Etiquette on Shine

Is regifting ever okay?

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Is regifting an acceptable practice, or is it rude and unspeakably tacky? REDBOOK's advice guru, Karen Karbo, gives tips on how to handle a regifter.

Q: My stepsister is a notorious regifter. Once, she even regifted a Christmas present of expensive perfume I'd bought for her and gave it to our stepmom for her birthday. For my last birthday, she gave me this awful glass platter that my stepmom told me my stepsister got from a company for hosting one of their product parties (you know, like a Tupperware party). I always select a gift for her that I think she'll like, and it hurts to know that she cares so little for me or my feelings that I get her discarded presents. Is there any way I could talk to her about this that isn't offensive? —A.R., 29, Newport News, VA

10 Things Not to Say in Front of Adoptive Parents. - Especially in front of their kids.

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Author Tracy Hahn-Burkett has a four-year-old daughter adopted from Korea and a seven-year-old biological son. Whether well-intentioned, curious or inappropriate, Hahn-Burkett has had many a question lobbied in her direction regarding her daughter and their family make-up. Hahn-Burkett offers you, the curious, some advice before you speak. Along with ten questions one should not ask an adoptive parent, she gives her blunt responses.

Holiday Party Survival Guide

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By Kimberly Fusaro

Holiday parties should be all fun and figgy pudding, but the slew of tricky social scenarios that comes with every gathering—including the office party and a big dinner with family—can render them anything but. From awkward encounters with the boss to butting heads with your domineering great-aunt, uncomfortable situations abound during the holiday season. How do you make it through to New Year’s without a generous serving of spiked eggnog? We polled a panel of experts—party planners, a nutritionist and a relationships pro—and put together a series of strategies to help you maneuver through the trickiest holiday party minefields. Follow their tips and you’ll survive the season with flair.

5 tips for dining out with kids

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Dear BA Foodist, My wife and I like to try new restaurants, but we're also new parents. I've seen what can happen when children behave badly while dining out, and we dread fellow patrons' death stares. Any tips? Chuck La Vallee, Los Angeles

Risky business: online shopping at work

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The temptation to shop online while at work gets much stronger at this time of year. Despite the known risks, many of us do it on the sly anyway -- like using a cell phone while driving.

In fact, 1 in 5 workers (21%) said they will shop online for holiday gifts this year while working. The statistic comes from a new survey, conducted by financial staffing firm Accountemps, that was released a week before Cyber Monday -- typically the biggest day of the year for online shopping.

The Morning After: Tips for Post-Booty Call Texting

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If you’ve managed to successfully execute a Late Night Booty Text and score some Late Night Booty, congratulations! Welcome to…

8 ways to tell if you're the life of the party...or just obnoxious

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The holidays are a time of year when friends and families spend lots of quality time together. A time when bad habits and annoying relatives can surface and leave a bad aftertaste. With this in mind, we whipped up a list you may want to peruse before…