The expectant parents have implied that, after two daughters, they’d like a boy. So how should I react if the balloons are released and they’re expecting another girl? Do I frown and express my regrets? If it’s a boy, should I put on a wide smile and say I’m glad for them?

I’m happy to celebrate the upcoming birth, but find it uncomfortable to prioritize the child’s sex with an awkward event such as this, particularly when I know the parents’ inclinations. Unfortunately, my laptop will be capturing my face in close-up, so I need Miss Manners’ advice, including her acting skills.

Gentle Reader: If there is anything sillier than a gender reveal party, it is one given by parents who have made their wishes explicit. Miss Manners wonders what their own faces will register if they receive unwelcome information, and which of their guests will, years later, let this slip to the disappointing child.

If you must attend this event, she suggests that the “reveal” would be a good moment to try on your mask.

Dear Miss Manners: My daughter’s boyfriend is proposing, and we are planning on going to dinner with his parents afterwards. How do we handle the bill? Which parents pay?