Petty Holiday Vent thread 2022

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PSA: gift bags are part of the gift. It’s super rude to ask for them back and to sort gift bags according to giver at the end of gift opening so that you can take home the bags you brought gifts in.

You can pry the gift bag you gave me out of my cold, dead hands. Nope, not giving it back!

Right?? Dh’s aunt is the worst. She not only takes the bags we give her, but also the ones she brought. It’s just her so I don’t know why she needs so many bags! This year,I made a point of wrapping all but one of her gifts in paper.

[Anonymous]

We have two bathrooms. One each level. Each day, FIL has decided that his mid-day bowel bomb needs to be discharged in the bathroom on the main level which is off our bedroom, rather than the bathroom on the lower level which is in the guest bedroom and that they take over when they visit. House cleaner was just here and I had a clean house for about 20 minutes, until he comes in from the dog walk and proceeds to destroy the clean bathroom. I needed to bleach it (and the floor around it) down before toddler (and I) can use it. I can't wait for their departure tomorrow morning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have two bathrooms. One each level. Each day, FIL has decided that his mid-day bowel bomb needs to be discharged in the bathroom on the main level which is off our bedroom, rather than the bathroom on the lower level which is in the guest bedroom and that they take over when they visit. House cleaner was just here and I had a clean house for about 20 minutes, until he comes in from the dog walk and proceeds to destroy the clean bathroom. I needed to bleach it (and the floor around it) down before toddler (and I) can use it. I can't wait for their departure tomorrow morning.

Is he missing the toilet? I’m so confused why you have to bleach the floor.

[Anonymous]

I just opened a cabinet, overstuffed with spices, a jar fell out and chipped the corner of my favorite baking dish.

Context: Our renovation/addition plans are on hold (after doing the design and I couldn't wait for the glorious new kitchen. I hate our kitchen (small, non-functional, very old) with a passion, and I scratch cook all the time. The delay of 1-100 years is like trying to stuff a genie back in a bottle. Yes, I recognize this is a privileged problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I made Xmas breakfast for the family, and a full Xmas dinner.
Not a thank you from dh.
Not a “yum, that was good”
Not an offer to clean a plate or wipe a table.
I’m not saying I need a medal, but I feel like the help.
Hell, a paid chef would’ve probably gotten a thank you and compliments.
It makes me feel very sad to feel so unseen and unappreciated by my spouse.

My response to this would somewhat differ depending on whether you're SAHM or not. If you both work, his lack of appreciation and offer to help is appalling. If not, he should certainly extend appreciation but there might be an issue of expectations there (ie all domestic chores your domain) and you should simply use your words and ask for help with an out-of-the-ordinary burden he took for granted.

Yea, we both work.
And I make more money.

Dang, you need to go on strike!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My in laws insist every year on using 40 year old stretched out and threadbare Star Wars and Sesame Street sheets on the 24” tall air mattresses they bought for our kids and they always end up all bunched up by morning. We’ve tried buying them new sheets before we arrive and they always return them before we arrive. Last year we bought and pre-washed two sets of new sheets made for deep mattresses and brought them with us in a checked bag. We made the beds ourselves before my father in law had a chance to do it himself so they had to keep the sheets.

This year? The beds were pre-made with the Star Wars and Sesame Street sheets and the new sheets are nowhere to be found. WTAF???

Maybe the sheets need to “accidentally rip” due to their old age.

No, the crummy 40 year old ones need to accidentally go home in OP’s luggage.

Yes. This. They need to get stripped, get “accidentally” packed into the suitcase and then “accidentally” thrown in the trash when you get home. When the parents call and ask about the sheets, feign ignorance. “The Star Wars sheets? I have no idea. I’ll check our laundry again and let you know.”

[Anonymous]

Went to my MIL house. Was there for a day before my SIL told us that her son had the stomach flu just the day before. Her other son got it just the day after. I have an infant. My husband, my baby, and I all caught it and started symptoms as soon as we got home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My FIL is exactly like UNcle Colm from Derry Girls but without the accent. Just drones on and on about something that no one is remotely interested in. Did it today about paint colors that people have in their houses and colors that he has chosen, in his various homes, for various reasons, over the years . “Then we switched to Benjamin Moore Light Grey…. Or was it Everyday Grey? Actually come to think of it…. There wasn’t a Benjamin Moore paint supplier near us in that house. It’s possible it was a shade from Behr. They have many shades of grey as well that all seem quite similar at first glance”

I am not making this up, to the point where as I hit send I’m worried he is going to somehow stumble upon this website and recognize himself

Lol. This one's awesome. Does he have a wife?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My FIL is exactly like UNcle Colm from Derry Girls but without the accent. Just drones on and on about something that no one is remotely interested in. Did it today about paint colors that people have in their houses and colors that he has chosen, in his various homes, for various reasons, over the years . “Then we switched to Benjamin Moore Light Grey…. Or was it Everyday Grey? Actually come to think of it…. There wasn’t a Benjamin Moore paint supplier near us in that house. It’s possible it was a shade from Behr. They have many shades of grey as well that all seem quite similar at first glance”

I am not making this up, to the point where as I hit send I’m worried he is going to somehow stumble upon this website and recognize himself

Lol. This one's awesome. Does he have a wife?

I don’t know if he has a wife, but he definitely has a twin: my mother! 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re at my SIL’s. I’m a coffee addict and usually power up with several shots of espresso during the first couple hours of the morning. SIL has two options for coffee: (1) single-cup pour over, which takes 7 minutes start to finish for one measly cup at a time, or (2) a $900 espresso machine you need an engineering degree to operate. I feel like the Goldilocks of coffee.

I am hard pressed to understand your complaint, unless it is, "I am too dumb to operate a coffee machine."

Seriously, Google and/or YouTube are your friends.

Same with washer/dryer family. It’s not that hard.

Lord you know how to ruin fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally like my in laws, so here's my tiny petty complaint. My nephew is a picky eater who doesn't eat a lot and grazes instead of eating meals. When I host, I have plenty of breakfast food options--muffins, bagels, English muffins, etc. My nephew will ask for a bagel. My SIL will say "do you want half?" (Why does she even ask?) he immediately demands a whole bagel. She gives it to him. He takes 2 bites of it (not exaggerating). Then they leave it on the table for hours because "he might come back to it later" HE NEVER DOES. Repeat for the next meal. I wish she would just give him a quarter of it or half so someone else can eat the other half and it doesn't go to waste. They stay with us for a few days and so much food is wasted because this kid demands something whole, they give in, and he never finishes it.

So talk to her. Tell her to “please only give him half, and then whatever he wants if he finishes that, to avoid food waste. Also, I will be cleaning the kitchen about 20 minutes after we’re done eating—I want any uneaten food to be put in a container in the fridge, not left out.” Just talk to her.

I definitely have put away/thrown away his food and they just grab another bagel--more to waste. I asked once and she said "he'll eat more if he has more in front of him"...which obviously isn't true. I'll try again, but I'm not really feeling this battle.

From now on just have cornflakes as the only option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have two bathrooms. One each level. Each day, FIL has decided that his mid-day bowel bomb needs to be discharged in the bathroom on the main level which is off our bedroom, rather than the bathroom on the lower level which is in the guest bedroom and that they take over when they visit. House cleaner was just here and I had a clean house for about 20 minutes, until he comes in from the dog walk and proceeds to destroy the clean bathroom. I needed to bleach it (and the floor around it) down before toddler (and I) can use it. I can't wait for their departure tomorrow morning.

Is he missing the toilet? I’m so confused why you have to bleach the floor.

he pees all over. everywhere. and walks away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To accomodate early afternoon football game we went to a movie at 11a this morning. There is nothing in the house to eat for lunch and mom expects my teens (and husband) to wait until 4:30p to eat (she and my dad only eat two meals a day). No lunch. We stopped for take out on the way home from the movie. Now I'm getting the side eye from mom because I won't follow her plan. I told her she can serve dinner at 4:30p, but, now she is worried we won't eat enough and she'll have too much food left over. I can not deal with her old lady rigidity regarding food and meal times. Vent done.

This is what I come here to read. Legit.

I fought this battle with DW and the inlaws. Our infant, then toddler, then 3-6 year old normally ate three meals and snacks. When the inlaws are here, they want to eat at 5:30am for their breakfast, then starve themselves until happy hour, then dinner at 7. DW gives into this and I'm the one insisting on stopping for lunch (which then makes food issue FIL look at me like I'm a gluttonous fatso who must eat lunch). So fricking over this.

Ahhh my ILs are like this too. No lunch, then often a cheese board and crap tons of wine for dinner. For breakfast they each eat a bowl of Fiber One and half a banana. Sometimes at dinner they will make spaghetti noodles with jarred sauce poured over in a nod to the caloric needs of our children. If anyone goes in the kitchen after dinner, they are on red alert. At meals, MIL watches each serving we take and each bite. She pushes her food around before taking a bite about every 5 minutes during a meal. She brags about skipping meals, especially dinner. She is 5'2" and weighs 95 pounds. Other people's weight, especially extended family members, is a frequent topic. There is a greatest hits of weight related brags: left hospital when having DH same weight as when she got pregnant, shops in the kids section, can't find clothes small enough, why are all the clothes at Target so big. "That is just a big big woman" stated often about strangers, neighbors and family members. OK readers, hope these true stories are hitting the spot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have two bathrooms. One each level. Each day, FIL has decided that his mid-day bowel bomb needs to be discharged in the bathroom on the main level which is off our bedroom, rather than the bathroom on the lower level which is in the guest bedroom and that they take over when they visit. House cleaner was just here and I had a clean house for about 20 minutes, until he comes in from the dog walk and proceeds to destroy the clean bathroom. I needed to bleach it (and the floor around it) down before toddler (and I) can use it. I can't wait for their departure tomorrow morning.

Is he missing the toilet? I’m so confused why you have to bleach the floor.

he pees all over. everywhere. and walks away.

Well that’s… horrifying

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Petty vent. For 20 plus years SIL tries to one up us and any interest we or the kids have suddenly become her interests so she can compete. Last night we announced an important change we are making that requires a financial investment that we’ve been talking about for 20 years. It’s very specific. SIL’s response - OH. DH and I are going to do that too, just bigger and better. Then she spent the rest of the conversation talking about herself. All from a woman who has never worked a day in 20 years. Whatever.

I’m still trying to imagine making a big announcement to my family about a financial investment at Christmas.

His name is Clark Griswold