How to Make Introductions

Always present your children to your friends, even when they are grown up or when you are introducing your daughter to a man. “Marilou, this is my son, Peter,” and then “Peter, this is Mrs. Lim  or “JV, this is my daughter, Claudine.” Then “Claudine, this is Mr. Villaflor.” If your daughter is married you would of course giver her last name: “Mrs. Santos, this is my daughter, Rochelle Quitain.”

It is best when introducing in-laws to make the relationship clear, rather than to say, “This is my mother” when she is really your mother-in-law or “My sister Angel” when she is really your husband’s sister. Many warm-hearted people do this because they want their in-laws to feel less “in-lawish”, and more a part of the family circle. Actually, this only confuses people. It is better to say, “This is my mother-in-law, Mrs. Go.” Do remember to introduce your friends to your in-laws.

The necessity of introducing a woman to man does not arise often in everyday circumstances. But we should know that we do introduce a woman to man if the man is: The President of the Philippines, a governor, a mayor, a foreign head of state, a church dignitary or a royal personage. 

There are number of occasions when one should not hesitate to introduce oneself. Sometimes, it can happen that an acquaintance recognizes your face but cannot recall your name, although she may, in a minute. If you have ever been in such a predicament yourself and who among us has not? – you will be the last to torture the poor soul with, “ I remember you but I bet you don’t remember me.” That’s not a greeting; it is a taunt. You will come to her rescue with. “I’m Betty Cruz. We met at the Reyeses aroung Chrismas time.”

It is pleasant to go over and speak to someone older whom you may recognize as a friend of your family’s saying, “Mrs. Reyes? I’m Evelyn Cruz – Ana Cruz daughter. I remember you as a friend of my mother’s when we lived in Matina.”