At a bowling party for my 40th birthday, my dad brought his girlfriend. It didn’t take her long to try to take over the whole ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For my 40th birthday, my sister planned a bowling party. She is very organized, and pre-entered the names ...

No one knew what to say or how to stop her, since we don’t really even know her, and no one wanted her to be uncomfortable.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: For my 40th birthday, my sister planned a bowling party. She is very organized, and pre-entered the names of all 12 guests into the lanes (two lanes, six people at each).

GENTLE READER: Your confidence that you are not required to reciprocate in your apartment, though technically correct, ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: A pair of neighbors hosted my wife and me for an impromptu dinner, to which we contributed a nice salad.

Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut ...

My instinct is to return the item in a little bag with a note saying it isn’t mine. But somehow that feels rude, presumptuous ...

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My first pregnancy has been 10 years in the making due to infertility. I would like to tell some specific ...

I am hesitant to just share the news with no lead-in, since one friend was somewhat taken aback when I completely sprung it ...

GENTLE READER: Restaurants refuse to seat incomplete parties to maximize revenue, not manners. But as the practice is not uniformly applied, Miss Manners recommends that polite diners share their ...

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 ...