DEAR ABBY: I recently received the following invitation via the Internet:
"You are all cordially invited to a
"WEDDING SHOWER FOR
"Tristan" and "Isolde"
"at 222 Valentine Court
"On July 25 from 1-5 p.m.
"Tristan and Issy are registered at:
"Pier One, Costco and Target
"Come and bring a friend! Tell everyone else you know as well, because I only had a few e-mail addresses. Thanks and God bless!"
Maybe casual is "in," but I still believe we should observe some of the rules of etiquette, don't you? I thought this was really rude and tacky, and your comments would be appreciated. -- CRYSTAL IN KANSAS CITY
DEAR CRYSTAL: Where I come from, showers are warm, intimate, personal gatherings where friends come together to give gifts and good wishes to the people being honored. The "invitation" you received had all the personal warmth of a casting call for extras in a historical epic -– and I don't blame you for being turned off.