Published on 12, July, 2020
Does anyone else struggle sometimes to do ‘appropriate’ greetings? You know, as the social skills textbook instructs, especially when hugely distracted by something else? Usually I can manage it, but this morning I may have managed to diversify!
I happened to need to pop to the Scout shop this morning to buy some badges for my Beavers. After I got out of my car I realised that there was what looked like a dead hedgehog by the side of the car park. So I had to stop for a few minutes to investigate whether a) it was actually a hedgehog, and b) it was actually dead. So after establishing those facts, I walked into the shop and rather than doing the textbook greeting, I just said “there’s a dead hedgehog in the car park!” Luckily they were fine with it, they even asked what group scarf it was wearing BUT this really isn’t the appropriate way for me to greet people who I haven’t seen for a few months!!
Ohh I've just remembered another one! When I was at uni I had a little 100cc Suzuki, and as I was about to get on it one autumn I noticed a wasp struggling to walk over the seat. When I got home to my student house with half a dozen student friends, I announced "The wasps are getting sleepy!" in very much the same way as your dead hedgehog anecdote. Everyone fell about laughing saying it was like a code, and they should have responded with something like "...and the clouds are drifting slowly in Birmingham" in order to gain access to some secret or other :-)
I can't remember any specific times I've done that but I very definitely have had that MANY times, by now my friends who have known me long enough just expect it.
And I 100% agree on the cards!
A. If you are going to see them to hand it over you don't need it, say it then
B. Even if you aren't going to see them ring them or email, why send them something they'll read once then either bin or store with 1000s of others.
Amazing inventions aren't they, those little gift bags!? Whoever invented them should be given a knighthood!
Yes I've discovered gift bags as a good work-around! I hate wrapping too (especially as I'm often doing it on Xmas eve and my wrapping will exist for less than 24 hours). With gift bags, open the top, drop the gift in, maybe tape the top shut, BOOM! Collect all the bags the day after, use them again next year.
On the cards - precisely :-).
If my mother and ex father in law are typical examples, many people use a collection of Xmas cards as a measure and evidence of their popularity and it gives them bragging rights and/or shores up their self esteem. I don't want to play in that game at the expense of a lot of cardboard and money.
I must admit that I don’t really see the point in Christmas cards, I get the sentiment but not the point! That and wrapping presents! I hate wrapping presents! Luckily many people that I know appear to feel the same way and use gift bags instead, so I save all of the gift bags and recycle them as and when :-)