DEAR MISS MANNERS: When my mother passed away some years ago, my brother and his wife placed a stuffed black cat toy in her casket. My mother had owned several black cats.

Months later, I was opening a Christmas gift from my brother. It turned out to be a stuffed black cat. He said, “Do you know where that came from?” Of course I knew! My mouth dropped open.

Miss Manners, was this absolutely the worst Christmas gift ever, or am I missing something? I don’t understand how anyone could gift something that had been in a casket. Am I overly sensitive?

GENTLE READER: Back up. Miss Manners needs some clarification on the mechanics of this.

She is presuming that the casket was not closed at the visitation, and that your brother and his wife grabbed the cat before it became so? Please do not t

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