I am sharing my picks for this holiday season. This a curated list of gifts you can give to hostesses as a way to say “Thank you” when you attend holiday parties. Bottles of wine and chocolates are nice, but the best way to win is to select something memorable, useful, and meaningful. Check out the list! But first, I have a few guidelines that you can follow: Don’t choose what you want them to have, instead select something you know they will enjoy. How much to spend? $10 to $30 for Holiday Party $50 to $100 for overnight stays Don’t force the host to open or use the gift right aw ..read more

Are you in for the holiday weekend and had a fleeting moment of terror learning that you left someone off of your Christmas gift list? Well I have one really simple gift idea that will help you fill the void. It's fast, safe, and easy. Watch my super quick video to learn how to make things right ..read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has recently had a major impact on our regular holiday plans. I recently received a letter asking me how to handle the task of narrowing down one’s guest list. Watch my recent ASK ELAINE segment to see how to handle this dilemma with grace and style ..read more

How Bah-Humbug is it to not reciprocate when a friend sends you a holiday card? I was asked this question recently during an interview and the answer might not be what you think. Read my interview from HGTV Magazine to find the answer ..read more

Have you ever felt trapped in a conversation with no escape? If the answer is yes, then you need to set some boundaries whether with family, friends, or coworkers. There is a proper way to handle a friend or family member who may be sharing too much or sharing unnecessary information. Additionally, it is important to recognize certain cues if you are the one oversharing to see if the person on the receiving end is comfortable or not with what is being said. Click below to get our FREE tip sheet on how to set your boundaries while being gentle and considerate. Get Your Tip Sheet Here ..read more

Thanksgiving this year may look vastly different from past years' celebrations for you and your family. Now more than ever, we need to come together, even if that means gathering on a zoom call. However, as we approach the end of such a crazy year, some people may not want to have to discussion the events that made 2020 so hard. The pandemic and politics are going to be hot topics for conversation around the table this year, but there are tactful ways to navigate around these issues to keep away the anxiety and controversy. I recently had the opportunity to share my etiquette advice on how to ..read more

The Holiday season is upon us and with the pandemic still in full force, shopping for and sending gifts is going to look a lot different this year. Normally, Black Friday and Cyber Monday would be the time to go to the mall and get all your shopping done in one day, but that may not be an option in some places. This year, most shopping will be done online and you may be having to ship more gifts than usual. To help and answer all your questions about gift giving etiquette, when to ship, as well as a few affordable gift ideas, I recently shared my advice with Apartment Therapy. In terms of sen ..read more

Sometimes there’s more nuance to how one should respond. People are taking these opportunities to say, ‘You know what, I’m not doing well.’ So when we ask this question, we really need to be more thoughtful as opposed to just stating the question without expecting to hear a real response. Click below to get our FREE tip sheet on how we can be sensitive and considerate toward one another whether we are friends, family or coworkers. Get Your Tip Sheet Here ..read more

None of us were expecting life to be like this for so long, but we’ve all had to adjust to living in this new normal of a pandemic. Along with this new normal, we’ve also had to learn new rules of etiquette in order to make sure that everyone feels comfortable and safe. I recently shared my advice on mask etiquette with CBS 46 Atlanta . It's important for us to use words and phrases that do not accuse the other individual of wrongdoing,” Swann said. “The reason why is we want to avoid setting off any type of trigger that could cause that person to have one of those viral video moments that we ..read more

As a basic rule of thumb when you are invited to a party is never disclose information or details to someone not invited... especially someone who may want to crash for dishonorable reasons. In the event that you do accidentally share party details, the proper thing to do is to contact the host and let them know in advance. This is the best way to prevent any discord between you and the host. Click below to get our FREE tip sheet on dos and don'ts if you are an uninvited attendee and if you are the host, then how to set boundaries to minimize clash. Get Your Tip Sheet Here ..read more