Latest news with #MissManners
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Please put your guests in the guest room
Dear Miss Manners: I own a beachfront timeshare with two bedrooms, each with a full bath attached. When I invite a guest, should I offer them the much larger 'owner's suite,' or the very-nice-but-smaller guest suite? Do I take my guidance from the names of these spaces, or should I give my guest the larger space?
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Should women initiate marriage proposals more often?
Dear Miss Manners: Relative to the long-standing tradition of men proposing marriage to women, and in this day of slow (but hopefully inexorable) movement toward gender equity, I wonder if the percent of marriage proposals initiated by women has increased. Should it? Sure, it should. In a sensible world, it would hardly matter which half of a couple suggested getting married.
Washington Post
4 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Is it rude to ask the server to pick a meal for me?
Dear Miss Manners: A friend and I have a long-standing, semi-joking disagreement, but I do think my behavior bothers her, and I just don't understand why. We typically meet for dinner. Now, I am not a big dining-out person. I am just not that interested in food. I'm more of an 'eat to live' person, if you know what I mean.
Washington Post
5 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: Pushy friend takes over your kitchen every visit
Dear Miss Manners: I have a friend, Nora, whom I have known since high school. She now lives in a nearby town, but too far to just make a visit for the day, so when we do get together, it requires a weekend stay for her and her husband. We do get along and enjoy their visit, except for one thing. When I entertain, I like to plan all the meals, snacks, etc., and prepare them in advance so I don't spend a lot of time cooking while they are here.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Miss Manners: How to deal with solicitors in a ‘no solicitor' building?
Dear Miss Manners: I work in an upscale office building in the downtown core. Our building is supposed to be solicitor-free, but on occasion we get walk-in solicitors, companies trying to sell their services and people trying to give resumes. This is both annoying and bothersome. Our office is locked, so these people need to ring or knock to be let in — and then when they come in, I realize they are not clients, but peddlers. Is it impolite to say there is no soliciting in the building, or should I take their card and just say I will pass it on, even though I won't? I understand that these people are trying to better themselves, but they are already breaking rules and taking time away from my work. One can enforce a building rule rudely and one can enforce it politely, but you appear to be asking if the rule itself is rude — a habit, perhaps, in an age when everyone is asked to comment on everything. The rule itself strikes Miss Manners as innocuous. More importantly, it is not within your authority to change. Tell the person that you are sorry, but the owners have a rule against soliciting in the building. You can then pick up a phone, leaving them to guess whether this is to inform someone of their presence or merely to go about your own business. Dear Miss Manners: I learned from a treasured friend that if a person brings up a topic regarding themselves, it usually means they want to talk about it. Said friend will then, sometimes, seem to throw up her guard when I ask a question, wanting to hear more. Is it rude to ask questions when someone brings up a personal subject? Am I asking the wrong questions? Perhaps I'm asking the wrong way. If so, how should I politely ask? Maybe I want the correct preface. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to such a question except to say: When in doubt, attentive listening is usually the least likely to get one in trouble. Dear Miss Manners: Both of my sisters-in-law's grandchildren graduated from high school last weekend. We gladly traveled the two hours to their respective parties and gave each one a cash gift. Both sisters-in-law have texted, thanking us for coming and for the nice gifts. I suspect (in one instance, anyway) that we're not to expect a reply from the recipient, as the text went into detail how appreciative the graduate is, how the money will be put to use and what his future plans are. How do I respond? It feels misplaced to say 'You're welcome' to the grandparents, when we attended and gifted in honor of the graduates. The problem, as both you and the sisters-in-law know or suspect, is that the unmannerly recipients are not going to express thanks themselves. So the question within your question is whether you let the sisters-in-law — who do not want you to think ill of their grandchildren — off the hook. Miss Manners would have you text back that you are 'Glad they are enjoying the gift.' This will reassure the sisters-in-law that you have no quarrel with them — while its brevity relieves you of directly addressing the larger question. New Miss Manners columns are posted Monday through Saturday on You can send questions to Miss Manners at her website, You can also follow her @RealMissManners. © 2025 Judith Martin
