DEAR ABBY: My husband's grandmother keeps purchasing season tickets to the theater for me. I have told my mother-in-law (who is in charge of buying the tickets) as politely as possible that summer is a very busy time for me. My kids, husband and I are all involved in activities, and the theater conflicts with these activities.
As well, I don't particularly enjoy the group of people that we go there with. (I haven't shared this with my mother-in-law.) While I like my mother-in-law and husband's grandmother, the others are rude. They exclude me from conversations and hardly acknowledge my existence. I try to make conversation but unsuccessfully. It makes for a dreadfully awkward evening.
How do I get out of going to the theater without hurting anyone's feelings? -- NO THANKS IN CANADA
DEAR NO THANKS: The most effective way to accomplish that would be to stop beating around the bush and tell your husband's mother and grandmother you would prefer not to be included, and the reason why.