Are we ready for the Thanksgiving Vent thread?

[Anonymous]

The most self-absorbed member of my family (there's competition, but I think everyone except this person's parents would agree) announced a pregnancy. The good news is that the parents-to-be are thrilled. The bad news is ::gestures at the egotist::

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Way to start off your holiday with positive intent!

Move along to a different post then, sweetie.

This. I live for these posts. My in laws were so awful, I had so many stories. No I just get to enjoy everyone else's pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The most self-absorbed member of my family (there's competition, but I think everyone except this person's parents would agree) announced a pregnancy. The good news is that the parents-to-be are thrilled. The bad news is ::gestures at the egotist::

I can’t follow this…
The egotist announced someone else’s pregnancy and wanted to make it about herself?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I have to hear my FIL recount his senior league softball heroics for the 300th time, I'm gonna scream.

Aw, now that sounds sweet!

Nothing for the 300th time is sweet.

For her it is. She taking maximum load valium.

[Anonymous]

First year in 40 years I did not have to worry about my mother or my sister ruining Thanksgiving.

My mother died a few months ago. My sister now blames me for her hating my mother for the last 40 years.

Bye.... Not my problem any more. YAY

[Anonymous]

We've spent most of the past decade alone on Thanksgiving after my parents died, my siblings won't visit, and my ILs were too infirm to travel (also not US-born, so not particularly into the holiday.) This time around we had a guest, a significant other of my college kid. I've been kind of a wreck about this and made WAY too much food. Two stuffings, four vegetables, sweet potato and mashed potato, deconstructed turkey, the list goes on. Kind of insane. I forgot to serve the gravy and the cranberry sauce. The three different breads and rolls went untouched. The SO has been a lovely guest and we had a really nice conversation over dinner.

Not really a complaint here, I love this thread because being frustrated with your extended family is half the fun of a proper holiday. Enjoy every minute including the annoyances - I know it probably doesn't seem this way, but it's a billion times better than being lonely!

[Anonymous]

I'm ready to just be done with my ILs. I think DH is getting there too. I keep finding myself imagining a quiet holiday at home in our own home with just our family and any friends who wanted to come. No fighting, no giant communication issues, no sullen silences from grown men.

For years Thanksgiving has been something I just kind of grit my teeth through but I just... don't want to anymore? Why am I spending time with these people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t care that I’ve already posted about this. I hate the centerpiece my MIL brought. It doesn’t fit the table, and it’s ugly as sin: orange lilies, brown and orange mums, two big orange candles. Bleh, it’s hideous.

You have my permission to dismantle it. Tell her you like it so much you're going to spread it around. I hate mums so those get chucked. Everything else gets reassambled into a few reasonable bouquets with greenery or ivy from outside, and candles go into a lantern or somewhere you don't have to look at them. I hate orange too.

OP here. It’s too big for the table, with some of the petals and leaves overhanging onto the plates set at the very center of the table. I just assigned DD the task of making place cards, and told her to put Grandma here and Grandpa here, so they’ll get the Foliage Seats.

Foliage seats would become a long term family joke in our household. I love it.

Mine too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an improvement this year - my MIL used to always comment on weight but this year she said "you look younger, what have you done?" and I was like "oh maybe this new moisturizer I've been using".

Readers, I lost 30lbs.

I love this. It took me until now to realize the fun game of responding with some inane reply. “What’s the secret ingredient to this delicious dish? Oh, maybe the new salt I picked up.”
Certainly not the incredibly tedious sauce made from scratch with bone marrow and truffles….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a huge thing, but I've had major medical issues this year. I’m starting to feel better, but I have strong food aversions as a side effect of meds. I normally cook Thanksgiving dinner and love it, bur this year im ki d of just offering my recipes ans small amounts of help.

The only thing I was looking forward to and feel I could stomach is pumpkin pie which my niece baked yesterday. The first one she baked came out weird (seems likely she left out an ingredient). DH went out to get ingredients again last night, and she baked it again
I was exhausted so went to sleep while it baked. This morning I discovered they had left it out on the counter...there is no way with my health issues I can risk eating it...but everyone else seems fine, and the oven is needed for other things today

Pumpkin pie is not refrigerated in bakeries or at my house. It’s fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, YOUR DAUGHTER SURE LIKES TO SLEEP!
GRANDDAUGHTER SUREEEEEE LIKES TO SLEEP!
I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ALL SLEEP SO LATE!
GOOD MORNING, SLEEPYHEAD!
WOW, THERE SHE IS!

This nonsense goes on from 6 a.m. forward.

Same. We are not in that person's house today, but we hear this all the time when we are.

I'm adding this to my list of things never to say.

My dad used to say "She lives!" when I'd get up at like 9am on a holiday. So grating. I will never understand people who are resentful that someone is getting rest. Unless there are chores to be done and someone has an obligation or commitment to do them early, why do you care?

I think you’re missing your Dad’s dry sense of humor. I’m sure he’s kidding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MIL always tries to act like the hostess in my home when she only brings one small dish.

She was telling people what order to start going through and making plates and said “Jane, you’re next.” And I said, “No, Carla, you are next and I am going last because as the hostess in my home, I like to do a last check around and make sure everything is the way I want it.”

And then, off her grumpy look, I said, “Also, I moved your water and wine glass to your seat; I sit opposite Jason.”

She domineers in a thousand little ways, but I stand up for myself when it matters to me.

Your guests know it’s your house, so?

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why I love this thread so much. My family is fine. Sure there’s always so weirdness and that one family member who talks WAY too much but whatever.

But I genuinely love this thread. So fascinating. My dad loves to do the “good afternoon” thing but it doesn’t bother me that much. Funny to hear it’s so common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WOW, YOUR DAUGHTER SURE LIKES TO SLEEP!
GRANDDAUGHTER SUREEEEEE LIKES TO SLEEP!
I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ALL SLEEP SO LATE!
GOOD MORNING, SLEEPYHEAD!
WOW, THERE SHE IS!

This nonsense goes on from 6 a.m. forward.

Same. We are not in that person's house today, but we hear this all the time when we are.

I'm adding this to my list of things never to say.

My dad used to say "She lives!" when I'd get up at like 9am on a holiday. So grating. I will never understand people who are resentful that someone is getting rest. Unless there are chores to be done and someone has an obligation or commitment to do them early, why do you care?

I think you’re missing your Dad’s dry sense of humor. I’m sure he’s kidding.

No one is confused as to whether or not he's kidding. Jokes get old. 9am is not an unreasonable time to get up on a holiday if you don't have young children.

[Anonymous]

The savory course was delicious.

The 3 pies were terrible each in their own way, which is fine, because by that time we were stuffed and OK with failed desserts

Also, we have a Friendsgiving. Our relatives are abroad, and to be honest, I prefer it that way.