You forgot her birthday. Pick up the phone as soon as possible, says author Leah Ingram. Say, “I’m such an idiot; I am sorry for forgetting your birthday. Can I take you to dinner to make up for it?” But avoid making excuses. Her birthday is about her, not how busy or distracted you’ve been.
You blew her
off unintentionally. Acknowledge the
error and apologize immediately, says etiquette expert Millie Downing: “Don’t tiptoe around it, and don’t make a joke of it.”
You said something callous by accident. If you realize that something you said stung a friend, take
the time to send
a handwritten note, Ingram says: “It is easy to dig yourself deeper and deeper when verbally apologizing.” So carve out your mea culpa on a nice note card and she will know you really mean it.
