Photo: James Alcock So 10.30pm is apparently the witching hour for dinner party guests, a manners expert told us recently. Stick around any longer and it's rude. Really? Who knew? I'd always assumed the polite thing was to be having too much fun to even think of leaving before 11. This changes everything! Clearly we need to establish when is too late, when is too early, and the general rules of correct social timing. Here goes: 注重禮儀的專家最近告訴我們,超過晚上十點半還待在別人家,你將會是一個非常失禮的客人。哦?真的嗎?我還以為有禮貌的做法是盡情享受派對,以至於在十一點之前,都沒有注意到是否該向主人道別呢。這顛覆了我的認知,我們顯然需要發布正確的社交時間準則,告訴大家什麼時候是「太晚」,什麼時候又「太早」。 witching hour (n.) The hour after midnight, when witches and other supernatural beings were thought to be active, and to which bad luck was ascribed. ( wiktionary ) 過了午夜,巫婆跟其他超自然力量出來活躍的那段時間,也是厄運開始發生的那段時間。 就是說時候不早了,你也該趕快躲進被窩的意思。 9am: The earliest you can call someone unless it's a work thing. We are well aware that super high achievers are always talking to their three best friends at 6am,