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Social Etiquette and Good Manners/Questions

SubjectDate AskedExpert
Jewelry gift11/8/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Is it acceptable for a woman to accept a fairly valuable ring from a man who is not her fiance or ...
  A: Janet, No it is not appropriate. The only acceptable gifts a young man may give to a young lady ...
Thank you cards for co-workers11/7/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Amanda - Recently I had several women from the office over for a luncheon at my new home. They ...
  A: Please mail the thank you notes. It's a little too 'I can't be bothered' to just hand them out. ...
Telephone etiquette11/5/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: What is considered an acceptable time to call someone's home? Between what hours? And is this ...
  A: I am going to assume this is an ex-husband and you had children together that you need to discuss. ...
Table Manners11/4/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I have always taught my children to cut their food with their fork in their left hand, then eating ...
  A: Denyce, You are and have been teaching your children the proper way to eat their food. Yes,they ...
returning calls10/29/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: After my mother passed, My family has drifted apart. They claim they want to be close however,when I ...
  A: Please forgive the tardy reply. Look,this isn't an etiquette question. It can't be so easily ...
Proper etiquette and hats...10/27/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Is it proper etiquette or manners for a male to be seated in a room wearing a hat?
  A: The fast answer is "No,a man should NOT wear a hat indoors." But that leaves out a few things. ...
50th wedding anniversary10/25/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: We are to celebrate our 50th soon and this is a little complicated. We live in a small town where we ...
  A: I would not post a general invitation on the bulletin board. If there are people that you ...
Baby shower10/21/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My seventeen year old daugter is expecting. Her boyfriend has a large, close-nit family, who live an ...
  A: Yes,please extend every courtesy and make every effort towards the baby's paternal grandparents. You ...
Performance Occasion10/18/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Through research I have found you and your advice for all of these different queeries on the all ...
  A: You rock. Sorry,let me start over... Dear Mr. West, This will surely go down in my personal ...
How to address a married couple with different names10/17/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Greetings, Recently a dear friend was married and decided not to change her name. The question ...
  A: The envelope should look lke this: Elizabeth Smith Thomas Jones 100 ...
Taking food to a party10/13/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I was just wondering if it was rude for the host of a party (combined welcome home and birthday) to ...
  A: Generally a host/ess should not throw a party that they cannot afford. However,pitch-ins (or ...
Proper wording for Business Invitations10/12/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I am organizing a business event and need to know the proper wording for the invitation to convey ...
  A: There is no need to indicate that the hors d'oeuvres will be ample. People will be able to see that ...
Dinner gone bad.....10/8/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: We recently ate a very casual dinner with a couple at their home that we had met in a class and had ...
  A: Life is too short to foster friendships with people that you do not genuinely care for or about. ...
Southern Debutante Ball10/7/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I have been invited to be the escort for the daughter of a family friend for her debutante ball. ...
  A: Private ball or one in which many girls are presented? Which role are you taking? Are you a stand in ...
Hotel Etiquette10/5/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I work the night audit at a hotel, and was wondering if there is a setting of general rules for ...
  A: Anderson, There are 'rules' for hotel guests,but not many as they are paying customers,so to ...
guests paying for their own dinner10/2/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My sister and I want to throw a party for our mom's 60th birthday but we can't afford to buy dinner ...
  A: A host should never throw a party they cannot afford. So,yes,it is rude to invite people to dinner ...
defending my boots!!9/27/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I have an out-of-state sis-in-law who is very stylish and extremly envious. whenever she visits, she ...
  A: From a strict etiquette stance,the proper thing to do is be gracious and share the information with ...
Birthday Party Invitation from neighbor9/23/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: We've been invited to d birthday party by a neighbor we've known for about one year. It's her ...
  A: You are not required to take a gift for the neighbor. Please remember tht no one is required to 'pay ...
desire to participate in game9/21/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Several months ago my best friend and her husband visited an elderly lady who greatly enjoyed ...
  A: No,you are not being rude by asking not to play. It's only a game and one that you do not enjoy. ...
Etiquette9/20/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My family (husband and two small children) is going to visit friends and staying overnight. She is a ...
  A: Depends entirely on how well you know these friends. A post visit thank you note is a MUST,of ...
Trip Cancellation8/15/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I agreed to go on a trip to Italy with a group of 12 friends. One person organized the trip 10 ...
  A: She spoke to ALL ten people and they ALL think you're being "totally unreasonable". Yeah,right! I ...
Trip Cancellation8/13/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I agreed to go on a trip to Italy with a group of 12 friends. One person organized the trip 10 ...
  A: MADNESS! If she refunded your money and asked the other 10 (11 including her) to pick up the for the ...
Restaurant Seating8/13/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Whenever my wife and I dine at a restaurant, I always have her walk in front of me when the maitre ...
  A: Allen, No,no and no to your friend. I just wanted to put your mmind at rest before I had to leave ...
opening gifts8/10/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I've been to a childs birthday party at a gymnasium where they wait until the party is over and open ...
  A: No. The parents put time,money and effort into bringing a gift,it's wrong not to acknowledge it by ...
graduation etiquette8/2/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My father received a letter from his sister. In the envelope was a graduation picture of a young ...
  A: If your father is not close enough to know the identity of the person in the picture,he certainly ...
Sweet Sixteen party invitation7/29/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: A co-worker has given me an invitation to her daughters sweet sixteen party. I am friendly with the ...
  A: How odd! A 'Sweet Sixteen' party is for the honoree and her friends. (Meaning peers!) 1) No idea ...
Dinner Etiquette7/26/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Gamble, I recently hosted a dinner party in honor of my husband's birthday. The guests included my ...
  A: My Dear Mrs.Cox, You are to be congratulated for showing such restraint in the face of ...
congratulations/sympathy?7/7/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I have a friend that was pregnant with twins. A few days before going into the hospital to deliver, ...
  A: You have hit the nail on the head. You must do both, celebrate as well as sympathize. It is a ...
In the midst of a lengthy...7/6/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: In the midst of a lengthy telephone conversation on an unrelated subject, a friend of my late wife ...
  A: Jim, As this conversation happened a few months ago,it makes it easier to bring the subject up. I ...
family etiquette6/28/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My in-laws live in Florida and we live in the Midwest. They have business in the midwest, but in ...
  A: Here's how I see it. When you and your wife married, you each left your families to create a new ...
Etiquette6/24/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I have just completed my sophomore year as a Dietetics major, and have spent the past two years ...
  A: I think I would explain exactly what you just did, more briefly of course. 'That's the great thing ...
Guests6/23/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: If person A is invited to person B's house and person C drops over unannouced is it in poor taste ...
  A: I think that you already know the answer to this one. Person A was a guest. Invited by B, A should ...
RSVP6/17/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I am sending invitations for an open house to meet a new born. Hours will be specific. Do I need ...
  A: No RSVP is needed for an open house. With an open house,it's understood to be a casual gathering ...
Birthday Etiquette6/14/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My son received many birthday cards, some with cash. I think he should sit down and write thank you ...
  A: AH! A fly in the old marital ointment. Well,may I suggest treading lightly as you tell her "Ha ha ...
If the mother of a husband...6/7/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: If the mother of a husband dies, do you address sympathy cards to both husband and wife or to ...
  A: Winebarger, Mr and Mrs John Jones and family. (I'm going to assume that the children are old ...
Hotel bedroom etiquette6/1/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: How should I leave the bed when I leave a hotel - just tidy it, or strip the sheets off & leave them ...
  A: As a paying guest,you are not required to do anything with the sheets. (Be it at a hotel,motel or ...
high school invitation distribution5/19/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: It is proper etiquette to put an invitation up in the breakroom at work, instead of sending every ...
  A: Patton, You don't say what the invitation is to in the body of the question. The subject line just ...
calling cards5/18/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: Amanda, I may have inadvertantly given you an incorrect address to respond to my questions. My ...
  A: Benas, It seems that,yes,calling cards are becoming popular again. The true 'calling card' had ...
Gift giving5/16/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: My nephew is graduating from law school. He doesn't want to have a party until he passes the bar. Do ...
  A: Salisbury, There is no 'rule' for a situation like this,do whatever your heart tells you to do. ...
Gift Giving Etiquette - College Graduation5/16/2005Amanda Gamble
  Q: I'm graduating from college this Saturday, and although I'm not having a graduation party, I've ...
  A: No guest EVER has to 'pay for the privilige' of being invited anywhere. You are never required to ...

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Social Etiquette and Good Manners

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Amanda Gamble

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Expertise

I will answer any etiquette question you`d care to ask! I will be happy to give friendly non-judgmental advice on any situation. Certain cultures and religions that outside of my personal scope of knowledge but I usually know whom to ask when I have a question. Time specific questions may or may not get answered by your deadline.

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I have been writing a daily etiquette advice column for 12 years. I have taught as well as given lectures on the subject.

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Life and other institutions.

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