Chapter 23: The Yule Ball

[naama]

No: HPFGUIDX 6886

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, Snuffles MacGoo <msmacgoo at o...> 
wrote:
> "The Dursleys (boo, hiss) give Harry a single tissue ("an all-time 
low")."
> 
> This always bothers me a bit - Why do they give him anything at 
all? Surely the 
> insult takes more thought than nothing? (but it is funny!)
> 

I think it underlines their supreme conventionality. At Christmas one 
gives presents to relatives, ergo they must send Harry a present. 
There is no decisive norm, however, that the present has to be nice. 
So they can express their nastiness by sending a horrible present.

Naama