Taking shoes off at peoples homes...

kiwi_NZ

Electoral Member
May 23, 2009
889
8
18
New Zealand
Is it true that Canadian people are anal about visitors removing their shoes when visiting one another's homes? Is it truly a common or mandatory thing?

I'm assuming people whom come to visit have clean shoes and are not dragging mud through the place of course...


It's not a biggie in NZ though some people do practise it though. I prefer my visitors make their own decision whether or not to remove their shoes and I am not offended either way. I would like my visitors to be comfortable.

My daughters BF's mother told me Canadian folk are "anal" << (her words) that visitors always remove their shoes as it's the polite thing to do along with removing your coat before dinner.

I would love your opinions and thoughts on the matter please....

If I was to come to your home for dinner and my shoes were clean and i was comfortable wearing them, would you allow me to do so?



Be gentle, I'm fragile *smiles* :p
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
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Ottawa, ON
As you may have gathered from another thread, in BC we're all mean. When I was in BC, I'd always jump into the mud before going to a friend's home so that I could then clean my boots off on their brand new Persian rug.

In Ottawa, however, we do take our shoes off while raising our noses at them snobishly.

Naw, in both cases I'm just kidding. On a serious note, everywhere I've been in Canada, I've always taken my shoes off in someone's home unless he'd inssited I keep them on, and that was usually because there was construction or some other mess going on.

As for people asking that I take my shoes off, that's never happened to me, but bear in mind that it's such an instinct for me to take my shoes off anyway that they'd have no need to do that. As for in my home, I would just offer you slippers.
 

Nuggler

kind and gentle
Feb 27, 2006
11,596
140
63
Backwater, Ontario.
""Is it true that Canadian people are anal about visitors removing their shoes when visiting one another's homes? Is it truly a common or mandatory thing?""

That anal thing would be my wife's shoe going up your ass if you walked on her rugs with your shoes on.

Good manners; take'm off!!....

just sayin.8O
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
48
Ottawa, ON
""Is it true that Canadian people are anal about visitors removing their shoes when visiting one another's homes? Is it truly a common or mandatory thing?""

That anal thing would be my wife's shoe going up your ass if you walked on her rugs with your shoes on.

Good manners; take'm off!!....

just sayin.8O

Goo point Nuggler. I don't know about Kiwi women, but Cannuck women are not to be messed with.:-|
 

kiwi_NZ

Electoral Member
May 23, 2009
889
8
18
New Zealand
""Is it true that Canadian people are anal about visitors removing their shoes when visiting one another's homes? Is it truly a common or mandatory thing?""

That anal thing would be my wife's shoe going up your ass if you walked on her rugs with your shoes on.

Good manners; take'm off!!....

just sayin.8O

(lol) A simple or much nicer reply would have been

"In our home Kiwi it would be expected that you take your shoes off" ... Wow! You're a fiery one, you can't be all Canadian cos I've not met one as rude as you.. Ssshheeessshhhhhh ... I reckon you'd poison my dinner anyways (lol)
 

kiwi_NZ

Electoral Member
May 23, 2009
889
8
18
New Zealand
As you may have gathered from another thread, in BC we're all mean. When I was in BC, I'd always jump into the mud before going to a friend's home so that I could then clean my boots off on their brand new Persian rug.

In Ottawa, however, we do take our shoes off while raising our noses at them snobishly.

Naw, in both cases I'm just kidding. On a serious note, everywhere I've been in Canada, I've always taken my shoes off in someone's home unless he'd inssited I keep them on, and that was usually because there was construction or some other mess going on.

As for people asking that I take my shoes off, that's never happened to me, but bear in mind that it's such an instinct for me to take my shoes off anyway that they'd have no need to do that. As for in my home, I would just offer you slippers.

Thank you for your response:) Having slippers is a great idea or as a guest I could perhaps bring my own. I don't go to a restaurant with grubby shoes on so would never wear grubby shoes in someones home either.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
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Ottawa, ON
(lol) A simple or much nicer reply would have been

"In our home Kiwi it would be expected that you take your shoes off" ... Wow! You're a fiery one, you can't be all Canadian cos I've not met one as rude as you.. Ssshheeessshhhhhh ... I reckon you'd poison my dinner anyways (lol)

Yup. He didn't take his shoes off once so now he's not getting any.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
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Ottawa, ON
LOL... If you don't know Kiwi women, well you might be in for a surprise *winks*

And as Nuggler mentioned, those shoes going up your rear if you ever think of wearing shoes in someone's home are not just some fluffy slippers. Have you ever seen those weapons... er, sorry, I meant pointy shoes that some women wear? Why do you think they wear those? It's so they can reach further up aftr a goo kicking.
 

kiwi_NZ

Electoral Member
May 23, 2009
889
8
18
New Zealand
oh! I see (lol) ... Love your sense of humour... I only asked a simple question and certainly didn't expect to get attacked over asking if it is the standard thing to do? Holy smackaroonies....
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
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Ottawa, ON
I just hope the ladies here take my humour for what it is. The good news is, those pointy shoes can't pierce through computer screens.
 

Diarygirl

Electoral Member
Oct 28, 2008
551
4
18
Newfoundland
I'd take my shoes off as a polite gesture, and if the people you're visiting didn't mind you having the shoes on, they'd say not to bother and just come on in as you are. :) It's just the social thing to do, I guess.
 

Machjo

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 19, 2004
17,878
61
48
Ottawa, ON
I'd take my shoes off as a polite gesture, and if the people you're visiting didn't mind you having the shoes on, they'd say not to bother and just come on in as you are. :) It's just the social thing to do, I guess.

Phew.

Well, there ya go, Kiwi. Canadian women are not that scary after all.
 

SirJosephPorter

Time Out
Nov 7, 2008
11,956
56
48
Ontario
When I go to visit somebody, I always take the shoes off at the door, unless the lady of the house specifically tells me that it is OK to leave them on. When somebody visits us, we expect them to take off the shoes as soon as they enter our house. We even have a small bench right next to the door expressly for that purpose.

If somebody doesn’t take his shoes off, we probably won’t say anything (we are good hosts), especially if the shoes are clean, but we won’t like it.

Kiwi, to be on the safe side, I would suggest that if you visit any Canadians in their homes, you take your shoes off at the entrance.

Incidentally, in the third world it is customary to take your shoes off at the door. Even if you visit Hindu temple, or a mosque, they expect you to remove your shoes when you enter.

I remember when President Carter visited India, he visited a Hindu temple. But of course, you don’t ask the President to take off his shoes. So they gave him specially made silk slippers to wear (on top of his shoes). If silk touched the floor of the temple, it is no big deal, silk is cloth. But I think such exceptions are made only for Presidents. Everybody else takes their shoes off.

Anyway, I think it is only good manners to remove ones shoes when one visits somebody. Even most tradesmen who enter our house take off their shoes without us asking them.

So remember, to be on the safe side, remove the shoes.