Go ahead and vent about your in-laws here!

[Anonymous]

My FIL just called not to wish my husband a happy thanksgiving but to demand we buy his car for an absurd price (a 15 year old car for $20K) so he can buy a new fully loaded one. We haven't seen the man in years, he's never visited... humm... no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

For those raised in a barn, there is always a host and a hostess seat at an oval or rectangular table.

The hostess chair is the end chair closest to the kitchen, so that the hostess may easily get up to get things to pass around, etc. The host chair is opposite from the hostess, on the end so that he has elbow room to carve, pass, etc.

[Anonymous]

Thanksgiving at my in-laws starts at 7pm. Dinner is served around 10pm. UGH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

For those raised in a barn, there is always a host and a hostess seat at an oval or rectangular table.

The hostess chair is the end chair closest to the kitchen, so that the hostess may easily get up to get things to pass around, etc. The host chair is opposite from the hostess, on the end so that he has elbow room to carve, pass, etc.

Thanks Captain Obvious. Another rule is thst a hostess is ALWAYS polite and would never embarrass someone by issuing orders about where to sit. I know people here use etiquette rules to be rude jerks, but that goes against the very point of these rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still want to know what indigenous people’s food is.

I’m not doing anything crazy. Still having turkey, but cooking it on the grill with chiles. Mashed squash instead of potatoes. Stuffing made from homemade cornbread. I was going to do authentic indigenous food- the area we live in has Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo populations- but toned it down for my ILs. I’m not a fan of thanksgiving in general because of what it represents and thought this was a nice compromise.

Next year the plan is to make good using only native foods I’ve grown, foraged, or hunted myself

You sound insufferable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

For those raised in a barn, there is always a host and a hostess seat at an oval or rectangular table.

The hostess chair is the end chair closest to the kitchen, so that the hostess may easily get up to get things to pass around, etc. The host chair is opposite from the hostess, on the end so that he has elbow room to carve, pass, etc.

Is it 1950? Husband must sit in the corner carving while the wife runs in and out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanksgiving at my in-laws starts at 7pm. Dinner is served around 10pm. UGH

Seriously? What time does dinner end, 1 am?

[Anonymous]

Dad, I love you, but stop hovering in the kitchen! Stop talk about it and Go take that shower you said you were going to take 40 minutes ago!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

For those raised in a barn, there is always a host and a hostess seat at an oval or rectangular table.

The hostess chair is the end chair closest to the kitchen, so that the hostess may easily get up to get things to pass around, etc. The host chair is opposite from the hostess, on the end so that he has elbow room to carve, pass, etc.

Is it 1950? Husband must sit in the corner carving while the wife runs in and out?

We don't eat formally often, but when we do, this is where we sit. I do find it useful to be closest to the kitchen, and to be in a position to help facilitiate conversation among those who might not know each other well. Form and function sometimes do go hand in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still want to know what indigenous people’s food is.

I’m not doing anything crazy. Still having turkey, but cooking it on the grill with chiles. Mashed squash instead of potatoes. Stuffing made from homemade cornbread. I was going to do authentic indigenous food- the area we live in has Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo populations- but toned it down for my ILs. I’m not a fan of thanksgiving in general because of what it represents and thought this was a nice compromise.

Next year the plan is to make good using only native foods I’ve grown, foraged, or hunted myself

You sound insufferable.

No, this is genius. Next year I'll be like we're having indigenous squirrel and wild onions with a side of mushrooms. Voila! No one will come and I won't have to cook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I came on to start a petty vent thread. WHY OH WHY does my mother in law keep boxed pasta in the fridge? Even the unopened boxes. We're talking Mueller, Barilla

DH’s exwife does too. Is your MIL from a tropical country? They may be trying to protect it from humidity

[Anonymous]

FIL licks his fingers before doing, seemingly, anything. No, FIL, I don't want your "help" with any form of food prep of any kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL always acts like she's the hostess even when she's just a guest. Especially at my house.

"Tim, there's coffee." (Yes, coffee I made, in my home, and Tim has two eyes and a nose and can already tell that there is coffee.)

"Everyone, go to the table and we'll say the prayer." (Actually, my husband is trying to round people up to the living room and has a plan of something that will make everyone more comfortable--not everyone in our family/friend group is of the same religion/or believes in a higher power.)

"Let's start cutting the pies" (actually, we prefer to wait at least an hour to get a head start on the dishes and give people a little time to digest and get ready for the dessert phase)

DH finally a few years ago asked her to move out of my seat at the end of the table. She always sat opposite him until finally he said, "Mom, that's Anna's seat."

I told my own mother that if she sat my BIL at the head of the table in my house again, she would be celebrating on the front porch alone. My husband sits at the head of the table in my house. I sit at the other end or my father does.

Who cares where everyone sits? No wonder some of you cannot get along with your family.

I don’t care where people sit, but it’s so tiresome to listen to people negotiate for 10 minutes. Place cards all the way!!

For those raised in a barn, there is always a host and a hostess seat at an oval or rectangular table.

The hostess chair is the end chair closest to the kitchen, so that the hostess may easily get up to get things to pass around, etc. The host chair is opposite from the hostess, on the end so that he has elbow room to carve, pass, etc.

Is it 1950? Husband must sit in the corner carving while the wife runs in and out?

We don't eat formally often, but when we do, this is where we sit. I do find it useful to be closest to the kitchen, and to be in a position to help facilitiate conversation among those who might not know each other well. Form and function sometimes do go hand in hand.

It’s great if it works for you, but a lot of these etiquette rules are dated. And we don’t usually have people at Thanksgiving dinner who don’t know each other well. I will take the seat furthest from my MIL, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I came on to start a petty vent thread. WHY OH WHY does my mother in law keep boxed pasta in the fridge? Even the unopened boxes. We're talking Mueller, Barilla

DH’s exwife does too. Is your MIL from a tropical country? They may be trying to protect it from humidity

If by tropical you mean rural Georgia... then yes.