At a small gathering at the Russian Tea Room in New York City, Intel released the findings of a Harris Poll called the Intel Holiday Mobile Etiquette study. Turns out that mobile etiquette over the holidays is much like non-mobile etiquette—there are unspoken rules and it’s the adults that make the rules.

The study polled over 2,000 people to find out what most of us know. Most online U.S. adults (80%) feel there are unspoken rules about mobile technology usage, and approximately 7 in 10 (69%) agreed that violations of these unspoken guidelines, such as checking emails, sending text messages, and making phone calls while in the company of others, are unacceptable.

More than half (52%) would be offended if they were at a holiday party and someone attempted to secretly use an Internet-enabled device such as a laptop, netbook, or cellphone at the table. Funny thing is that 75% feel it is perfectly appropriate to use Internet-enabled devices, including laptops, netbooks, and cellphones, in the bathroom (yuck!).

At the Tea Room, Intel’s own ethnographer, Dr. Genevieve Bell, and Anna Post, descendant of Emily Post and etiquette expert for the Emily Post Institute, were on hand with advice. “The social rules for new technologies are continuing to be established across cultures and geographies around the world, and etiquette will continue to change and adapt over time along with it,” said Dr. Bell. “Etiquette surrounding mobile technology is becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in social situations such as holiday gatherings and events,” said Ms. Post.

One area where anti-tech bias seems to have softened is the holiday greeting card. More than half of online adults (62%) would send an electronic greeting card or email in lieu of a traditional card and, despite what parents have always taught their children about the value of a handwritten “thank you” note, almost 9 out of 10 (88%) online adults would not be offended if they received an email or electronic thank you.

Intel’s holiday lesson: No matter how great the temptation or how much the thing is vibrating in your pocket, do not answer your email or phone calls at the holiday table. Not unless you want your mouth washed out with soap or, at minimum, your phone confiscated.

Read on and I’ll tell you about Cell-R-Derm, the perfect gift for the cell phone abuser in your family.