militant arrested in Pakistan has confessed involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks in November and is giving investigators details of the plot. - AP
On Thursday, Cuba will mark the 50th anniversary of the revolution that turned the country into a communist state and Cold War hot spot. The country is currently facing economic gloom and the poor health of former leader Fidel Castro. - Reuters
President-elect Barack Obama plans to move to Washington this weekend, and begin meetings next week on reviving the economy. Obama's daughters, Sasha and Malia, also start classes Monday at Sidwell Friends School. - Boston Globe