By doing so, she is telling her friends how much they need to spend and depriving them of the fun of choosing a special gift ...

I’m at a loss for polite refusals that let the friend know that I like them, but not the activity they’ve invited me to.

No one likes bad manners. Woe-be-tied the person who chastises the offender. That would be bad manners. You can’t win. Respect, civility, rudeness and bad manners have become common on TV, on social ...

I am disabled and need a walker. While I’m used to kids asking about it, I’m always shocked when an adult does. Are they ...

GENTLE READER: It is a very different thing to live with someone -- even temporarily -- than just to know them socially. Your ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I’m wondering how to address my 10-year-old granddaughter when she says things that are unkind to me. She has a habit of putting down her younger brother (saying he’s stupid ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I moved to a new area and adopted a large dog from a shelter. Large dogs were common where I grew up, and while some people didn’t care for dogs, very few people were scared ...

The scene is the drawing room at The Grove, near Wallingford; the pink and white palette ageing in a genteel manner, yet ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My spouse and I frequently host meals for 10 to 20 guests, both personally and professionally. We have a debate over whether to put out spoons for meals when we are not serving ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I loathe dogs, but I live in a dog-lover’s paradise. How can I let neighbors and strangers know that I don’t want to pet their dog or let it sniff me? “I’m allergic ...

children/grandchildren calling -- make it acceptable? GENTLE READER: A short phone call from family at informal family gatherings is, Miss Manners supposes, acceptable. As long as it starts with ...

children/grandchildren calling -- make it acceptable? GENTLE READER: A short phone call from family at informal family gatherings is, Miss Manners supposes, acceptable. As long as it starts with ...