So, has holiday time with the fam driven you to the bottle yet? Before you head out to happy hour, just remember that Christmas is no excuse for pub owners to mince words.
Just ask Finlay in Edinburgh, Scotland…

Or Ross in Wellington, New Zealand…

And for the rest of us…Happy Festivus, Troublemakers! May your airing of grievances be merrily aggressive-aggressive.
related: we will be happy to service your hangover on January 1
FILED UNDER: holiday spirit · new zealand · scotland
At college, more often than not, your sex life is everybody’s business. But don’t worry…it’s for your own good! For example, the writer of this first note (as spotted by Ashley at Missouri State) displays a heartwarming concern for her dorm-mate’s physical safety.

And as Vic and his friends at Arizona State’s Barrett Honors College discovered, a group calling themselves “the Gods of ASU” has even deeper concerns….the fate of your everlasting soul!!!

related: “I know that it’s really none of my business, but…I’m going to tell you what I think anyway.”
FILED UNDER: MYOB · arizona · jesus · missouri · sex sex sex · university · unsolicited feedback
Writes our submitter in Lexington, Kentucky: “One day, I updated my Facebook status to something about how no one in my city knows how to properly use a turning lane. The next day, I got this e-mail from my mom. She often makes similar judgments about what personality traits I should have because I’m ‘such a pretty girl.’”
Annoying? Sure. But aside from the irritating Momsian/Victorian conflation of physical/moral beauty, I think I’m actually on Team Mom for this one. (Of course, had I received a similar e-mail from my own mom, I’d hardly be so clear-eyed. Such is the nature of the mother/daughter dynamic!)

related: living with an adolescent, abridged
FILED UNDER: e-mail · facebook · moms & dads · not so much passive-aggressive · signed with love · unsolicited feedback
Gift-giving is what makes Christmas the passive-aggressive’s favorite time of year. It’s a priceless opportunity to show your friends and family how you really feel about them…with a bow on top!


related: putting the “x” in “x-mas”
FILED UNDER: family · holiday spirit
Writes James in Chesterfield, Virginia: “Poor Fayette didn’t know that you must remove staples before feeding paper into the copier. Even though she is 70 years old and always brings fresh brownies on Fridays for everyone in the office, someone still felt the need to publicly (and anonymously) humiliate her.”
You know, because a simple “the copier is broken” would leave just too many unanswered questions.

related: Graham, this means you
FILED UNDER: office · oh no you didn't · virginia
“In college,” Sandy writes, “I shared a house with a motley group of roomies. When it was time for me to graduate, my super-kooky roommate suggested I send her parents a graduation announcement because they had liked me a lot (having met me once, for a few hours) and would feel insulted if I didn’t send them an announcement. I had a few left over, so I did.” A while later came this response – not passive-aggressive per se, but a little, well…

Adds Sandy: “The assumption of my attempt to grub money coupled with the cheerfully airy tone really speaks volumes about the environment in which my old roomie grew up. (Incidentally, she DID spell my name right.)”
P.S. Yes, that’s $25, not $125.
related: Really, Mom, you shouldn’t have
FILED UNDER: moms & dads · money · not so much passive-aggressive · say wha? · signed with love · university