Rude Parents

[BabyJane]

I have known, as acquaintances at monthly potluck get-togethers in our small mountain town, two gay men who have adopted two small children 4 years and 8 years of age.
This Xmas, they sent our 'E-Vites' to a chili party the day after Xmas.  I accepted and then realized that we could not make it.  I emailed on the 'response' f the E-Vite website and also emailed their personal email address to inform them.  I then ran into them at the supermarket to say reiterate that we could not make it, we were sorry, yada, yada, yada, but that we had some presents for the children and would send them with mutual friends.

My friends delivered the presents to one of the parents and I have heard nothing since!  No thank you via email, phone, snail mail, etc.  I will most likely run into these 'obviously too busy to say Thank you' parents at this month's potluck and I don't know what to say IF I am thanked at this time.  I am tempted to say (icily), "Oh, you DID get them?, I'm so glad..."  But, my upbringing says otherwise.
Any suggestions?

[emeraldsage85]

I emailed on the 'response' f the E-Vite website and also emailed their personal email address to inform them. 

I don't quite get what this is saying. Do you mean f as in the f-word or is it supposed to mean something else?

[Chocolate Cake]

Having an exceptional grasp of etiquette doesn't equate to the idea that you stay silent when wronged.  Stating, "Oh, I meant to ask you....did you receive the Christmas gifts I sent to the children?  I wasn't sure because I hadn't heard anything and I was so looking forward to knowing if they enjoyed the toys."  is perfectly acceptable.  It lets the person who is manners-challenged know that their behavior is puzzling/hurtful/unacceptable without saying it so precisely.

[TZ]

Emeraldsage, I think it's a typo for "of."

[ShadesOfGrey]

Having an exceptional grasp of etiquette doesn't equate to the idea that you stay silent when wronged.  Stating, "Oh, I meant to ask you....did you receive the Christmas gifts I sent to the children?  I wasn't sure because I hadn't heard anything and I was so looking forward to knowing if they enjoyed the toys."  is perfectly acceptable.  It lets the person who is manners-challenged know that their behavior is puzzling/hurtful/unacceptable without saying it so precisely.

Thanks Chocolate Cake, I am not the OP, but this answers one of my questions about proper etiquette!

[emeraldsage85]

Emeraldsage, I think it's a typo for "of."

Oops!  I wasn't thinking of that.

[BabyJane]

Thanks, Chocolate Cake, for your excellent reply.  I did not want to stay silent, that's for sure!  I am getting rather tired of letting thoughtless and rude people get away with their bad manners but do not want to cross the line into bad behaviour myself.
And yes, it was definitely a typo of the word "of".  LOL  I type too fast sometimes and forget to spell-check, I should be more careful with that in the future...

[MineralDiva]

Having an exceptional grasp of etiquette doesn't equate to the idea that you stay silent when wronged.  Stating, "Oh, I meant to ask you....did you receive the Christmas gifts I sent to the children?  I wasn't sure because I hadn't heard anything and I was so looking forward to knowing if they enjoyed the toys."  is perfectly acceptable.  It lets the person who is manners-challenged know that their behavior is puzzling/hurtful/unacceptable without saying it so precisely.

Thanks Chocolate Cake, I am not the OP, but this answers one of my questions about proper etiquette!

I agree.  There is nothing wrong with asking.  There is always the off chance that the friend you trusted to deliver them, somehow didn't make the delivery.  (Unless you've already confirmed this.) 

[BabyJane]

Hi,
Unfortunately, I am certain the presents were delivered hence my annoyance at no thank you.
That's why I wanted to be ready with a response IF they thank me at all.

[VorFemme]

I have been known to CALL relatives to ask if the Christmas presents got to the nieces & nephews - no telling what the post office might do, after all.   

There are some other issues going on with various siblings (between DeHubby's two and my three) and their spouses that leave me wondering if their high school or college graduation presents might not be a nice copy of Miss Manner's latest on general etiquette.  After all, they are so much fun to read!