Extended families get together for holidays and big occasions – births, weddings, funerals, bar and bat mitzvahs, christenings, first communions, and graduations. A family event may mean putting aside your own friends and activities for the day, but it’s worth it. What you really don’t want to miss are the moments and memories that bind your family together. So here are some tips for making the most of a family bash.
華裔家庭通常枝葉繁茂﹐家族成員間的聚會活動也特別頻繁﹐尤其在各種節慶假日和出生﹑婚禮﹑葬禮﹑畢業等的人生大事時。對小孩子來說﹐學會在家庭聚會中表現禮儀和參與創造一個美好而和諧的氣氛﹐是學習成長的重要一課。
以下是禮儀專家為青少年提供的一些家庭聚會禮儀建議﹕
The star of the day gets the spotlight when it comes to a graduation, birthday, and so on. If you try to complete, jealousy will eat through your day like a worm through an apple.
在畢業﹑生日等等聚會裡﹐主角往往是聚光燈下唯一的明星﹐作為陪客的你﹐應該適度地配合活動的主題﹐不要因為眾人的目光不在自己身上而懊惱和沮喪﹐ 或者故意製造事端來引人注目。
Your love means more to older people than anything in the world. So don’t be a miser. When Grandma comes in, throw your arms around her neck and give her a kiss.
你的關愛和笑容是給長輩們最好的禮物﹐你主動的擁抱會讓爺爺奶奶和公公婆婆非常高興。
Habits differ from family to family. You may be used to eating at 5:30. Your relatives may want to eat at 7:00. You may play horseshoes one way, and your cousin Midge may play it another. If everybody insists on her own way, the visit will be a disaster. Be flexible and compromise.
每個家庭都有自己獨特的生活習慣，尊重﹑溝通和靈活妥協是解決任何意見分歧的最好方法。
Be there. Don’t spend the visit plugged into a computer or a game station. Put away the pixels and pay attention to the people.
投入和參與 -- 不要把電腦或遊戲機變成你和大家之間溝通的一道牆﹐把所有電子產品關上﹐好好和親人聊聊天吧!
Bored? Well, sitting around feeling sorry for yourself isn’t going to help. Do something. Grab a Frisbee and some cousins, and get something going. The one sure way to have a good time is to create one yourself.
大人的話題有些無聊嗎？與其呆坐在客廳裡﹐不如和同齡的小朋友組織一些遊戲活動﹐自己創造和發掘樂趣﹐更有滿足感 (記得要先徵的大人們的同意啊)!
Be patient. Big groups can’t do anything fast. If you’re trying to get 15 people out of the house and into the yard, it’s going to take a while. Plan on it.
要有耐心 -- 要明白整個家族人數眾多﹐任何決策和行動都需要時間﹐先了解活動的計劃﹐可以避免讓你對聚會安排的焦躁和不滿。
When the camera comes out, smile. Making faces produces irritated relatives and lousy pictures.
拍攝全家福照片時應該要微笑﹐扮鬼臉或惡作劇都是不適宜的。
