Mad Manners and Crazy Customs

Strange manners from around the world

Travellers often struggle with questions of etiquette. Can you guess which of
these etiquette rules are real and which are fake?
1. In the West, people normally eat with a knife and fork or spoon, but in India it’s
common to eat with your hands. However, you should only use your right hand.

2. Brazil is completely the opposite of India. In this country you have to eat
everything with a knife and fork (or spoon,) even pizzas and burgers!

3. In England, before you drink a pint of beer with your friends you should hold it up
and shout “to the Queen!” This old rule comes from the 16th century, as King
Henry VIII didn’t like people shouting “to the pope!”

4. In Russia, you must not shake someone’s hand in a doorway. Russians believe
that the ‘spirit of the house’ lives in the entrance and you shouldn’t cross it.

5. In Italy, on New Year’s Eve at midnight it’s customary to leave the house and re-
enter, and when you come back you should bring a gift for the person whose
house it is.

6. Also in Italy, you should never put parmesan on a pizza. Italians don’t think they
go together.

7. In India, you should always text instead of calling, even if you’re talking to a
business or restaurant.

8. In China, only women should wear orange in Autumn (from September 1st to
November 31st) This is an old religious custom that is said to bring fertility to the
woman.

9. In Korea, if an older person in your family passes you a drink you should take it
with both hands. This is a symbol of respect.

10. In the UK if you drink port (a kind of strong wine often drank with dessert) you
should pass the bottle to the person on your left, rather than the person on your
right.

Do you know any other strange manners from other countries?

What are some customs in your country that foreign people might think are
strange?
ANSWERS:

1. TRUE. 2. TRUE. 3. FALSE (This is a complete invention – no such custom

exists. However, Henry VIII really did have problems with the Pope.) 4. TRUE. 5.
FALSE (This custom does exist, but it takes place in Scotland, not Italy.) 6.
TRUE. 7. TRUE. 8. FALSE. (Chinese people do have a superstition related to
green hats – supposedly they indicate that a man is being cheated on by his wife
or girlfriend.) 9. TRUE. 10. TRUE.

The true facts are taken from:

https://www.rd.com/culture/strange-foreign-etiquette-rules/

https://www.careeraddict.com/7-strange-table-manners-around-the-world
 Mad Manners and Crazy Customs
Strange manners from around the world

Travellers often struggle with questions of etiquette. Can you guess which of
these etiquette rules are real and which are fake?
1. In the West, people normally eat with a knife and fork or spoon, but in India it’s
common to eat with your hands. However, you should only use your right hand.

2. Brazil is completely the opposite of India. In this country you have to eat
everything with a knife and fork (or spoon,) even pizzas and burgers!

3. In England, before you drink a pint of beer with your friends you should hold it up
and shout “to the Queen!” This old rule comes from the 16th century, as King
Henry VIII didn’t like people shouting “to the pope!”

4. In Russia, you must not shake someone’s hand in a doorway. Russians believe
that the ‘spirit of the house’ lives in the entrance and you shouldn’t cross it.

5. In Italy, on New Year’s Eve at midnight it’s customary to leave the house and re-
enter, and when you come back you should bring a gift for the person whose
house it is.

6. Also in Italy, you should never put parmesan on a pizza. Italians don’t think they
go together.

7. In India, you should always text instead of calling, even if you’re talking to a
business or restaurant.

8. In China, only women should wear orange in Autumn (from September 1st to
November 31st) This is an old religious custom that is said to bring fertility to the
woman.

9. In Korea, if an older person in your family passes you a drink you should take it
with both hands. This is a symbol of respect.

10. In the UK if you drink port (a kind of strong wine often drank with dessert) you
should pass the bottle to the person on your left, rather than the person on your
right.

Do you know any other strange manners from other countries?

What are some customs in your country that foreign people might think are
strange?