Hoodie or not?

it's not that unusual within a family

nope, no separate containers

I've never seen it happening in non-family situations.

your experience is anecdotal - as is mine

mine tells me that it's not unusual to prepare food/snacks in others homes (in Canada, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium)

I was going to suggest it was generational but the people involved (if they were all still alive) would range in age from about 35 to 130

Hmm. And I'm from California (long time CA native and resident) and I tend to think of California as less formal/rule bound than the northeastern US, though that is just a perception of mine over time.

Hmm, again. That might even affect my take on hoodie wearing. I'm not as appalled as most here on the thread. I think I remember some a2kers wearing caps on some occasions, but I'm not certain of that, or when or where.

I dont think that any man in Maine even owns a suit that he doesnt plan to be buried in.

Our family has taken boyfriends and girlfriends and regular same-sex friends for extended beach vacations or taken them to my sister's house for a pool/summer long weekend or such.

I am more careful to tell them of my sister's absolute no-nos because I'm taking people into her home. No smoking inside, no alcohol inside, though around the pool or the fire pit is fine... Out of consideration to her I remind everyone about cleaning up after themselves, helping with cooking, dishes, etc...

All families have a few rules and this is their perogative. I have none.

My primary motivation in hosting the kids' friends is to maintain a good relationship with my children - first and foremost - and to facilitate a happy, memorable time together. I do show them where food is in my house and my sister's. I pay my sister what I think we might eat, I provide food in my home and tell any guest they can snack and cook as they please. If they want to wait for me to cook, they are told when mealtimes are. Never had an issue.

I try to keep a relaxed, familial vibe - and have always been successful.

If there is a problem - I talk privately to the family member who is closely associated with the "offender." I think if someone kept a hoodie on at the table, I'd engage him/her in conversation. If they were responding normally, I wouldn't think anything of it. If they were oddly aloof, that would mean a conversation with the kid who brought the Aloof Hoodie Person later - in private. I'd NEVER call out a guest of one of my kids in font of everyone. It would damage my relationship with my kid.

The kids are everything to me.

I was thinking, when I typed that, of my Boston relatives in particular, but not only of them. Yeah, places vary.

I was thinking, when I typed that, of my Boston relatives in particular, but not only of them. Yeah, places vary.

Agreed. 100%.

I get you on that.

Remembering the day I brought my pizza dough over to Diane and Bob's house, Thomas was there and I'm not positive who else, maybe Roger, maybe Rockhead. Diane now keeps bringing up that pizza as being her best to eat ever, specifically re the dough and crust. I got tired rolling the dough that day (sometime later docs figured out it was my damned lisinopril pills that made me feel that way.) Anyway, that was not really a fabulous recipe of mine, it was from my fav italian cookbook, and I just set out toppings. My point? that was a sit around the kitchen day, all talk a blue streak day; I like kitchen days like that.

Urrg, sorry for double post above.

Laughing. I think the ONE thing black and white Southerners have in common is an open kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and most of the day, you can find some group or subset of the group cooking and laughing and talking.

Women who can't tolerate people in the kitchen are considered rather badly.

If you remember Diane and Bob's, their circular dining table was outside the kitchen proper but the chairs to it were something like a foot away, so people could get up and wander about, or lurk, or pet the dog, go outside, and so on - anyway, convivial. Sometimes, for company, dinner was set in the living room, or on the back patio, but it was all the same, convivial in the doing.

Speaking of hoodies and hats, Bob wore his hat a hell of a lot in a lot of places. That way, people wouldn't sit on it, it being a Stetson. Also, he was a tad balding.

If you stay for a longer time in someones home of course you can ask may I and then make a snack like a sandwich or cup of tea or take something cold to drink.
It is expected that people have their meals together. I often skip that with breakfast as people have different ideas about when to get up.
Just prepare food and snacks when it fits the guest -no.I have lived my whole life in Europe and have friends and relatives in several countries.
In Germany it would never happen. The doors to the kitchen are usually closed.
Private area.
It is still considered a good thing to sit down at a nice table with good food and have lots of fun.

Traditionally (and certainly historically) , in 'normal' families, the kitchen has been (and often still is) the centre of a flat/house (A "Wohnküche" [kitchen/living room] still makes a flat more attractive - and expensive - in many regions.)

If friends are coming, it has been and is common to ask them to get what they want from the kitchen (like drinks, sandwiches etc).

Personally, I don't like someone to be with me there ... when I'm cooking. But I'm thankful, if the dishes are carried of the table by others.

"Private area" - that's mainly the sleeping room, not the kitchen.

You are right if there is a Wohnküche.But not in a small kitchen which is in many apartments. The latest in Scandinavia as in Germany is livingroom and kitchen in one. Which I do not like - do not like to watch the mess after cooking.
I have never been asked to go and get my own stuff in the kitchen in Germany nor any other place except when by relatives or very close friends.
I do not mind someone in the kitchen when I cook.I ask them to sit down and entertain me. But I do not like people to carry out things. I like to put things where they fit. At home in the dishwasher and in the summercabin the kitchen is so small it is a puzzle.

I have no idea who Trayvon is or was, so I cannot really comment.

Anyone who had no valid reason to keep his hood up in my house would meet with my disapproval.

As would someone who picked his nose or reached across someone, or farted or wore a balaclava with just the eyes and mouth holes.

Everyone in Britain who has been taught the very basic manners would know full well that they were being terribly inconsiderate and rude by behaving such a way in situations like this.

Sorry if this upsets you.

Actually, a kitchen combined with a living room has always been here in Germany (due to the fact that there was just one fireplace)
That changed later, and with the "Frankfurter Küche" (bauhaus), kitchens became smaller.
From the 1960's onwards, that concept was changed again.

In Sweden it was the same on the small farms. Cooking, eating and maids sleeping in the kitchen or the family when no maid. Then there were the fine room - I think you call it -die kalte Pracht. Icy cold in winter . just warmed up for having a party now and then and then also to have the coffin staanding until funeral.
Big farms had dining room and a salong.

Nope. No upset. Hope the culture I grew up with doesn't upset you.

Now you know Bob had a full and curly head of hair that lifted that Stetson half a foot of that fabulous cranium.

Do remember the openness of the people and their lovely home.