Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Etiquette

Let me just ask a question.

Say you've been invited to a friend's for dinner. A nice dinner. Let's say even something like Thanksgiving dinner. You offer to bring something. The hostess declines. So you put your thinking cap on and suggest you bring a centerpiece for the table. The hostess gladly accepts.

You show up with a basket cornucopia stuffed beautifully with flowers. The hostess loves it and tells you it is a beautiful addition to her table. She thanks you and you beam.

Later, you decide you want the cornucopia back so that you may use it to put together another floral arrangement for another dinner party you are attending. You call the hostess and ask for it back. She stammers politely. She's already packed it into a Rubbermaid tote in the garage with her other harvest decorations. But even though she has 850 things to do this week before Christmas and before leaving to go out of town for Christmas, she promises to scrounge through the garage to find it and will even deliver it to your home.

You accept.

Is this okay?

By the way, I'm the hostess.

14 comments:

Mrs. G. said...

You are too nice. I think it's a little tacky, and I would have just explained that it was put away until next year...that I was really sorry but there was no way I could go digging at this time of the year.

If I had brought the centerpiece, I would assume that I would never see the vase again. But that's just me.

Lisa said...

I would say that the centerpiece was a gift. Tacky, tacky, tacky!

Crystal D said...

Hmmmm. I would have not guessed she wanted the basket back.
I would probably do exactly what you are doing.
And been a little annoyed.

painted maypole said...

wow. i think it was a wee bit rude to call and ask for it back, but very gracious of you to offer to find it and give it back. however, you went way overboard by offering to DELIVER it.

Kristi B said...

To Mrs G, Lisa, Crystal, and Painted Maypole---
Thank you!! I couldn't believe she asked for her "gift" back!

Kelly said...

No way! The centerpiece is a gift - if she wanted the vase back she should have said something that day. Rude, rude, rude!

K said...

I would have told her I got drunk and puked alllll ovr it but she's welcome to it! ;o) Ok I am mean.

Not nice at all to ask for a gift back.

Lisa said...

Oh boy. I would assume the centerpiece is a gift! And you know.. you get to KEEP it.

Good thing you actually liked it and didn't throw it away!

Fairly Odd Mother said...

WAIT! At first, I thought she wanted to LOOK at the centerpiece so that she could copy it for a new one. But, she wants it BACK to regift?!??! Yikes! Now, that is tacky!

You should ask her for the leftovers back.

Rose Daughter said...

Why is she asking for it back? You don't ask for gifts back. That is quite tacky and very rude in my opinion.

the dragonfly said...

I agree...that is tacky. Who asks for a gift back??! Crazy.

Jen said...

I think the guest has a SCREW LOOSE.

Minnesota Matron said...

Oh My God. Emily Post is choking. You get to use this story over and again -- once you hand over something as a gift, you let it go.

Unless you're four years old. Or littler (in many ways).

Anonymous said...

I'm with Crystal on this one...although my annoyance level would depend on the closeness of the friend. If it's a very good friend then it's a pass because our good friends are "all in this together" and she has another party to go to...etc... However, if it's a friend that doesn't fall into that category I think I would have expressed my disappointment that she hadn't intended it as a gift.