DEAR MISS MANNERS: This Thanksgiving, I'm having a couple of friends over -- the same ones I had over last Thanksgiving. However, this year I'm inviting a third, who has never met the other two. I thought it would be polite for me to tell each of them something about the other so that they might be a little more comfortable together before they meet.
Is this OK? How do I decide what to share? I definitely don't want to mention anything I shouldn't.
GENTLE READER: Quite right. You do not want to say, "Matilda was convicted of tax fraud, but she's paid her debt to society," even though it might lead to an interesting discussion about prison reform.
Yet the idea is to provide material with which to start a conversation. Occupations are often mentioned, but surely Miss Manners is not the only person who does not want to talk shop when out socially. It is better to choose any outside interests your friends may have -- hobbies, collections, choices of vacations.
Ask Miss Manners about manners when she is just gadding about, and she will give you a polite smile and a short answer. But ask her about Venice, and she is off and running.