To think it’s rude not to wave your guests goodbye?

[Pastelbuttercream]

I was brought up to always wave guests goodbye at the door and only shut the front door once they had driven off. This was the norm when I was growing up, everyone did it. If they were not parked near your house you’d walk to their car and wave them off there.

The amount of people who do not do this anymore surprises me. I always feel it’s rude but maybe I am out of touch?

If you don’t wave your guests off, why not? (besides having to close the door incase your toddler runs out, this I completely understand!)

Am I old fashioned? Is this not a thing anymore?

No, it's not rude to not stand there in the cold/pissing rain/whatever like a grinning idiot waiting for someone to walk to their car and faff about with maps/ music etc before they drive off.

Such a weird thing to do.

To add - I think it's okay to do this for old people who've always done it, but it is old-fashioned and fine to say goodbye at the door and trust them to cope on their way to the car, as they do on every other journey in their life as adults.

It's old fashioned. I think it dates back to the time when people had no phones - not even landlines. So saying goodbye could be the last communication with a loved one for weeks or months.

Lots of people hate being waved off. It makes them feel they have to hurry when they actually want to adjust their car seat, programme the GPS etc. Just wave goodbye, close the door and let them settle into their journey.

I'm firmly in the wave 'em off camp. I'm not so fussy, but if the host doesn't even come to the door to say goodbye I find that really weird.

This is the same for me and my family

🤣Best response ever.

Not as rude as 'flicking Vs' at them as they leave.

My mum is the only one who I know who does this and she is in her 60s. It's not for me.
I sometimes don't even walk guests to my front door and see them off 🤦🏻‍♀️ saying bye is enough.

Oh, I would always go to the door.

I've seen what happens when you don't #Taskmaster #GregDavies #RhodGilbert 😁

In cold weather - yes, yabu. Since it costs about £3000 to heat your house every winter nowadays, I don't think it's unreasonable of people to want to shut the door to prevent every atom of painstakingly-conserved warmth spilling out while they stand there waving for five minutes. I think this might be one of the reasons the custom's dying out. I even close the door on the dog now, never mind guests.

I'm in my late 20s and wait till the person has driven off. The way I see it is, they've come out their way to visit me and theres no harm in me politely seeing them out.

Ah gawd my godmother does this and I hate it. I want to check my phone maybe send a message or two, perhaps have a drink or snack before I drive off none of which I can do with her watching! So I have to quickly drive off and park round the corner. What benefit is there to anyone of doing this? Say bye inside at door and let them go!

Old fashioned and polite yes, but feels a bit like standing on ceremony these days.

You are not wrong though that people are becoming ruder and considerably lacking in etiquette in general however.

I've only read the OP but it brought back the fond memories I have of waving to my grandparents when we drove off after visiting them. They would stand on the doorstep, waving, and my sibling and I would wave frantically from the back seat, looking out the back window, until the car turned the corner and we couldn't see them any more.

Ah, hadn't thought about that in a good few years.

I always wave my guests off, and they do the same when I visit them.

Aw no one I know does this, but my nan used to and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

We've got two under 2, so don't faff with the door but do wave from the window! Think we will stand out snd wave once the weather brightens up depending on the guests 🙂

It’s definitely OTT, my Nana waves me off and it drives me mad. I never wave anyone off, and aside from my grandparent, nobody waves me off either.

I bet the posters who find it embarrassing are the same ones who don't open their doors to anyone unless they've had 6 months written notice.

I’ve always been told it is bad luck to wave people out of sight; means you’ll never see them again!

I was taught to do this and mostly still do. I have taught my children too.
My mum insisted on it because it might be the last time you see someone - borne out of a tragedy she had to deal with.

I certainly wouldn’t do it in winter! Say goodbye and close the door PDQ to keep the cold air out!

It’s a bit much. Good bye ! Hug! Byyyeeeeeee! Wave! Byyyyyyeeeeee! Wave wave! BBBYYYYYEEEEE!! WAVE!!

My mum (78) does this.

I drive round the corner and then get set up properly for the long drive home - Spotify on, phone charging on the dodgy cable, rearrange the car (she has opinions on what goes where)

Very much an older people thing.

I don't do it because I have having it done to me. If I'm setting off on a long journey I want time to sort the car etc without the pressure of someone watching me.

I do it 😁 I just think it's a nice way to say goodbye. I always say have a safe drive too, no idea where I got it from as my parents don't do it. I also watch for arriving guests so that I can be ready with an open door.
It would feel rude not to.
I also always stood at the door waving the kids off to school and watching for their return.

I always do it - I find it really abrupt and rude when people just shut the door. If I need to car faff I'll suggest they go in and don't wait because I need to faff.