It’s time to celebrate our first anniversary!

It was one year ago today that we launched The Etiquette Daily. I want to thank all of you who come and participate and make this community what it is. St. Patrick’s Day last year we took the plunge and began answering online the etiquette questions that The Emily Post Institute has been receiving for over fifty years. At the time there was some concern about how it would all work. The only thing we knew for sure was that people are interested in Etiquette and like to talk about it. Since then we have witnessed steady growth in the traffic on this blog each month. People have visited the Etiquette Daily from over 90 countries across 6 continents and have made over 2000 comments. Whether you come to read, ask questions or try your hand at unraveling etiquette dilemmas, we at The Emily Post Institute appreciate you. I look forward to many more great years ahead. Take care,

Daniel Post Senning

Q: Should I give my boss a bottle of wine for her birthday?

A: No, that would be a double mistake. Never give anyone higher up the ladder gift. It’ll irritate colleagues because it will look like you’re kissing up. Instead, give a group gift. Second mistake: Don’t give alcohol in a business situation. Safe gifts are theater tickets, a plant, an antique print featuring a favorite activity, or a restaurant certificate. Keep it to $5 to $10 per person.

Welcome to Etiquette Daily

This open thread is your space to use as you like.  We invite you to discuss current and traditional etiquette. Feel free to ask questions of each other and the community moderators here.

Q: My fiances parents find a way to bring his ex-wife, Jennifer, into the conversation every time we visit. How can I stop this without saying something rude and develop a relationship with my husbands parents that doesn’t exclude his ex-wife?

A: You can do one of two things. You can ask your finance to run a little interference for you. When he is visiting with them without you present, he can say, “You probably don’t even notice you do this, but every time Beth is here, you talk about Jennifer. I’d really appreciate it if you could try and leave her out of the conversation, since the new life I’m building is with Beth and I’d like her to start feeling like part of the family.” He can encourage them to get to know you, reiterating how happy he is with you. Or you could say something yourself: “I’ve been thinking about how you often mention Jennifer when I’m with you. She’s very lucky that you are so fond of her. I hope to be that lucky someday, too, and that you’ll find as many nice things to say about me. ” The first solution is probably the best, if your fiance is willing to speak to his parents from his point of view and not make it sound as though you have been complaining.

Welcome to Etiquette Daily

This open thread is your space to use as you like.  We invite you to discuss current and traditional etiquette. Feel free to ask questions of each other and the community moderators here.

Q:I mistakenly sent an e-mail to my boss complaining about how he handled a project. It got very awkward . What should I have done?

A:Owned up immediately. In person. Before the boss came to you. Your opening lines: “I can’t believe what an idiot I am. I’m sorry.” Since your comments were more about frustration than about gossip, you could have used this as a chance to discuss the problem. If it was gossip, you’d need to apologize profusely and get the word out to everyone that received it that you, and not the target, are the idiot. Follow this simple rule: If you can’t post your message on the bulletin board, don’t e-mail it.

Welcome to Etiquette Daily

This open thread is your space to use as you like.  We invite you to discuss current and traditional etiquette. Feel free to ask questions of each other and the community moderators here.

Variety announces – Warner bringing Emily Post to bigscreen!

Warner Bros. is minding its Ps and Qs with a project based on the manners maven Emily Post.

Studio is developing an untitled romantic comedy that will play off the late Post’s bestselling book “Etiquette” — now in its 17th edition — and the empire it spawned, including books, seminars and etiquette coaching.

Described as a “My Fair Lady” with the gender roles reversed, story centers on a prissy Emily Post manners coach who turns a rough-around-the-edges guy into a proper gentleman.

Warners sparked to a treatment written by Nick Osborne, who runs the production side of Underground Films. Osborne, who will produce with Underground’s Trevor Engelson, received the cooperation of Emily Post Institute in November after members of Post’s family read his initial treatment. The institute provided input to Osborne, and then Underground shopped the revised treatment to Warner Bros., which just closed a deal with the institute to develop.

Needless to say we are all hoping this project continues to move forward. Please use the comments to tell us what you would like to see in a movie about Emily Post.