Christmas crashers ponder this year's exclusion
When your son invited you to "crash" his in-law's Christmas morning meal, you could have contacted the in-laws yourselves to double check: "Danny has invited us to join you at your home on Christmas morning. Are you sure it's OK if we swing by? Can we bring some homemade sweet rolls?"
Yes, of course your son's in-laws should have welcomed you with open arms, even if they didn't expect you. But they are no more perfect or well-mannered than you are!
As it is, their current "only family" dictate is going to be hardest on their own daughter, who will no doubt now be torn and exhausted, racing between her own rigid and unwelcoming parents and her gate-crashing in-laws on Christmas day.
You should invite these other parents out for a coffee, a drink or a meal during your visit this year. Just the four of you. Your generosity, kindness and good manners might inspire them to behave differently.
Dear Amy: I'm a man.
Here's a scenario: I'm going through a door (especially a spring-loaded door) with a woman.
I hold the door open for her.
If the next person is a man, I'm thinking that I release the door for him, and he holds it open for his companion.
However, what if the next few individuals are women?
Do I continually hold it open for them, until the next man appears, all the while my companion is farther and farther away?
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