The only exception to this rule is Christmas morning. Seeing loved ones at dawn in their p.j.'s, wading through wrapping paper and stepping on tiny Barbie doll accoutrements is what ViaTV Videophones were made for. Why should you miss the traditional Yuletide dance of pain, even if you are thousands of miles away?

You should always check your appearance in the local view (the image of yourself you see when you first pick up the phone) before you actually place a ViaTV Videophone call. What you see, is what they'll get.

Remember to wear clothes that communicate, "I am happy to see you and I respect your fashion sensibilities." Dark solids, generally, send this message. If you are informed you are wearing something offensive to the eyes of your caller, simply put on the ViaTV privacy mode and do a quick change.

Believe it or not, much of the satisfaction that you will get out of your videophone will depend on how well lit people are. So if you can, try to emulate the set of your local TV news program, which means sitting a proper distance from the camera and having appropriate lighting. Hint: You probably won't need a script and a teleprompter. You may want to have an adjustable desk lamp near the videophone, so you can tilt it to light you adequately.

As with camcorders, it is important that lighting come from behind the videophone camera, and shine directly on the subject (you!). During the day, you need to take into consideration windows and sliding glass doors for video calls. If the videophone camera is pointed towards this brightly lit area, it will be like looking into the sun for your caller. He or she is going to spend the entire video call, squinting at you. It may be amusing at first to see your friend squinting, but it will get old fast. Furthermore, surveys of Americans between the ages of 24 and 35 tell us that squinters are boring and unattractive.

Again, be sure to check your appearance in the local view before you actually place a video call. What they'll see, is what you've lit.

Emulating a kiss may be a bit trickier...A mouth too near to a camera is almost always frightening. You may just want to blow a kiss. Another suggestion, which young children have been known to do, is to plant your lips on the TV screen where the beloved one's image is. This method, of course, will require you to keep Windex and paper towels handy.

Looking down, instead of into the camera, is a common etiquette error that new video-callers make. Try to look directly into the camera and blink as little as possible. Speak to the camera. As awkward as it might feel, it transmits well. As Billy Crystal impersonating Fernando Lamas taught us, "It's better to look good, than to feel good." Don't forget to show off your pearly whites. You have a videophone because "you can't hear a smile!"

Be sure to use hand gestures and facial expressions as you would in a face-to-face conversation. Don't be afraid go ahead and set yourself free. You know you want to...some of you (mostly Italians like myself) have been using your gestures during audio only calls for years. You've been unmercifully teased for years. At last, you are free! Free to be your exuberant, expressive self. Go for it. Enjoy.

Videophone virtual dinner dates are becoming as common as three-dollar bills. Nevertheless, you may be asked to dine via ViaTV with the potential Mr. or Ms. Right, or at least Mr. or Ms. Right-Now. You don't want to blow the virtual date by being rude, as it will certainly hinder your chances for a real date. Recommended: soft background music and fine wine. A toast to your beautiful date would not be inappropriate as long as he or she has his or her own glass of something. "Here's looking at you, kid" is always an appropriate toast for any video date occasion. Or you could try this one, "Are you looking at me? Are you looking at me?! You must be looking at me...I 'm the only one here."

And, though you might not be able to "clink" after the toast, a light tap of your glass against the glass of the camera lens or TV screen will produce the same effect.

Other objectionable habits from the bad old days of audio only calls: crotch scratching or underwear rearranging. This kind of behavior with either yourself or a partner will be considered uncouth by most parties that you videoconference with. Again, resist the temptation.

Other actions to avoid: yawning, stretching or checking your watch, unless you want to give your caller the impression that to continue videoconferencing will require a cup of black coffee and frequent jabs from an electric cattle prod.

More and more individuals are being interviewed this way. Headhunters say this is a cost-effective way to narrow the search down and save travel costs. A person who handles himself well on a video call interview has a leg up on the one who is intimidated by this technology. Again, as long as the leg up is covered by clothing.

If you are interviewing a candidate, you're in the power seat, baby. Use it! Never end a video interview without asking the job seeker to do some jumping jacks for you. Then while they're exercising, play with your ViaTV's ZOOM, PAN and TILT features. This is the best way to conduct an in-depth interview, I assure you.

My Canadian in-laws have cleverly contracted with a cut-rate carrier, so that when we have video calls I am always footing the bill. If they call, the connection rates are too low for a good videoconference. Still, it's worth every cent because the more we see them via ViaTV, the less often we need to pay to see them via Air Canada.

Suggestions for augmenting your verbal adios:

1. The Basic "bye-bye" wave
2. The Simple but Elegant wave (hand slowly sways back and forth)
3. The Regal Wave (same as #2, done with a serene smile)
4. The Goofy Wave (done with tongue out, eyes crossed)
5. Thumbs up
6. Use the American Sign Language sign "ILY", which means, "I Love You." (Thumb out, index finger and pinkie up, two middle fingers down.)

Never forget that the ViaTV Videophone is an instrument for fun as well as communication. There are numerous games that can be played for mutual enjoyment of the callers. To name but a few: Pictionary, Battleship and Chess. You can also adapt old favorites like my family has to videophone format. We love to play games like Video Hide-n-Seek; Doggie, Doggie Where's Your Phone?; and Hide-the-Thing with our kids.

To play Video Hide-n-Seek you need at least two people on each end of the video call. First, decide who hides and who seeks. The party that is hiding puts on the ViaTV "Privacy Mode" and one person hides within the room that the videophone is located. After the one person is hidden, the other person takes the videophone off privacy mode and then follows the instructions of the seeker by moving the camera to view certain areas of the room. "Point the camera under the coffee table." If the hidden party is not found after 3 guesses or 3 moves of the camera, the hider wins. Start a new game, switching sides as to who hides and who seeks.

Doggie, Doggie Where's Your Phone? is the same as Video Hide-n-Seek only instead of hiding a person, hide the telephone somewhere around the room. Guessing and seeking works the same way as in Video Hide-n-Seek.

Hide-the-Thing is played by putting on the privacy modes on both ends of the video call and removing something that was in view. Then both parties take the privacy off and take turns guessing what has been removed from the camera's view on each end. First to guess right, wins.