Demise of the humble hanky

With southern Australia in the grip of flu season I was shocked to discover this week the humble hanky is no longer socially commonplace.

Writing in a web forum, Ebony Jackson says “thank goodness the hanky is history”.

Just hold it there a moment. History? Since when?

Challenged by me on that question, Ebony responds: “Some people especially elderly (I think) still use them. Women who are conscious of etiquette traditions and awareness … baby boomer vintage and earlier, have hanky habits embedded in social graces historically.”

Tissues apparently, are all the go.

Having written once before about my place in history on a “generational cusp“, I suppose I might pass as a late baby boomer. One of my parents was born before the Second World War and one during it.

I can’t remember there ever being tissues in our house when I was a child.

I never leave home without a handkerchief, even in summer. You never know when a random horse might go past and trigger a sneezing fit.

I only use tissues on the rare occasions I forget a hanky, or if all my hankies are in the washing machine.

I dislike the kids using tissues (perhaps that confirms generational change). They leave bits of tissue paper all over the house and I sometimes find a stray piece sticking to my foot after visiting the bathroom.

What is the etiquette with tissues? Are you allowed to blow your nose into one more than once? Do you dispose of them in the rubbish bin or the toilet?

Blissfully ignorant of these things, I’m happily keeping trees alive by not using tissues.

Hankies can get a little messy when you have a bad cold, like I do now, but no worse than tissues I imagine, unless you have to wash your laundry by hand.

I’ll stick with hankies, thank you.