DEAR MISS MANNERS: Our household celebrates many holidays with a gaggle dinner. These members of the family who’ve the house take turns internet hosting.
The host supplies the principle dish and some sides, and everybody else contributes one thing to the meal. This has labored high-quality up till a number of years in the past.
Now my niece and her husband convey containers from house to fill with leftovers, even loading their plates with greater than they may probably eat in order that that meals may be taken house, too.
This yr, I’m internet hosting, and plan to supply a meat-based meal. My niece and her husband are vegetarians, so they’ll solely have the ability to eat the entree I put together individually for them.
How can the hosts handle this subject sooner or later with out showing impolite or imply? The couple has greater than sufficient assets to assist themselves.
GENTLE READER: Your answer is intelligent, if a bit devious and oblique.
If you wish to be extra forthright — or for those who tire of cooking all that meat — when the couple breaks out the containers, Miss Manners suggests you say, “Oh, we have plans for those leftovers, but please enjoy all you like while you are here.”
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Some time in the past, I went by way of a traumatic expertise in my life and was very depressed. I learn on-line a few movie star who was going by way of the identical expertise.
By way of social media channels, I started speaking with this individual. We grew to become fast pals and spoke typically. I actually loved speaking with him and regarded ahead to our chats.
I then realized I used to be not talking to who I assumed I used to be, however to somebody posing as this individual — a web based scammer.
They often reel you in after which begin asking for cash, and certain sufficient, he requested me about contributing to his private charity. I informed him I wasn’t , and that was the top of it. He by no means introduced it up once more.
We now have now been talking for a number of months. The factor is, I’ve change into fairly interested in him. I actually get pleasure from speaking to this individual, whom I really feel that I’ve come to know, however he nonetheless pretends to be the movie star (which I’m assuming is his job).
Ought to I simply come out and say that I do know he isn’t that individual? Or ought to I cease speaking to him fully? I might actually miss speaking to him, and I’ve developed sturdy emotions for him.
GENTLE READER: Far be it for Miss Manners to discourage a love match, but it surely appears to her that this “relationship” is something however that. Do you actually need to begin a love affair with a lie and/or an accusation?
If you happen to really can’t assist your self, maybe you might say, “I really enjoy talking to you, but something seems off. Is there anything you want to tell me?” But when this individual continues the farce, Miss Manners encourages you to chop it off. It might probably solely worsen from there.
