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Summary: I am trying to find an expression equivalent to annonces parafiales in French

I am looking for an expression which means "list of items of low importance, appended to a more important speech"

... and the income is 15 million euros. Also, I am your father. Now the [expression here]: Jane's birthday is tomorrow, do not forget to stock the staplers, ...

The French equivalent is annonces parafiales: this is a list of everyday, logistical information given after the mass. It mentions some meetings, a change in Sunday school timing, etc. I is now also (or mainly) used as a humoristic way to announce some low-key information, no matter the context.

I was thinking of maybe classified as an equivalent? The point here is to convey a humoristic note.

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  • There are some good answers below, but IMO "classified" does not work at all. It is used of advertisements, indeed, but only the little ones in the newspaper. Annonces answers to both advertisements and announcements, and the latter is correct here. Also, it carries the alternative meaning of secret, not for all ears. (Unless you are going, "The Mass is ended, go in peace. The next Pope will be....")
    – David Pugh
    May 25, 2015 at 8:14
  • I often use the word "administrivia". I first heard it from a professor in college and it struck me as so perfectly apt that I've never forgotten it.
    – Dan Bron
    May 25, 2015 at 10:33
  • It’s sometimes called housekeeping—a reminder that breakfast tomorrow is at 8:15 and the like.
    – Xanne
    May 3, 2021 at 23:03

4 Answers 4

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"Any Other Business" (AOB) comes at the end of a meeting's agenda and provides for discussion of matters which are less important than main agenda items. That's the theory.

In your example, to say "and now for the any other business" would be somewhat clunky, but that might introduce the "humoristic note"? Also, since AOB matters are not listed on the agenda, they can come as a surprise to some people... You can spend more time discussing AOB than all the main agenda items.

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Incidentals (plural noun): details or costs that relate to something, but which are comparatively unimportant

Derives from incidental (adjective): happening as a minor accompaniment to something else

[Sources]: Cambridge Dict.; Oxford Dict.

Incidentals is often used as an agenda item in financial or business meetings, to record money spent on meals, taxis, dry cleaning etc. You can include checking staples under this heading if it relates to a more significant agenda item.

Poor Jane is not only insulted by having her birthday included in an agenda item primarily used for minor financial matters.....there could be additional play on words, if the speaker is actually her father. If so, he would be directly responsible for the 'incident' placing her in the 'Incidentals'!

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In other news

This is more broadly just a switch to a different subject but it should work well in your situation.

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  The expression on a lighter note may convey the meaning you are referring to:

  • used when you are going to say something that is less serious than what you were talking about before.

(MacMillan Dictionar.)

  • On a lighter note, Jane's birthday is tomorrow, don't forget to stock the staplers....
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