DEAR HARRIETTE: I hate being surprised with presents. This Christmas, I received a pair of goggles (I ski) that I hate. They are bright pink and offer no UV protection. The gift didn't come with a gift receipt, just the spoken wish that I would wear them. What do I do with these goggles now? I would feel so wasteful throwing them out, but I do not need another pair, especially ones that don't protect my eyes and skin. -- Unhappy Skier, Westchester, New York

DEAR UNHAPPY SKIER: You can soften your thoughts about this gift knowing that the person who gave it to you did attempt to think about what you might like. Clearly, the person knows that you ski. It is also clear that this person does not ski, thus no UV protection, and also doesn't know your style, thus the color pink.

No, you don't need to wear the goggles. What you can do is give them to the ski lodge where you commonly ski. Perhaps they have spares for people who forget theirs. Or give them to the local Goodwill in your favorite ski town.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Like most Americans, I am suffering from holiday weight gain. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, I probably ate my weight in food a few times over. I want to make a weight loss resolution I can actually stick to. I don't want to be in the hordes of people pledging to go to the gym; instead, I want a buddy to do this with me. How can I ask a friend to join my weight-loss journey without implying that they should lose weight? -- Holiday Miss Piggy, Raleigh, North Carolina

DEAR HOLIDAY MISS PIGGY: Congratulations on wanting to make healthier choices in the new year. You are like many people who ate too much over the last couple of months. Doing something about it takes dedication and commitment. Sure, you could ask a friend to work out with you. And you can do that without offending your friend by saying that you need moral support. Explain that if your friend would be willing to walk, run, go to the gym or do some other physical activity with you, you think you would have a better chance of succeeding at your goal of losing weight.

But don't stop there. While a friend's support can help, most of all you need to make up your mind that you will do this for yourself. Next, schedule your workout routines. If you literally put down dates and times each week when you intend to work out, you will make it easier for you to stick to a schedule.

If you need to get more support, consider recording your fitness activities daily on social media. Like a diary, you could record your progress and also your shortcomings -- in whatever detail feels comfortable. Chances are that you will have people cheering you on and consoling you on the tough days. Bottom line: Do you! Get fit. You can do it.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: At my work holiday party, I ended up taking shots with my co-workers and other employees from different departments. We all had a great time, and my boss even ordered us a hearty lunch for our hangovers. I've never had a holiday party like this one. For future celebrations, am I expected to let as loose as I did at the holiday party? Everyone at this company loves to party! -- Fashion District, Manhattan, New York

DEAR FASHION DISTRICT: You should do what you can handle, and nothing more. The good news about your job is that your boss seemed to take care of the staff even after seemingly encouraging everyone to drink up. This does not mean that you should let your guard down and decide to be overly indulgent in the future, though. If you have the wherewithal to keep your wits about you at any office function, use that to your advantage. You can become the one who helps to ensure that nobody gets hurt. You can be the team protector. You don't need to make a fuss of this. Just keep your eyes open so that you are always alert and prepared to take care of yourself and support your team.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am lucky enough to be taking a tropical vacation this winter. After some research, I learned that there are topless beaches on the island I will be visiting. Although I will not be taking advantage of that, I assumed that this meant I could wear a G-string on the beach to not have unfavorable tan lines. My fiance said that the topless opportunity only extended to the top half of the body. Are there any rules or common etiquette for a situation like this? -- Top On, Rochester, New York

DEAR TOP ON: The rules around topless and nude beaches vary a bit from place to place, although the idea is that there is a level of freedom for women to be without a top on a topless beach. On a nude beach, women and men are welcome to go completely without clothing.

As far as a G-string goes, wearing scanty bikini bottoms is not the same thing as being naked. You can wear a G-string at a topless beach. What is also often true at many topless and nude beaches is that some people come to these beaches without disrobing. First-timers can often wear some kind of covering. At a topless beach, this could also mean wearing a bathing suit until you reach your spot on the beach and then removing your top when you lie down.

On a broader note, you and your fiance should talk about your values and beliefs about dress and states of undress in public. Since you don't want to make the choice to go topless and your boyfriend isn't into a G-string, you may want to rethink going to the topless beach. I'll bet there are plenty of regular beaches where you are headed. That is, unless you two decide to explore together without reservation and see what you experience!

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: Like everyone on the planet, my stomach makes itself known by rumbling if I have missed a meal. I know this is normal; however, my stomach frequently rumbles at work. Sometimes I am hungry, other times I guess I am just digesting. Regardless, I know it is loud enough to be heard in meetings and in the office because heads turn. Should I apologize? I know to excuse myself if I burp, but I am unsure what is polite in this circumstance. -- Rumbly Grumbly, Cincinnati

DEAR RUMBLY GRUMBLY: Not eating enough or not eating consistently is likely the culprit of your rumbly belly. One way that you can help your body and quiet your belly is to keep snacks with you and nibble on something every 20 minutes or so. Dried fruit, a piece of fresh fruit, a few crackers -- things like that should keep energy in your body and help you to stay somewhat satiated. Start your day with a healthy breakfast. Oatmeal is filling and healthy as one excellent option. Another good decision would be to drink more water. If you drink water consistently throughout the day, your system will stay hydrated, which can also help to keep the gas down in your body. You may also want to get a complete physical to rule out any digestive problems that might need medical treatment.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am opening a company that has a showroom. Because of the environment I want to present to customers, the company has split into visuals (like materials, furniture and presentation) and finance. I think this is a good setup; however, "Rebecca," a woman on the finance team, has been giving her opinion on everything. Her job is to focus on price tags, not tell me which paint and chair colors she prefers. As an accountant, she should know to care only about numbers, but I can't seem to steer her away from sticking her nose in the design team's business. I don't want to offend her, but I need to get Rebecca out of my hair. -- Nosy Nosy, Racine, Wisconsin

DEAR NOSY NOSY: Use strategy here so that you keep everybody on the same team even as people need to settle into their roles. In start-ups, it is not uncommon for everyone who's part of the company to believe that their input is necessary and important for the positive outcome of the company. It would be wise for you to make sure that Rebecca continues to feel appreciated, even as you let her know that you have your role under control.

Thank Rebecca for being so excited about the showroom. Tell her that it will be easier for you to do your job if you can concentrate on your area of expertise without her input, no matter how helpful she may think she is being. Ask her to help you and the team by staying in her lane and making sure that she has all of her particulars covered so that when the showroom opens, everything will be ready.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)