The New Rules of Southern Hospitality
Southern hospitality has never really been about having the prettiest table or knowing exactly which fork goes where.
Although, let's be clear—we certainly appreciate a pretty table.
At its heart, hospitality is about how people feel when they're with you.
Welcome. Comfortable. Included.
Like they can stay for another glass.
Some traditions are worth keeping forever. Others could use a little updating. So we're proposing a few rules of our own.
Rule No. 1: There's Always Room for One More
This one isn't negotiable.
Pull up another chair.
Southern hospitality means everyone is welcome at the table. You don't have to look alike, live alike, believe alike, or come from the same place to share good food and good conversation.
A full table has always been more interesting anyway.
Rule No. 2: Your House Does Not Have to Be Perfect
Invite them over anyway.
There might be something on the kitchen counter. The pillows may not be perfectly fluffed. Dinner might come from a restaurant instead of your oven.
Nobody worth inviting cares.
Light a candle, put something in a pretty bowl, turn on some music and call it entertaining.
Rule No. 3: Use What You Have
Hospitality isn't a performance.
You don't need twelve matching place settings and a centerpiece that required three trips to the florist.
Use the dishes you love. Mix the glasses. Cut something from the yard and put it in a vase.
And if dessert came from the grocery store, put it on a cake stand.
We won't tell.
Rule No. 4: Good Manners Still Matter
Please. Thank you. Can I get you anything?
Some things never go out of style.
Good manners aren't about being proper for the sake of appearances. They're about making the people around you feel considered.
There's a difference.
Rule No. 5: Don't Forget the Sass
Being gracious doesn't require being boring.
Tell the story. Laugh too loudly. Have an opinion. Pour another glass.
The best gatherings aren't the perfectly executed ones.
They're the ones nobody wants to leave.
Around here, that's what Southern hospitality looks like: an open door, something good on the table, plenty of personality, and a seat waiting for you.
Come on in.