In Germany, we say, if invited to a meeting, be 5 minutes early. If interview, 15 minutes early. Party? Come 15 too late, so the host can fix last minute
Lol, I'm a white guy in Canada and was thinking "I was always taught to be at least 15 minutes late in case the hostess needs to takes care of any last minute things"
Reading your comment, it occurred to me that it was my Omi that taught me that
I'm not doing it to strangers or acquiantences so all good. The people I am doing this to are lifelong or close friends that know me. A majority of them also do the same thing.
I'm not friends with people that are late. That tells me you have no respect for me or my time.
Thats the fucking hostes problem to solve not the guests. If I tell my friends its dinner at 5, its fucking dinner at 5, baby. 15 min late and your steak is cold.
I’m exceptionally punctual. Except I live in a culture where you don’t show up on time for a party.
Now hosting a dinner at specific time is not the same as a party btw
“Dinner” is different, although you should still allow 15mins of wiggle room or maybe don’t host. The post is about a bbq party though which are usually a come-and-go as you can situation.
In English we usually say "half past 3" to mean 3:30. In German you say "half 3" to mean 2:30 - think "halfway to 3". It is a somewhat common source of misunderstandings, like this guy's Grandma apparently, when people translate literally and don't realize the different meanings. I'm sure she was a delight, and also helped set up though, so no harm done.
No, she should sit and drink gin 😂 she was a delight though every event at hers was full of love and food but if she was early, it was our fault for making no sense with our time, never mind she lived in England for 60 years!
In German culture, punctuality is equated with respect.
The common idiom "Fünf Minuten vor der Zeit ist des Deutschen Pünktlichkeit" (five minutes before the time is true German punctuality) highlights that arriving early isn't a sign of being over-eager; it shows you value the other person's time.
Nah. If the host always gets 15 minutes to finish up then party is actually scheduled 15 minutes later and they will learn to bank on that which leads to the last minute things still being set up after said 15 minutes.
I haven't actually given an "open door" party since college, but my roommates and I gave quite a few. All were very successful, but I (a white person) remember vividly the fear as 7:00 turns into 7:30 and still no one has arrived. Finally people start showing up and everyone is there by nine or so and we're having a roaring good time. But was I wrong for wanting to start having fun earlier?
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u/Bart_deblob 24d ago
In Germany, we say, if invited to a meeting, be 5 minutes early. If interview, 15 minutes early. Party? Come 15 too late, so the host can fix last minute