Etiquette In both the French and German speaking regions of Switzerland it is considered impolite to address people by their first name. There are some unwritten rules that you should know about when conducting business or meeting people for the first time. The French and German languages both have formal and informal versions of the English "you" and it is almost a ritual to be upgraded or really in actual fact downgraded from the formal to the informal "you". Address people you are meeting for the first time as Herr or Frau so-and-so. They will address you in the same way. This is a pretty difficult concept to grasp, especially if you're younger than eighty and not a school teacher. The Swiss like to use so-called "aperos" to conduct their upgrading ceremonies, whereby you place yourself strategically by the people who still call you Mr or Mrs and drink a glass of wine with them. As wine drinking also involved a ritual whereby you toast the other person with a "zum Wohl" or the French equivalent and then look them in the eyes while repeating their name, this usually gives the other person the perfect opportunity to add a "by the way, you can call me Frank". All rather formal, but that's the way things are done here. Never start to sip your wine before the toast has been made, and don't forget the obligatory clinking of glasses while gazing into eyes and reciting name. Now, there is also a pecking order as to who can decide when the upgrading can be done. Generally, if you are younger, you have to wait until the older person offers to let you call him or her by their first name. If, however, you're a woman, the older man will generally wait for you to offer the upgrade. If you're about the same age it's anyone's call. If the other person is a work colleague of higher ranking than you, then you should wait until they offer the upgrade, even if you are older. Children are generally addressed informally, but they also start hand-shaking at an early age, so don't be surprised if an 8 year old offers to shake your hand! The biggest taboo of all, never call your boss by his first name - only unless he invites you to. Follow those simply rules and you'll be just fine. Easy peasy.

It is a rare honour to be invited into a Swiss home and, if you do receive an invitation, you should be sure to arrive on time with a gift of flowers and/or chocolates for your hostess and perhaps a bottle of fine wine, whiskey or brandy for your host.

Wait to be seated by your host or hostess. Customarily, the guest of honour is seated in the middle of the table, on the side that faces the door.