I’ve usually been told to “take my coat off and stay a while.”

I am usually not wearing a coat.

If they are wearing shoes you don’t have to take them off. If they are the type that always take off their shoes as soon as they go in the door, then you have to take them off.

I’ve been told to take off my coat and stay a while too. I hate taking my jacket off in the winter. I usually only wear a t shirt with a light jacket over it, so if I take my jacket off I feel too exposed. Strangely enough, I don’t think I’ve ever been told to take off my coat when I wasn’t wearing one. I guess it’s taken more literally in different areas.

I have pretty stinky feet, so unless there is a specific place to put shoes and they are adamant about it I usually just keep them on.

As for my leather jacket, it stays on no matter what they say. Security thing.

I’ve also heard “Take a load off!”, but I don’t usually take a dump in their floor.

Oh, yeah. If someone tells me to make myself at home, I might even take a bath. :^> Ok, not really, but I’ve always wanted to be so bold. I have actually made coffee and tea in someone’s kitchen at a party. I mean they said I should make myself at home.

and when they say “sit a spell”, I just know the seance is coming!

yeah, I’ve told folks “make yourself at home – here are some bills you can pay!”

@cyndyh: At a party, that’s totally acceptable. If anything, you’re helping by letting the host do other things.

@richardhenry: Actually I just had a bit too much to drink and decided to check out the coffeemaker and kettle. :^> Just kidding. Some people are nosy in bathrooms. I’m nosy about kitchens. I don’t usually do much of this with strangers, but friends are usually happy to have me messing about in their kitchen. I might even make coffeecake to go with the coffee. :^>

@cyndyh: Ahh okay. I thought this was someone you didn’t know. If it’s a friend and they have a go at you for making some coffee, something is messed up. :p

@richardhenry: Well, there are friends and there are friends. I just figure that when people tell me to make myself at home that I pretty much should. It’s a way of letting people be hospitable. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. :^>

In the South it is polite to take your shoes off when you go into someone’s house so you won’t dirty their floors. The host will politely say keep your shoes on… My house is too dirty, but you take them off anyway… Because that is what your Momma taught you!

My grandmother used to have white wall to wall carpeting throughout her home..slippers for every size foot were kept in a cupboard at the front door…and yes we and any guest that came would wear slippers…this was a karmic event for me as I ended up marrying a man from the middle east and here in the land of shish kebabs and belly dancers no shoes are worn in the houses ..slippers are provided in every single home…sometimes for the sake of fashion a guest will bring their own…
I love the custom and its a shame it isnt done more in the states…think about it…no matter how clean the streets are over there…there is always that odd muddy day, or a day when you step in grease or a big pile of dog unknowingly…eegaads….