I’m an etiquette expert from Debrett: Never announce your engagement or pregnancy on Christmas Day, it’s disrespectful and outshines everyone

Announcing you are engaged or pregnant on Christmas Day is ‘disrespectful’ and ‘ruins’ the festive season, an etiquette expert has said.

Speak with The TelegraphLiz Wyse of Debrett’s – Britain’s 250-year-old protocol bible – said you are ‘essentially pushing people aside’.

“It’s disrespectful and very inconsiderate to put yourself in the spotlight and interrupt everyone’s enjoyment of the day,” she added.

“Some may think announcing big news is the icing on the Christmas cake, but it really piles too much on top of the Christmas bonanza.”

Liz also noted that the move screams, “Forget your big day, it’s all about me!”

The expert said spending time with family should be the priority on the big day – rather than taking advantage of the seasonal glitz and enthusiasm to share your news.

Elsewhere, another protocol expert recently recommended doubling the amount they tip service workers during the holidays.

John-Paul Stuthridge said now is the time for generosity.

“We Brits like to give tips that are fair and not excessive,” he explained.

‘Christmas is the one time of year where we step it up a bit. No one has to do that, but increasing the tips is all part of the good and fun party atmosphere.

‘This may mean giving higher tips – 20 percent instead of 10 percent – or simply tipping more often.

‘Tipping on the spot via the ticket machine is still not entirely normal for many people, but if a waiter or establishment has a plate, coffee cup or the like, it is always welcome to drop a few pounds in there.

‘At this time of year, catering staff work very unpleasant days and hours and give tips for this, especially on or around Christmas Day.’

The expert said spending time with family should be the priority on the big day – rather than taking advantage of the seasonal glitz and enthusiasm to share your news. Stock image used

However, the younger generation may not intend to follow John-Paul’s advice.

He was speaking as part of an investigation into the tipping culture at card payment and solutions providers DojoThe research shows that 18 to 24 year olds generally tip three times more than older generations, with an average of £18.24 per £100 note.

By comparison, over-65s pay an average of £5.11 per £100 note, which is below the typical 10 per cent tip.

And if you haven’t sent out all your holiday cards yet, you might be on the chopping block for someone’s mailing list, another etiquette pro revealed last month.

‘Christmas card etiquette may not be your first thought when it comes to the holidays, but there are plenty of do’s and don’ts to ensure you’re following best practice,’ says William Hanson.

“It’s always nice to receive something through your letterbox from your near and dear ones during the holidays, it gives you a warm feeling inside,” the pro told his 1.4 million followers in an Instagram video.

“Christmas cards should be sent to everyone you want to express festive wishes to,” he adds.

‘You can send as many or as few as your wrists can handle. That said, it’s a fairly standard practice among more prolific card writers to keep a list of who you send cards to and who you send them to in turn.

‘I have a rule that if I don’t get a card from someone for three years, he or she disappears from the list, no matter how much I love him or her. You have to give to receive.’

He also emphasized the importance of personalizing each message on your Christmas cards with the recipient’s name and your own as the token.

Planning to announce your engagement or pregnancy on Christmas Day is ‘disrespectful’ and ‘trumps’ the festive period, an etiquette expert has claimed. Stock image used

“What’s the point of sending cards if you can’t be bothered to write their names on them?” he says.

‘Leaving out names does not mean that you are very busy and have too many cards to write. It just reads as rude.”

For his final tip: William turned its attention to the delivery of festive cards, saying that ‘there is nothing wrong with hand-delivering them where possible’ to reduce ‘rising stamp costs’.

He continues: ‘Also save on ink and do not write the recipient’s address on the envelope, but only the first name.

‘If you’re feeling a little extra, add “by hand” at the bottom right.’

A survey by Cewe shows that receiving Christmas cards is ‘still very important’ to Brits, with 80 percent of respondents admitting they like them personalized.

A quarter of those surveyed also said they look forward to festive family photos of their favorite celebrities as it ‘puts them in the Christmas spirit’.