Sometimes, you stumble upon a cultural difference without meaning to.

My friend Jen from San Francisco married a wonderful man whose family is from India. Jen is a touchy-feely California gal who links her arm with yours when you walk down the street with her. Her mother, a hip 60-something, is always the first to hit the dance floor at a party.

Jen’s father-in-law is a reserved man who was born during British rule in India. He loves her dearly but would never say it. Jen learned to greet him with a smile and keep her hands in her pockets.

"At my wedding,” Jen told me, “my mother was dancing with her good friend, a vivacious gay man, and at one point during the song, he dipped her. Moments later, my father-in-law approached my mother and informed her that dipping was not allowed in public. Who knew?"

All families have conventions that seem less than conventional to the new person joining the group. While dipping may seem benign to Jen and her mother, it is considered an inappropriate display of affection to her more conservative in-laws. Instead of arguing the point, Jen’s mom quickly straightened up, but kept on dancing.

The moral of the story? We may dance to the beat of a different drum, but it may be worth taking a few steps to make others (read: your in-laws) comfortable!