Hosts seat guests. Husbands and wives are generally not seated together. Hosts and hostesses sit at opposite ends of the table. A male guest of honor is seated to the right of the hostess; a female guest of honor is seated to the right of the host.
Wait to drink until your host offers the first toast. The guest of honor is generally expected to offer a toast. Belgians are thrifty and do not appreciate waste. Finish all the food on your plate. Knife and fork are placed side by side on the dinner plate at the position when you are finished eating. It is considered impolite to ask for a tour of your host's home.
Dress Belgians dress conservatively. For business meetings, men should wear dark suits and ties. Women should wear suits, dresses or skirts and blouses. Gifts Gifts are generally not exchanged in business settings. When invited to someone's home, always bring flowers for the hostess. Small gifts or candy for children are appreciated. Do not give chrysanthemums, which symbolize death. Gifts are generally opened in front of the giver.
Helpful Hints Avoid discussing personal matters or linguistic divisions with Belgians. In Belgium, men are expected to rise when a woman enters the room. They also stand on public transportation until women are seated. Do not flaunt wealth or be noisy or loud in public. Boys in tunics with pantalettes underneath were a regular sight until well into the 19th century, and all young kids, including boys, wore dresses until the 20th century. A large shawl almost resembling a blanket was often thrown over the shoulders, adding an extra matronly touch.
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An Introduction to Belgian Traditional Dress. Belgium does not have a set of "traditional" clothes. Fashion is determined by an individual's work status. For example, if a person is the owner or manager of a company or has any contact with the public, his or her clothes will be very neat and clean usually a suit with a tie or nice slacks and a blouse or matching shirt. Most of the population will wear jeans and a nice shirt or blouse.
Teen or juvenile fashions are typical of what is seen on international television. Since the s, "Antwerp" has become a fashion center, favoring simple, smart clothes. Greetings A person not well known will be greeted formally with a handshake, and the person will be addressed by his or her title Mr. A friend or well-known acquaintance will be greeted with a hug and a kiss and called by name.
Greetings also depend on any age differences between the people involved. A younger person or someone of the same age will be greeted informally, whereas an older person will be greeted formally with due respect.
After a visit, a well-known visitor will be sent away with a kiss and a hug. Gestures The typical Belgian greeting depends on how well known the person is.
A well-known person is greeted with a kiss and a hug, whereas an unknown person is greeted with a handshake. In business, people are very formal. There is no physical contact whatsoever, although personal space is obviously limited when sitting around a table in a meeting, for example.
Eye contact is limited; friends will exchange more eye contact and physical contact than acquaintances or business associates.
Belgians do not talk with objects in their mouths, and good posture is important. It is also considered rude to point with one's index finger. To get someone's attention, you would raise your arm and wave with an open hand and call his or her name, or simply go over and tap the person on the shoulder when that person is free from any other conversation.
People do not put their feet on tables or chairs, and handkerchiefs are used discreetly. It is also rude to talk with gum in one's mouth. Visiting The most popular way of socializing in Belgium is by meeting each other in a cafe or restaurant.
Most Belgians find it easier to socialize over food and drink, especially in bars, where there is no closing time. When people are more familiar with each other, you can find them playing a table game like chess or backgammon. Dropping by to visit someone without prearranging is considered rude; however, it is rare that a person would be turned away from an arranged visit, although the visit will be kept short.
Once a visit has been arranged, punctuality is important; arriving more than 30 minutes late is considered rude.
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