Miscellaneous Items

Family Etiquette

If the two families are not well known to one another, the parents of the groom should call on the fiancee's parents soon after the engagement has been announced, preferably within twenty-four hours. In the event of the families living at a distance from one another, a meeting should be arranged as soon as possible. If the groom's parents are no longer living, the visit should be made by some other member of his family, or his guardian, and should be returned by the bride and her mother or father, within three days.

Gifts for the Fiancee

When a man is saving up for the wedding, the girl should not allow him to spend money unnecessarily on presents, unless, of course, he is a man of means.

She should not allow him to buy her clothes. Flowers, confectionery and books are permissible, but anything that could be constructed as "maintenance"—such as furs or jewellery—is not permissible. The girl should not use the furniture bought for her new home, nor should she live in her new home.

THE LONG ENGAGEMENT

A long engagement should be avoided, unless the engaged couple are very young. A long engagement is a trying nuisance to all the parties concerned.

In many cases it will be found best not to announce an engagement if it must be of a long duration. Friends can be given to understand the position, but the engagement is not formally announced.