DEAR ABBY: Is there a rule of etiquette regarding Christmas presents at this point in the year? I have boxes full of gifts for some friends and their children. These friends live no more than 30 minutes away, but have canceled every plan we have made since the middle of November. They know I have the gifts, and I've asked them to stop and get them out of my home, even if they don't have time to come in and visit.
When I try to make plans to bring them their gifts, they say they have errands to run and they'll let me know when they're home. Then they wait until the next day to tell me they forgot, or they were out longer than expected.
We have no idea what's going on in each other's lives past the point of social media, which has shown me they're minutes from my house at least once or twice a week. I understand life is busy, but it feels like they're purposely avoiding me at this point.
Most of the gifts are personalized and can't be returned or repurposed. But for those that aren't, at what point is it OK to give up trying to deliver them and return them to the seller? -- TIRED OF WAITING
DEAR TIRED: Sometimes no message sends a strong one. By now it should be clear to you that those folks are not interested in receiving anything from you, and are probably not eager to continue any sort of personal relationship. If you need my permission or encouragement to return the items -- if, indeed, any of them are still returnable -- I'm giving it to you now.