DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’ve an older residence with only one rest room. I ensure that all private merchandise are off the counter when we’ve company, however we’ve nonetheless had individuals snoop within the medication cupboard and within the cabinet below the sink.
My teenaged nephew as soon as commented loudly in regards to the laxatives within the medication cupboard. One other time, he talked about discovering a big field of tampons below the sink.
My sister-in-law, his mom, was offended at me and stated we shouldn’t have embarrassing issues that company may discover.
Ought to we be enhancing our medication cupboard in case company snoop?
GENTLE READER: Though Miss Manners has heard of a simpler resolution, please don’t say you bought it from her.
The thought is to overload (some would possibly say “booby-trap”) the drugs cupboard earlier than your snooping family arrive, in order that when it’s opened, issues come tumbling out.
Alerted by the noise, you may then confront your nephew by asking sympathetically, and publicly, “Noah, dear, what were you looking for? Do you have a problem? Do you need some laxatives?”
Sure, this is able to take some work in your half. However you want solely do it as soon as.
DEAR MISS MANNERS: This yr, I despatched out Christmas playing cards as I did final yr, to principally the identical group of individuals.
I didn’t hear again from anybody who acquired my playing cards — not a “thank you” or a “Merry Christmas” or something.
Final yr, I acquired a card again from virtually everybody I despatched one to; this yr, I acquired one return card out of 30.
I’m actually confused by this, and I may not ship them out once more subsequent yr.
GENTLE READER: Certainly, fewer individuals appear to be sending Christmas playing cards. However reasonably than feeling damage (sure, sure, Miss Manners observed that you just solely stated “confused”), it is best to take into account a number of the causes.
The thought behind this charming customized was to maintain minimally in contact with individuals one may not in any other case see throughout the yr. True, there have been those that distributed playing cards to everybody they knew, however that might nonetheless be charming — particularly to those that appreciated to string the playing cards throughout the lounge or tuck them into the venetian blinds.
These days, everybody retains in fixed contact — not simply with everybody they know, however with as many individuals as potential whom they don’t know. Maybe social media posts are principally individuals speaking about themselves, reasonably than greeting others, however so are many Christmas playing cards and letters.
In contemplating what to do subsequent yr, you would possibly wish to return to the essential commonplace of greetings. If the individuals in your record contact base with you in different methods throughout the yr, they wish to sustain the contact and certain admire your playing cards — even when they don’t ship playing cards themselves.
Please ship your inquiries to Miss Manners at her web site, www.missmanners.com; to her e-mail, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or by way of postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas Metropolis, MO 64106.
