 Arriving at someone's home: the 'Mitbringsel'
Flowers are always appreciated and these should be from the florist. Unless you are taking a bunch of mixed spring or summer flowers, you should take an uneven number of blooms: five, seven or nine carnations, for example. You remove the cellophane just as you present them to the hostess, then ask her where you can dispose of it.
The handshake
Even if you're just invited to coffee, expect to be presented to everyone in turn.
Even where you all know each other, handshaking is common, both on arrival and on leaving.
The old 'pecking order' may still prevail: a woman is the first to extend her hand to a man, an older (or senior) person to a younger.
The toast
Expect to hear 'Zum Wohl' for wine and 'Prost' for beer. On formal occasions the host or hostess makes eye contact or raises their glass to everyone in turn, before drinking, and then repeats the process before putting it down.
Leaving
Leaving is a fairly gradual 'process': the guest indicates they need to be leaving soon, and the host or hostess murmurs polite dissent. Many people expect the guest to open the door themselves to leave (opening it for them might be considered impolite.)
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