Dear Etiquetteer:
How do you blow your nose in public?
Dear Congested:
First of all, unobtrusively, and then quietly and as quickly as possible. You don’t want to linger over the operation, but you also don’t want to take so long you call attention to yourself or leave behind anything in your nose that needs to be expelled. For equipment, you’ll need a cloth handkerchief - cotton or linen are better than silk - or a supply of paper tissues.
Before you begin, assess whether you need to make a Little Dab or a Big Blow. Then turn your head away from your companions; no one needs to see this full face. If you just have a small bit of moisture to take care of, cover the tip of your nose completely, dab, blow lightly if necessary, wipe in one smooth motion, close your handkerchief and put it away. If you have a Big Blow, begin the same way. You will have to blow more forcefully, but begin with low force and increase as needed until you start honking. Etiquetteer, unfortunately, has a tendency to honk like a goose when blowing.
When you’re done, just fold your handkerchief and put it away. Don’t comment on having had to blow your nose, not even an “Excuse me.” There are better things to talk about.
Interestingly, at an etiquette dinner Etiquetteer hosted last Thursday, one question that came up was how to blow one’s nose at the table. The 90th of George Washington’s Rules of Civility concerns this topic. “Being set at meat, scratch not; neither spit, cough, or blow your nose, except if there is a necessity for it.” At one time it was necessary to specify that neither the tablecloth nor a cloth napkin could ever be used to blow one’s nose. Now that is more universally understood! In an emergency, of course, we all know that paper napkins often get used, but technically it’s not Perfectly Proper. Still, “any port in a storm,” as the old saying goes.
Etiquetteer also had a few words to say on this topic in a Winter Etiquette column way back in Volume 13.
Etiquetteer wishes you continued good health through the winter and through allergy season.
