Commas in a Series

Is this comma necessary?

When my family visits, we go to the movies, eat at fancy restaurants, and stay up late at night.

Goodman, I must disagree. The "serial comma," as it's called, it a matter of style. Our house style where I work is to use it.  Either is okay, as long as it's used consistently the same way in all instances. At least within the same document. I greatly prefer it. The proofreader in me wants to add it whenever I see it "missing."

Grammar Geek wrote:

Goodman, I must disagree. The "serial comma," as it's called, it a matter of style. Our house style where I work is to use it.  Either is okay, as long as it's used consistently the same way in all instances. At least within the same document. I greatly prefer it. The proofreader in me wants to add it whenever I see it "missing."

Barb,

Your disagreement is gracefully accepted. I guess now my question is, is it grammatically wrong not to use serial comma?  After doing some research on the internet, I agree in some cases, serial comma does help eliminated confusions.  My job evolves around technical and instructional writing.  For as long as I know serial comma is not a common practice in service manuals and technical write-ups.  There is a possibility I’d misunderstood the use or been taught wrong in the past.  Noetheless, I learned something here.   Thanks for disagreeing!

I am almost embarrassed to say I don’t believe such a person exists in my company which I’ve worked for 13 years.  My writing style ( if there is any) is straightly learned and developed in a technical environment.  I am not sure what your company does, but if I were to tell you I was told by my manager that  I was the best procedure and spec writer among a group of 18 engineers, you must think I am kidding.  No I am not.  In semiconductor manufacturing which is the field I am in, Proper English does not seems to be a criteria.  When you said “style guide”, I must admit, I never knew such a position exist.  Out of curiosity, are you in the publishing business?