Democracy Dies in DarknessMom-in-law’s “one of a kind” gift to the letter writer turned out to be factory-made. Why did she lie?May 15, 2026 at 12:00 a.m. EDTYesterday at 12:00 a.m. EDT, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina MartinDear Miss Manners: My mother-in-law recently returned from New Zealand bearing gifts for her children and their spouses. Each gift was very well-thought-out and personalized. However, when she got to me, she claimed she’d forgotten my gift in her car and left the house for several minutes, presumably to retrieve it. When she returned, she presented me with a hat and made a big deal that it was “hand-knitted with genuine alpaca wool” and “one of a kind.”