The mother of one of S's friends called yesterday to invite us all over for coffee this weekend. She suggested that we get together Sunday afternoon, but we've got plans, so I said Sunday morning would work out better for us.
Not wanting to add the extra responsibility for lunch, I suggested that we might come over at 10am. She quickly upped it to 10:30 with a note of desperation in her voice-- I wouldn't have been surprised if on the other end of the line she'd fallen to her knees and was mouthing "OH PLEASE GOD! NOOOOOOO! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?"
When I relayed the story to M later he laughed and said: I'd say 10:00 is on the early side for a Sunday. ???? I'm sensing a major cultural difference here.
So now I'm wondering: What in your culture is considered too early to have people over for coffee on a Sunday? (if you've got small kids who are up early anyway.)
And here's a bonus question: What is the latest time that you would dare call non-family members in the evenings?
9 comments:
Interesting questions!
I'd have people over for coffee any time after noon on Sundays (because even then I'd have to wake up teens... and because I hate getting dressed and "ready" for ANYTHING on Sunday!)
I'd not call anyone after 9:30 on a weeknight, maybe 10:00 on a weekend.
Carol
Ha ha ha! I can just imagine the poor woman getting up an hour earlier than normal on Sunday and then speeding through her Sunday morning tasks and then just diving for the door on the dot of 10.30 to let you in.
:-D You forgot the part where she curses my name and ugly American ways all Saturday afternoon...
Sunday, with kids??? 10am I would say.... Not like I would know.. And I call non-family friends anytime (we are all musicians), but family not after 9:30.
10 does not sound unreasonable to me... Do you think people in europe are weirder about having gatherings in their house? I noticed that when I was there - friends would meet up at a restaurant or bar, whereas in Canada we will just go to someone's house.
In my culture, which is your culture, any time after 9:00am is game for Sunday mornings. Noon-30-ish if you're a church-goer, cause churchy mommies will already have in mind what they're doing for lunch, and visitors can just join in.
I try not to call anyone in my family past 8:00pm in the evening.
How'd the coffee time go? Any new insights after getting together at that hour of the morning--such as, normally the family sleeps till 11:00 on Sundays?
Coffee went well, thanks! I guess I can conclude from this that this issue is more personal that cultural.
I think my expectations were right in line with Lisa's. (for both the Sunday morning thing and the latest time to call people)
But I can totally respect the need to have one morning in the week when one can take everything slowly and not have to deal with the pressures of social appointments, etc.
It would actually be nice to be able to do that more often, wouldn't it?!
I am a bit late in commenting but in Flanders when you ask someone "voor de koffie" (for coffee) it is usually understood to be in the middle of the afternoon 3-4 PM with cake or pie or ....My mom uses it as a time indication as a matter of fact "Can you come over for the coffee tomorrow, whether we will have coffee or not".
We had a bit of cultural confusion with Dutch friends living in Friesland. They invite people indeed "for the coffee" during the morning.
In my family I cannot recall ever having had people over on a sunday morning. I do think it's considered implicitally a day to go to church or to sleep in or to hang out in pyama's until noon. For me it's either one of those 3. Although having a cup of coffee or thee with a very good friend then (in pyama's or not) would be kinda cool. So all in all it depends on personal habits and choices I suppose.
In Switzerland you pretty much don't call anybody family or not after 9pm, and for those in the know you shouldn't call anybody between 7.30 and 8pm because that is when the evening news is on.
Coffee? I assume that's an afternoon thing, too.
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