DEAR MISS MANNERS: Is it all right if my husband takes responsibility for sending out our handwritten thank-you notes, and uses the opportunity to practice his handwriting (which may shock some recipients)?

When he must hand-write formal or business notes, I pen them for him because it would obviously be improper if he wrote in his own script, which looks like it was written by a kindergartner. But is it all right to subject recipients of personal thank-you notes to his atrocious, but legible, handwriting?

He knows he needs practice and has no objection to writing them. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about these notes, right? Using them for him to practice something he’s wobbly at, but I could do properly, doesn’t devalue them in any way? I’m proud of him for trying to better himself.

GENTLE READER: That’s good, because it will help soothe you when you find that your husband’s scribbles are received with more praise than are your own beautifully written efforts.

This is because of the outrageous, but unfortunately not fully outdated, notion that married gentlemen are not responsible for any social correspondence, not even to thank people for shared presents. Your husband’s awkward handwriting will be considered touching, whereas if you wrote like that, it would be seen as a sign of ignorance.

Miss Manners trusts that his writing will improve. She wishes that she could say the same of social attitudes.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: When did it begin to be acceptable to go stockingless? Unless they work in a professional office that requires women to wear stockings, some women wear their dresses without stockings. Even the women newscasters. Not all have such pretty, flawless legs! This is mostly done by older women. I am an older lady and my peers’ legs look awful; therefore, I no longer wear dresses in the summer. Even some of the younger ladies (20s-40s) should not be going without!

In my job as a receptionist, I see so many walk by, and some of their legs would look so much better with stockings covering them. There are very nice sheer stockings that can be purchased, and I’ve seen toeless stockings for women to wear with sandals. I realize that during the summer it is too hot to be wearing them, but going without is not very professional!

GENTLE READER: You should cultivate the habit of looking up, not down, because Miss Manners assures you that you are not going to win this one.

Besides, she finds your requirement that legs be young, flawless or hidden to be -- well, unseemly. Going stockingless is hardly the worst of the transgressions resulting from the desire for comfort over formality.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: What is an appropriate response when a stranger tells me to smile? A man at the gym has done this twice. I don’t want to be rude, but I would like him to stop.

GENTLE READER: “Then say something witty.”

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We received a wedding invitation from my niece’s son addressed “to whom it may concern.”

We met him only once, several years ago, and have never heard from him. We have not heard from his mother, my niece, in about two years. We will not be attending the wedding, as they live in California and we live in Ohio.

Would a card sent with our regrets and best wishes be appropriate to send, without a gift?

GENTLE READER: “To whom it may concern”?

You have no idea how sorely Miss Manners is tempted to say it is no concern of yours. She humbly acknowledges that your solution is the gracious one.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I very much enjoy hosting small dinner parties in our home. Good company is, of course, the reason for these get-togethers, but I also really enjoy making a lovely and creative meal and setting a beautiful table for the people I care about.

I am known as a very good cook and baker, and I am as certain as one can be that it is not false flattery, based both on how quickly invitations are accepted and how often I am begged to cater important events in friends’ lives.

We are frequently asked to join friends at restaurants, but hospitality is never reciprocated. I was told by a frequent guest that she and others in our group feel so guilty about not offering us hospitality, but it is just too intimidating to try to cook for me, after the elegant meals I have been providing for so long.

I was shocked, and felt absolutely terrible! Where on earth did they get the idea that this was a competition? Or that hot dogs on paper plates would not be lovely, combined with good company and lively conversation?

I cook for the love of cooking, and above all for the love of my friends and family! How do I make this right?

GENTLE READER: If they are inviting you to restaurants as their guests, they are reciprocating. But they are not going to realize how offensive their explanation is unless you tell them. They actually think that they are offering you a compliment.

As they seem to be good friends, you should be able to say gently, “You know, it’s not a competition. I enjoy many styles of food, and would be honored to be invited to your house.”

DEAR MISS MANNERS: It seems I can hardly open my mouth these days before the person I am talking with says “Got it!” or words to that effect.

I am careful about not telling long and/or boring stories, and I don’t think I drag out my speech, but very often I am being cut short. Is communication only about getting quickly to the point?

I am tired of saying, “Please let me finish.”

GENTLE READER: Then don’t. In fact, don’t say anything.

Miss Manners has found that the best way to deal with people who anticipate what one is going to say is to let them say it and then to refrain from speaking at all, as they seem to want to handle both sides of the conversation. Eventually, they do notice the silence.

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My best friend recently texted me that she was going to buy a pregnancy test, but that she was not very excited. I saw her later that evening for a kickball game, where she told me again, “I’m not very excited, but I’m pregnant.”

Since she did not tell me this excitedly or even with a smile, I really didn’t know how she wanted me to react to the news. I told her she should get ready and start preparing for the baby and tell her husband, who I knew would be excited.

A few days later, she sent me a message saying that I had said insensitive things and really hurt her feelings because I wasn’t excited about her being pregnant. I apologized to her and told her that was never my intention, but also explained that because of the manner she told me, I wasn’t sure I was supposed to be excited.

Is there a way I could have known that she expected me to be excited about her news?

GENTLE READER: This was a trap. Your conflicted friend wanted you to have the feelings that she did not yet have the presence of mind to muster.

Miss Manners recommends that you be forgiving and chalk the discrepancy up to early pregnancy hormones. But be mindful that your indulgence does not turn into extended emotional misuse -- or perpetual free babysitting.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: If you are walking in a narrow hallway (residential) and another person enters the hallway out of a room, should that person step back into the room or shove their way past you?

GENTLE READER: It depends. Which of you is bigger?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I used to be close with a girlfriend of mine. We did a lot of things together like going to concerts, and she would stay at my apartment.

She ended up getting a job that takes up a lot of her time, so we grew apart. We kept in touch now and then on social media. She got a boyfriend somewhere in that time and never told me. All I saw was a text that said, “I got engaged.”

I didn’t know she was dating, let alone getting married. She invited me to the wedding, but if I haven’t seen her in over two years, I probably won’t see her ever again. I want to send a card. I don’t want to be cheap, but I don’t want to give money. Is giving a card without money mean?

GENTLE READER: Although no one seems to be listening, Miss Manners will never tire of asserting that money is not a polite wedding present -- and presents are not required if you do not attend the wedding.

But she is further baffled by your anger at your friend’s attempt to acknowledge your past relationship by inviting you to her wedding -- interpreting it instead as extortion. She hopes that at the very least, your response will include your best wishes, acknowledgment of your past closeness and regrets for not being able to attend -- and not your current feelings, which seem to be, “Happy Wedding. See You Never.”

(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)