Where did it all begin?

Did you ever wonder where the word, etiquette, came from or how the practice of good etiquette began? According to the book, Emily Post's The Guide To Good Manners for Kids, by Peggy Post and Cindy Post Senning, ED.D., the word is French, and it came into use in the eighteenth century. The book further states that King Louis XIV of France used to invite people to his palace for parties and festivals. He became really upset with his guests when they walked all over his lawns and gardens, squishing  the grass and stomping on the flowers. He talked with his gardener about this problem before the next party, and they decided to put up little signs everywhere saying: Please don't walk on the flowers! Stay on the path. Be careful of the roses. The signs guided the guests so they would know where it was okay to walk and where it wasn't. The word in French for the little signs was "etiquette." Over time the word, etiquette, came to mean all the little signs that help us know what to do in new and different situations and all the things we do to help us get along better with everyone we come in contact with throughout our lives. Today these little signs make up a set of manners that we think of as etiquette such as saying please and thank-you, yes ma'am and no ma'am, and so on. Each little sign is like a tool to help us get along with each other. We all need to learn how to use these tools, and this takes practice, practice, practice...
Have you practiced using your etiquette tools today-----how about yesterday?  It won't be too late to start tomorrow.
Miss Lulu