Etiquette Dinner
Plan a several course dinner and serve it in the cultural hall. Make it as close to a real restaurant as possible. Have waiters and hosts or hostesses. Everyone must be dressed in Sunday best. They must have a party to be seated. They must follow the host or hostess, ladies first. They must use the proper forks and eat using their best manners. While they eat, have someone give an entertaining talk about what to do when phoning, introducing, dining, going to shows, thanking, etc. Or have a video of bad manners vs. good manners.
Tell the youth that they must wait until everyone is served at their table before eating. If possible, have several forks and spoons set at the table so they can learn which forks and spoons to use.
Decorate tables with flower arrangements, pretty tablecloths, and candlesticks (don't light them in the Church).
Play pretty classical music in the background.
Decorate walls with pictures of flowers, musical notes, decorated plates, balloons, crepe paper, giant paper knives, forks, and spoons, paper guys and girls linking hands, or your own ideas.
Possible Schedule
7:00 Everyone arrives, hosts and hostesses escort everyone to their tables.
7:15 Ask a blessing on the food. Start Serving dinner (Ask the young adults or the youth leaders to be the waiters and waitresses). During dinner have a speaker explain reasons for etiquette and proper ways to eat, use the telephone, introduce, go places with others (movie theaters, restaurants), and thank.
8:00 Serve dessert. Pass out papers and pencils to take a dating etiquette quiz. Correct the quizzes together using Etiquette Answers and explain the reasons for the answers.
8:30 Everyone goes home with a Dating Ideas Packet. See Dating section for lists of ideas. Remind youth of prophet's cousel to double date or group date until ready for marriage and to wait to date at all until at least 16 years old.
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