A Question of Etiquette...

[Darth Bootay]

So here's one for those of you who are still hep to the intricasies of etiquette...

How DOES one thank a relative for the cold her child gave one and one's husband for Christmas?

Background:
We spent Christmas Day with Cam's parents along with ALL of his brothers and sisters, their spouses/significant others, their kids and their numerous pets. One of his sister's sons had a VERY bad cold (complete with runny nose and messy sneezing), yet was encouraged to run around doing normal toddler Christmas things in a house that was packed with people.

Result, the next day both Cam and I came down with the same quite nasty, messy cold. We are STILL in misery from this unwanted gift.

I, being the vindictive creature I am, wish to return the unwanted gift to said nephew's parents. However, I have no desire to inflict it on anyone esle, which makes returning the favor a bit out of the question. However, I would like to avoid having such a "gift" given again.

So how DOES one tell someone that if their kid is sick on Christmas they should keep him at home?

I realize that Christmas is viewed primarily as for and about kids... but there's a line that should be drawn there and I feel that including a sick and infectious child in a large social gathering is well on the wrong side of that line.

Anyone?

[Innari]

Take all the tissues you've used to wipe your nose and sneeze, put them in a box and mail them to her with no return address.

*nods*

...

Ok, probably not what you were looking for.

[Tarryk]

Send them box sets of SWG.

OMGJK!

I'm not really sure, myself. Personally, had I seen a kid that sick at a mass xmas gathering, I would have humbly taken my leave asap.

[Darth Bootay]

Send them box sets of SWG.

OMGJK!

I'm not really sure, myself. Personally, had I seen a kid that sick at a mass xmas gathering, I would have humbly taken my leave asap.

LOL

Even bringing the Christmas Plague to our house isn't bad enough to warrant being given the SWG Starter Set. Hell, that you save for those who do true crimes against humanity... people like George W, Osama BL... John Smedley...

As for taking my leave, honey, if it wouldn't have been turned into an international incident in miniature, I'd have dragged Cam out the door the moment someone even SAID sick.

Problem being that short of being really and disgustingly ill myself, there is no out for the High Holidays Command Visit. Especially this year, since both Cam and family are making the impending move to New Jersey seem more like France. There's more angst in that for his family than you'd find at a freaking Goth Convention.

As for tissues... try large garden trash bag so far. /shudder

[Decavolt]

What you're talkng about is just the kind of thing that makes me detest small children, just because their parents tend to be inconsiderate morons. Unfortunatly, no matter how you say it to the parent, they will take offense and get all reactionary, defensive and pissed off that you could have the nerve to say such awful things about their precious child. Unless you're really close with the parent I think you're pretty much screwed on this one.

Then again, you could just tell the brat that Santa is actually a giant red child-eating monster that comes out of the closet at night to rip the guts from sleeping children...

[Drhecate]

They should've stayed home with the kid unless it was past the incubation period, when passing the cold on would've been less likely.It's so not necessary to drag people to christmas events just to please other people.. that pisses me off to no end. I can sympathize with you, I've been sick since xmas eve. I've been throwing up every day and had to go to the boyfriends house and watch everyone plow away at the trough while eating nothing and getting the spins every time i turned my head :/ that and 'morning sickness' comments being muttered. That was keen. NERF CHRISTMAS !! :p

[Darth Bootay]

LOL Deca! If this were any group of people but my in-laws, I'd be my normal, aggressively honest self and ask them why they felt the need to bring their sick, snot-flinging crotchfruit to give the entire family his wonderful disease.

BUT, they're my man's folks and the only people on the planet I will ever just shut up and suffer for -- all in the name of domestic tranquility. However, this whole juicy misery of mucus they've inflicted on me (and Cam) this time has pretty much topped my ability to be cool. Hence my searching for some least offensive way of suggesting that next time she should keep any sick brats at home, even if it means her and/or her husband missing a family thing as DrHecate has suggested would have been appropriate.

Latest news, Cam's mom is also sick. Wouldn't be too surprised to hear that the rest of the family was too.

Sorry to hear you've been sick over Christmas, DrHecate. Even more sorry to hear that you got stuck with tactless comments to add irritation to illness.

Here's to a more healthy and fun new year.

[Vallikat]

Ok, I agree, they were rude and you are screwed. Now... to thread jack for more important things...

I actually meant to ask this a long time ago and kept forgetting to ask you, until now.

This is the second time that I have seen indication that you and Cam are wed. Yet for some reason, I always thought of him as your boyfriend. Is this whole wedding thing recent or have I just been incorrectly assuming all this time that you weren't married?

[Jugsmalone]

OK for me no matter what a sick child belongs at home Christmas or not, Thisshould be told to the mindless mother that has no sence of Decency..Not only did she force a sick child to have FUN she prolonged his illness and infected others with said illness she should be told of the results ofher judgement as nicely and surgar coated as possible like it was so very nice to see you and the family over the holliday but did you know that because of your poor judgement to bring **infected ** to the party not only did I get very ill but so did Cam and his mother ..Perhaps if this occurs again you should best keep them at home I am sure it was not your intention to start an epidemic...Happy New Year and ohhh by the way are you sick yet..would you like to be just a thought Im still contagious if you wish to try it out ..and I do wish you a Happy New Year Boo

[Mrsnanomaker]

personaly I would just mail recipts for the medicnes and tissues and a nice letter asking that in the future please keep sick children at home at family gatherings as to not make others in the family sick could even mention the names of frailer virus prone family members if you have any ex. 90 yr old granny or 2 month old baby's since they are most likely to get things such as RSV from a common cold virus. That and calling them a few times to complain about being sick because "smeone" brought a sick child to the christmas gathering not mentioning a name--
but i am one of those that go out of my way to be as nice as i can so- hope you feel better soon same for you Drhecate hope you feel better soon.

*hugs people at random*

[Decavolt]

snot-flinging crotchfruit

ROFL!!

[Dedojo]

BOooo! Ive been trying to e-mail you but I keep getting errors from your exchange that it can't locate your mail box. ;p

[Dedojo]

Lies, Im not new... Im a noob, but thats different

[Kyrros]

Holy crap. Hey Express.

[Dedojo]

Hey hey man, hows it going?

[Darth Bootay]

SPRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi hi baby. You found me. Could have found me on here at any time. Never left the forums, only went into lurking.

[Dedojo]

Yes but Im a dork and keep forgetting to look here Hows it going? I'm guess from the tag that you are SWGing it.

[Boinky]

Nope :steps in to answer for teh Bootay:: look closely - those are not the lighsabers your father meant to give you when you were old enough, they are the rapiers you ripped from the cold dead hands of an alium invading Rubi-Ka

[Darth Bootay]

I was SWGing it. No doubt, I would still be if Sony and Lucas Arts had the sense to fix the problems in the game instead of replacing it with a totally new, still buggy, not finished and seriously retarded mutant FPS.

Julio Torres and John Smedly make me understand how Bush got into office twice and has evaded impeachment. I am still mystified how a segment of the american public are able to draw breath without detailed instructions and someone to coach.

So I am playing AO and WoW to fill the vacuum of what was once Star Wars Galaxies. When I am not too busy orchestrating my household's impending long distance move.

I just got back from New Jersey last night and will be in AO on and off for a while, till the movers come and herald an undetermined period of being netless. Hopefully not too long. Hopefully my agent Barbara will work some more miracles and get me in touch with the local providers before we actually arrive.

Yes, that's right -- Bootay is moving to Freehold, New Jersey, VERY soon.

[Dedojo]

ACK -.- well there go my plans to finaly get up to northern VA to meet you and Cam in person lol.

Im long gone form AO, but you can find me in WoW on archemonde as Virthaxis, Stompinghoof, or Rajaviji from time to time. Mostly Virthaxis.

And Sony given SWG by Lucasarts is exactly why I never played it even though Im a big starwars fan. Sony ruined EQ when they took it over from Verant, I figured they would ruin SWG too and I was correct.