# Need urgent assistance--pre-Christmas issues **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 23, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027 "2014-12-23T16:30:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/61 "2014-12-24T00:28:32Z")
> [@WonderdingMom](#): > > So I wonder, does anything think I should call my sister tonight before the leave for our place early Christmas morning, to warn/ask/beg to not have the boys wear running shoes and ugly All-Star 1950s looking sneakers and Steve should wear dress shoes not running shoes to dinner at our place Christmas day. Christ on a cracker, lady - If you called me hours before Christmas Eve, with the stores in an uproar and nothing where it belongs on the shelf - to tell me you expected me to go out and spend $100+ on dress shoes for two teenaged boys who won’t fit in them by Easter…while I’m trying to pack the car and get my family ready for a 200 mile car ride on one of the busiest travel days of the year…just after I’ve emptied my bank account on Christmas gifts and gasoline… Are you actively trying to sabotage her, or are you completely and utterly incapable of (forgive me) putting yourself in another’s shoes? :eek: Let’s just say the angel on your tree isn’t the only one in your household with a stick up its ass. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/62 "2014-12-24T01:05:39Z")
I wanted to thank you for helping me win the office prize for funniest Holiday story at our party this afternoon. The pictures killed it while I read your post in varying stages of outrage and disbelief. The head rubbing part got the most laughs. I am now the proud owner of a mid-priced bottle of red wine. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/63 "2014-12-24T01:12:25Z")
Just drive-by performance art. Nothing to see here, dopers. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/64 "2014-12-24T01:38:54Z")
> [@Thing\_Fish](#): > > Remembering in my punk rock teenage days when my friend came for Thanksgiving dinner and my father asked him to turn around the padlock chained around his neck so the swastika wasn’t visible. Glad the OP isn’t a member of my family. Wow, your father was such a fascist! ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/65 "2014-12-24T02:21:06Z")
Damn kids these days, cutting their hair short. Every respectable adult knows that it’s only proper for a man to have long hair. I don’t know where these hippies get their values . . . ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/66 "2014-12-24T03:13:16Z")
I never once in my life dressed up to go to a relatives for Thanksgiving or Christmas. What do you think it is, Easter? (not that I dressed up for that either, past about the age of 5) My gosh, you need to take a chill pill, the only one acting strangely from your description is you. I strongly suggest you refrain from hosting in the future, until you gain some connection to the way people (particularly teens) dress in the 21st century. Freshly cut hair? Wha? Are you for real? Next you’ll be complaining that they smell like they recently showered. Yeah, just don’t host anymore, you clearly aren’t able to take the pressure. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/67 "2014-12-24T03:15:35Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > Just drive-by performance art. Nothing to see here, dopers. looks that way, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/68 "2014-12-24T03:47:27Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > Just drive-by performance art. Nothing to see here, dopers. lucky you’re wearing nice shoes or there would be comments. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/69 "2014-12-24T04:37:16Z")
Dear Prudence… ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/70 "2014-12-24T14:12:41Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > I have a dress code, too. It’s called, “please make sure you have some pants on.” > > So far, we’re at about 75%. 😃 I’m currently wearing a t-shirt and panties. Do they count? OH, and I’m barefoot. I’ll never meet the OP’s standards! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/71 "2014-12-24T14:13:56Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > I wanted to thank you for helping me win the office prize for funniest Holiday story at our party this afternoon. The pictures killed it while I read your post in varying stages of outrage and disbelief. The head rubbing part got the most laughs. > > I am now the proud owner of a mid-priced bottle of red wine. That’s wonderful! I can picture this being read, a la “Santaland Diaries”, but with pictures of the horrible shoes and haircut being flashed on a screen by the storyteller. Performance art, indeed, LurkerInNJ… ---
**Author:** ![Dustin\_the\_Wind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f1d935/32.png) [@Dustin\_the\_Wind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dustin_the_Wind)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/72 "2014-12-24T15:50:40Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Sometimes I even bring slippers!) Slippers are SOP in my family. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/73 "2014-12-24T16:14:52Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Oh noes! Not the high school pep rally look! …[Smells Like Team Spirit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWKbfoikeg)? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/74 "2014-12-24T16:51:41Z")
I know she’ll likely never return, but this is just too tempting - > [@WonderdingMom](#): > > …especially when I told them all that we were expecting dressy/church attire. At my church we welcome people in sneakers, jeans, shorts and even _gasp_ shorts made of denim. In some religions people get naked at church. Perhaps you should have been a bit more specific. > [@](#): > > Anyone agree they showed poor taste in wearing such footwear to a holiday dinner with other invited guests at OUR home?? Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced boo K), is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/75 "2014-12-24T17:00:58Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > Yes, people actually do this. We will be spending the 24th-26th with my husband’s aunt who has a dress code for the whole three days. I’m seriously considering wearing a ball gown and tiara just to make a point about how goddamn ridiculous it is to get dressed up to sit in a folding chair in her dining room for dinner but I’m afraid she will love it and it will be the new dress code in the future. Get your husband to wear it. Merry Christmas, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2014, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/76 "2014-12-24T17:54:10Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Get your husband to wear it. > > Merry Christmas, > Shodan That oughta do it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027/77 "2014-12-25T03:01:42Z")
> [@Dustin\_the\_Wind](#): > > Slippers are SOP in my family. My aunt wears slippers to Christmas at my mom’s sometimes. I don’t wear slippers at all, anytime, but I will take off my shoes when I’m over there for Christmas. Or any time I’m over there, actually. I really don’t like shoes much. I prefer going barefoot. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-urgent-assistance-pre-christmas-issues/708027.md?page=3)