Dos and don’ts if your Hungarian friends invite you to their place
In addition to good appearance and cheerfulness, it is worth considering a few rules of etiquette when a Hungarian friend invites you to his/her house. Here, we collected the most important guidelines that you should keep in mind when you are invited as a guest in Hungary.
Arrange the meeting in time
It is important for both the host and the guest to arrange the meeting in time. This enables both parties to prepare themselves for the long-awaited meeting and make the most of it. In the preparation phase, the host cooks up a delicious multi-course dinner, while the guest dreams up a memorable gift for the special occasion.
Personalised gift
According to the Hungarian rules of etiquette, a guest should never come to a house party/dinner with empty hands. Normally, a bottle of fine wine for the man and a flower or dessert for the woman can be perfect presents.
However, if we would like to give something special to a Hungarian friend, let’s prepare a personalised gift.
In the case of a close friendship, this can include a shared memory from the past or a common photo on a souvenir. It is also worth bearing in mind that the expensiveness of the gift is not the point, it is rather about the creativity and the sentimental value of the surprise. With this, we can look forward to an even more memorable evening.
Warming up
A pleasant meeting among friends usually starts with pálinka, champagne or other special spirits and some delicious bites from the homemade patty. As a guest, we should definitely accept these delicacies. In the case we do not consume alcohol, we can be sure that our friend will offer a non-alcoholic drink for us. Hungarian hosts pay attention to such important details. The warm-up phase is extremely important, which sets the good atmosphere of the evening.
Compliments to the host
During the evening, a guest should not skimp on compliments.
If you like the food, be sure to mention a few kind words to the host.
You should also express your gratitude if you are satisfied with the hospitality and the atmosphere of the evening. This is well-deserved feedback for the host who may have been preparing for the special occasion for days.
Rules of leaving
When leaving, we should say goodbye to everybody one by one either with two kisses on the cheeks, a hug (close friends) or a handshake. With this gesture, we can express our respect for all the participants of the evening. For the last time, we can repeat some compliments to the host and express our gratitude for the special evening.
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