# Oops. Take a closer look at those attachments before you send them. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930 "2007-12-05T18:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/1 "2007-12-05T18:29:46Z")
My mother-in-law finally sent her Christmas list with her and her boyfriend’s wants on it. But, she kinda forgot to make sure those were the only lists she sent. I didn’t realize it at first, because I just hit the Download as HTML button on Gmail, and I was confused at what I was looking at, but then I realized what I was seeing: the stuff she’s planning or has bought us, and an “Items On Hand” list of stuff she’s planning to regift (including something we bought her). I had a big rant here about my MIL’s gift buying habits, but I decided I felt better just writing it and decided against posting it. Instead I’ll just skip to the question. Should we inform her of her _faux pas_? Seems like it might cause unnecessary embarrassment if we do. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/2 "2007-12-05T18:40:55Z")
Since there’s really nothing she can do to correct the mistake, I don’t see much point in informing her of it. ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/3 "2007-12-05T18:47:44Z")
By all means, inform her if it will give you the tiniest bit of glee. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/4 "2007-12-05T18:47:56Z")
Would a quick refresher in attaching documents to emails be out of the question? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/5 "2007-12-05T18:58:58Z")
[QUOTE=ChiefScott] By all means, inform her if it will give you the tiniest bit of glee. [/QUOTE] What, like _schadenfreude_? 😕 Why would I want that? > [@LOUNE](#): > > Would a quick refresher in attaching documents to emails be out of the question? When you’re sending Excel files, just make sure before you send it that it doesn’t have tabs at the bottom that you don’t intend for other people to see. If it does, the easiest thing to do is to copy the data you do want to send to a new spreadsheet. > [@Beadalin](#): > > Since there’s really nothing she can do to correct the mistake, I don’t see much point in informing her of it. Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking, but I thought I’d check to see if I was missing something about why someone might want to know if it were them. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/6 "2007-12-05T20:01:46Z")
It’s hard to breach the rules of etiquette by keeping your mouth shut. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/7 "2007-12-05T20:17:10Z")
That’s a very good way to look at it, **tdn**. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/8 "2007-12-05T20:20:13Z")
Could have been worse… anyone else reminded of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine sent out Christmas cards? ---
**Author:** ![CoBa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@CoBa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoBa)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oops-take-a-closer-look-at-those-attachments-before-you-send-them/428930/9 "2007-12-05T21:25:14Z")
Just give her a lesson in attachments next time you get a chance. Though, you might want to submit that to Etiquette hell.