"Elizabeth Gardner" wrote in message
...
In article vP9Oa.56185$926.6971@sccrnsc03,
"Byron Canfield" wrote:

"Cathy Kearns" wrote in message
.com...
Miss Manners would point out that presents should never be expected,
and telling guests that normally they are expected, but not this time
by writing "no presents" on an invitation, no matter how well
intentioned, is rude. I would also presume that making disparaging
remarks about guests who could not contain their joy about their
dear friends' occasion without bringing them a token would also
be considered rude.

I suspect Miss Manners has not quite grasped the era of the Birthday
Gift
Registry. If that is an indication that the rules have changed since
Miss
Manners' time...



Miss Manners' time is now. Her POV, I think, would be that just because
tacky phenomena like gift registries exist, that doesn't make them
correct. I've personally given in to the concept of bridal registries,
both as a bride and as a gift giver, because the general idea of wedding
presents (if one chooses to give them) is to help the happy couple
outfit their new establishment and it seems like a practical approach
because it helps the giver determine what's most needed. But what's the
deal with birthday registries? To help kids fill out their toy
collection? I don't see any need to foster their greed further. Or to
relieve their friends of the requirement to put some thought into gift
selection.

I'm not defending birthday registries -- I think they are very near the
height of presumptiousness. I was just making the observation that Miss
Manners' opinion and the current reality do not match.


--
"There are 10 kinds of people in the world:
those who understand binary numbers and those who don't."
-----------------------------
Byron "Barn" Canfield