Monthly Archives: December 1999

Hello, Faithful Readers, and welcome to the holiday edition of Gothic Charm School. The tell-tale signs of the holiday season are upon us: fake snow in window displays, every storefront covered in twinkly lights, and glazed expressions on the on the faces of salesclerks from non-stop exposure to piped-in holiday music.

Now, last year, the Lady of the Manners explained to you how to keep family harmony during the holidays by being polite, friendly, courteous, and practicing at keeping a somewhat cheerful, but neutral facial expression when asked, “so, aren’t you done with this weird phase yet?” by well-intentioned but clueless relatives. This year, the Lady of the Manners is going to cover some other points of surviving the holidays: shopping, and holiday parties ”” both the attending and throwing thereof. Continue reading →