Came across this expression (“born on the wrong side of the blanket ” ) recently in a old Marples TV episode and it sparked an idea for a party game. Euphemisms like this one were coined at a time (late 1940’s? ) when illegitimate births were so wrong that they could only be mentioned furtively. The time is right now for new euphemisms or at least a party game or song title to concoct some predictive variations.

 

For example, “on the wrong side of the mattress” means product of a homosexual relationship and “ wrong side of the duvet” is lesbian relationship. “Wrong side of the pillow” means in vitro fertilisation and “wrong side of the bed” is adoption. “Wrong side of the sheets” is just an American variation of misbegotten.

 

The party game does not always work, however: “Being born on the wrong side of the Box Pleat Bed Valance” is so just beyond the pale that even Archangel Gabriel could not have formulated a kosher meaning.

 

Happy Xmas. . ..