I bet when written down this seems really insignificant it it is so irritating!
I have an acquaintance who, I know, likes me more than I like her. I find her hugely irritating but try not to show it. She has this habit of correcting people. She thinks she is highly intelligent and comments often on how thick others are. I think this is relevant.
Two examples that happened recently - we were talking about advent calendars and I was laughing about the crappy ones we used to have in the 60's. Cardboard, no chocolates or anything behind the doors, just a picture of a ball or something and you always opened 24 early - always to find Jesus Mary and Joseph behind the door of no 24. She leapt in and corrected me "25!" We didn't have 25 doors, we had 24 and I just repeated that - but why correct me in the first place? It just doesn't matter! And she was wrong anyway!
Later, we were talking about a knitting stitch. For the knitters amongst you, I said I dislike rib but really hate moss stitch. She leapt in and said "they're the same thing". They are not - the action is the same but the feel is different because you are kind of going against the grain with moss stitch so it is more awkward, I think.
It really gets on my tits, it interrupts the flow of conversation and I find it rude.
How would you deal with it? Without falling out?
( no idea how long this is, I'm on my phone, can't see! Hope a few people manage to get to the end!! )
AIBU?
How would you deal with this?
Flossyfloof · 16/11/2016 09:55
I hate people correcting each other when it doesn't affect the point, eg first example in op. Second eg she's just wrong.
When someone is doing the first type, I say does it matter if it was Thursday or Friday, the food was great at the pub was the point here! (or whatever).
Sometimes the second type you have to agree to disagree (secretly knowing you are right!) 
I had one of these at work. So glad I don't work in an office anymore! She sounds insecure, which is not your problem to fix, and you'd struggle in any case. You can't change it, so try & change how you feel about it.
Like, If your colleague had a flatulence problem, every time she farted you'd probably try to pretend you hadn't noticed & maybe change the subject. Treat every incorrect correction as a fart.
Also, you are not wrong about moss stitch total PITA.
I think the best way to deal with this sort of comment is to totally ignore it, act as if nothing has been said. You won't ever get her to back down as she is totally convinced she is always right. I know someone like this, even tried to tell me my own BIL was someone else entirely when he drove past us and waved!
And I agree with you on both your examples, advent calendars did only have 24 doors and I hate moss stitch too which is definitely not the same as rib
I know a couple who are like this - she is very prescriptive and bossy, yet she is often wrong; he is utterly pedantic about the use of minute terminology, despite the fact that the meaning is absolutely clear. I have to maintain a relationship with them, so I just bite my tongue and smile sweetly and chalk it up to social lack of awareness on their part. I also try to keep visits within reasonable bounds so it doesn't become days and days of being ordered around and corrected on the basis of wrong evidence - after 5 days of it, it can become really undermining. However, dealing with them has made me realise that I'm quite oversensitive myself to correction (not a good trait), so I sort of see it as good practice at desensitization and being able to take silly things rather less seriously!
To be honest, though, if I didn't have to see them, I would probably give them a wide berth. Can you just gradually turn down the volume on the friendship, seeing her less often until it gradually falls into abeyance?
The alternative, if you value her with a friend in other ways, is to explain gently that your find the behaviour hurtful, and request her not to do it in future. You can be non-aggressive but assertive about this.
I have a preteen who does the same thing and apparently I was similar as a child 
, though I think I mostly outgrew it
With DC, I say "Does it really matter?" or "That's not the point!" but that just leads to mutterings of how it's important to get things right and they were just trying to be helpful. I think this is what my poor mother must have done with me because it's what goes through my head now when I feel the urge to interject.
And technically Advent is 4 weeks long so 28 days, so neither 24 nor 25 ;)
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Pregnant I can still remember the glittery advent calendars we had. Ours was shared between 3, so when it was your day to open it the excitement was almost unbearable ! Happy days 
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