This is the most bat shit crazy thread I've ever read.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I started to read all of the thread, but ran out of time. Can someone please tell me why they are told to arrive later than others? I understand that is why the food is gone. I just don't understand why they are told to arrive late. Thanks in advance.

OP was never very clear about this. IDK

It is never stated. No one knows, except MIL. Which is why it was never stated.

Anonymous wrote:I started to read all of the thread, but ran out of time. Can someone please tell me why they are told to arrive later than others? I understand that is why the food is gone. I just don't understand why they are told to arrive late. Thanks in advance.

OP was never very clear about this. IDK

Anonymous wrote:I started to read all of the thread, but ran out of time. Can someone please tell me why they are told to arrive later than others? I understand that is why the food is gone. I just don't understand why they are told to arrive late. Thanks in advance.

No, OP is told to arrive at a certain time and she does, trying to be punctual. My guess is that the rest of the family apparently is invited to come and help cook or set up and so they arrive early. Since OP and family travel a few hours to get there, my guess is that the rest of the family is local and OP's branch of the family is a distance away, so the local family is invited earlier to come and help cook and set up and OP is given the "dinner time." The local family come early, help set up, then eat when they want, which is before the official dinner time and so food is gone when OP arrives.

OP should leave a little earlier, get there earlier than the advertised dinner time and blame it on "wanting to leave extra time in case of traffic," and should plan on bringing something that her family will eat as a contribution so that if the food is gone, then there will be enough for her nuclear family to eat when they get there. It sounds like there won't be an issue with too much food even if she brings a substantial contribution.

I started to read all of the thread, but ran out of time. Can someone please tell me why they are told to arrive later than others? I understand that is why the food is gone. I just don't understand why they are told to arrive late. Thanks in advance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People the entire story is MADE UP! Except for McDonalds, that is a real restaurant.

Nope.

There's no such thing as McDonald's????!!!

Anonymous wrote:Not the OP, but why do people think this story is made up?

My family behaves in a very similar way, and my Mom would have been soooo happy if none of us had every gotten married and she could control us until she died.

Glad OP and her SIL made some changes that worked this year.

+1

This MIL absolutely has control issues.

Not the OP, but why do people think this story is made up?

My family behaves in a very similar way, and my Mom would have been soooo happy if none of us had every gotten married and she could control us until she died.

Glad OP and her SIL made some changes that worked this year.

Anonymous wrote:People the entire story is MADE UP! Except for McDonalds, that is a real restaurant.

Nope.

People the entire story is MADE UP! Except for McDonalds, that is a real restaurant.

Anonymous wrote:Apparently, the husband has unmarried brothers in their 50s, so that would make the MIL most likely in her 70s.

OP- how old are you and your husband? Is he the youngest in the family?

If that is the same mother of DH as it is of the brothers.

Apparently, the husband has unmarried brothers in their 50s, so that would make the MIL most likely in her 70s.

OP- how old are you and your husband? Is he the youngest in the family?

10:02 - you are trying to scrutinize something that may or may not exist. Give it a rest.

Who said the MIL was in her 70's? Why are you making up facts that are not there?

Who are you trying to corner? Again, give it a rest.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it wrong that when reading this thread title, I thought first of the McDonalds former governor who surely is having a different Christmas this year than last?

Ok that was wrong. I don't wish I'll will on the McDonald family.

The governor of McDonald's? I don't understand. Do you mean the CEO of McDonald's?

Pretty sure they're thinking of the McDonnells.

MIL's weak attempt to derail: FAIL.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it wrong that when reading this thread title, I thought first of the McDonalds former governor who surely is having a different Christmas this year than last?

Ok that was wrong. I don't wish I'll will on the McDonald family.

The governor of McDonald's? I don't understand. Do you mean the CEO of McDonald's?

Pretty sure they're thinking of the McDonnells.