"Take Your Shoes Off" sign at a party today?

[LuvTigger]

This is an interesting topic for me. In almost all homes in Hawaii, you take your shoes off before entering (like what Sammi said). It would actually be considered unusual (and rude, to some) if someone entered a home with their shoes on.

I know people of Japanese ancestry who live on the mainland who also do this. In Hawaii, it's just part of our lifestyle, regardless of ethnicity.

 

[Gillian]

Lots of families around here ask you to remove your shoes when you come it. Many of them as Asian. One family we are friends with was Chinese Canadian, and it seems from this thread that some Canadians remove their shoes as well.

Sometimes when you show homes for sale, it says in the listing to please remove shoes before entering. This is usually cultural, NOT to keep the carpets clean!

We had a party here yesterday, only 8 people. I washed the foyer & kitchen floors before everyone came over. They are filthy now! I wish I had asked people to remove their shoes. I would have turned up the heat

 

[Kallison]

I have friends who state they would like shoes removed when you enter the house, I don't have a problem with it. I usually request that the kids friends take their shoes off in the mud room. Wet snow and slush with a bunch of people, I would certainly want shoes off in my house. I was militant about no shoes when my kids were crawling. Several times my kids have tracked in dog poop and fortunately it stopped at the front door! I don't usually ask grownups to take off their shoes, but most of my friends know we are a no shoes house and comply automatically. I always take my shoes off in somebody else's house, whether they ask me to or not.

 

[Kallison]

Stevets, I hope you are joking!!

 

[disykat]

I will respect people's wishes to take my shoes off at their homes, I just wish people would leave theirs on at mine! It drives me crazy to have shoes all over the foyer.

Most people I know with "no shoe" rules make exceptions for large gatherings of adults except those for whom it's a cultural thing.

I must have trained my family well because my light beige carpets stay pretty clean - even with two kids and a dog.

 

[denisem]

:::So what do all of you think? Would you ask/tell people to remove their shoes and CHECK THEM???????????????::::

Nope. While it is a habit among my relatives/close friends to remove their shoes here in snowy Michigan, it's not a requirement, especially in a party atmosphere.

Although, I think it could be pulled off with some imagination and "style". Simply make it a fun/eccentric experience by offering a basket of brightly colored/goofy/unusual socks for the guests to choose from...

Denise < --- has beige carpet and a GREAT carpet cleaner, so no worries

 

[Pembo]

It wasn't a cultural thing. I think she wanted to keep her floors clean?! (Easy to do with LOTS of little kids running around). The whole party was a bit different...starting with the Shoe/Coat check! We also all had name tags and it took at least 1/2 hour to figure out where the hostess was. She had people greeting us at the door. They didn't know who we were, we didn't know who they were. Any stranger could have stopped by! DH & I never did figure out who her dh was......I think this whole party would have been much better with some alcohol!

 

[DVC-Don]

I'd have to leave. I can not walk without my shoes. I have custom made inserts in my shoes. Too painful to walk about in socks or even some slippers.

 

[ChibiJones]

Maybe she was worried that one of the little kids might get stepped on. It would probably hurt less & you'd be aware of it sooner without shoes, especially boots.

 

[HunnyPots]

This is the reason that I HATE carpet! I do not want something in my house that is so delicate that I won't let people walk on it.
Give me tile or sealed wood any day. A few swipes with the swiffer and it's good as new!
A few years ago, a friend of mine installed a very pale gray carpet in her home. When we showed up at her Christmas party that year we were shocked to see a "pathway" of bath towels she had laid down throughout the house telling everyone where they could and could not walk! At least at your party you didn't have to worry about not stepping off the towels. lol

 

[FOJMO]

When my DD took violin lessons several years ago, her violin teacher had you remove your shoes OUTSIDE! Then she gave you a pair of clean, white sox to wear in her apartment.

She actually left her own shoes OUTSIDE, all the time! Sometimes two different pairs at a time. I always wondered if anyone ever stole any?

 

[Lucky4me]

Living in the North East there is lots of slushy, salty, snow.

I don't think it's weird to ask people to take off their shoes if it's winter and snowy. I wouldn't walk into anyones house with that glop on my shoes. Even if you wipe them for a few minutes, it's still there. I expect people coming in my house to either remove their shoes or totally remove the glop.

I wear boots in the winter and bring along shoes when I go to friends and relatives homes. This way I don't have to be in my socks and their floors don't get ruined.

 

[luv2nascar]

this is the weirdest thing it is an unwritten rule in my family
when you go to someone's house you remove your shoes
especially if its a new home or messy snowy or rainy outside
DH thinks this is bizarre no one in his family does this
We never had anyone actually take them from us and check them
you just walk in see the piles and take yours off too