Sister-in-law served dinner after midnight last year, weren't invited back

So last year my wife's sister hosted the family Christmas dinner, and because of her terrible planning skills we waited more than 6 hours and then finally left to eat at Jack in the Box. This after not eating all day in anticipation of a big dinner. The year before she served dinner after 10pm. Nonetheless she found it extremely rude and I finally found out we had not been invited (my wife still insisted that we go).

I am now planning on hosting the dinner at our house and letting everyone know we'll start dinner at precisely 6pm. This will probably start a war if anyone comes to our dinner instead... my wife says wait 'til next year and send out invitations earlier but I feel like her sister is the one who started this by being a bad hostess and then not inviting us.

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65% Normal
Based on 17 votes (11 yes)
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Comments ( 10 )
  • SwickDinging

    It's a bit rude to only just now say you're hosting a Xmas dinner when she's already said she will, it's so close to the day. Even if you don't care about being rude to your s-i-l, think of the awkward position you're putting the whole family in. They will have to choose which dinner to attend and the family is divided on xmas. People will think of you as the person who caused that.

    Your wife is right, if you want take over the Xmas dinner you should wait until next year and send out invitations early on. Maybe even let s-i-l know you're planning on doing this before you send the invites. She may be upset but at least this way you aren't going to look like you're splitting up the family.

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  • Enword

    Give her hell, son! Show her that you're better host!

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  • Nicole20

    Just make a whole bunch of hors d'oeuvres and munch throughout the day. That's what most people do at Christmas gatherings.

    I find it hard to believe there was nothing at all to eat and you HAD to go for fast food.

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    • leggs91200

      "I find it hard to believe there was nothing at all to eat and you HAD to go for fast food."

      I do not find it hard to believe. It sounds like something that would happen at one of my family gatherings. In fact, for Thanksgiving we were supposed to go out for dinner but that got called off.

      Some families really suck at holiday planning.

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  • Columbusbiguy

    Take food with you. Then at your normal eating time, sit down and have some dinner. When she finally does get around to serving dinner, join the family and enjoy light conversation.

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  • Boojum

    🤣😁🤣

    In Britain, Christmas dinner is usually eaten in the early afternoon. Maybe you should suggest to your s-i-l that she start a new family tradition. That way, you might get something to eat before the middle of the night.

    Families - especially families you join by marriage - can be a pain in the backside, but most of us have to deal with them. If you know what she's like and you really can't go without eating for more than six hours, why don't you find an excuse to leave the house, get something to eat to tide you over, and then return. If her cooking skills are as poor as her planning, you probably don't want to eat much anyway.

    Your wife is right: five days before Christmas is much too late to put out invitations, and it's pretty vindictive. Your s-i-l may be crap at working out the timings for a complicated meal, but I assume she will have bought the ingredients by now.

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    • SwickDinging

      Yup. 3pm is the ideal time for Xmas dinner - early enough to soak up the all day Xmas boozing, and you get to eat delicious leftover later on :)

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  • sissycakes

    people can always go to more than one dinner. in fact i would love to. more food. more presents. more fun.

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  • donteatstuffoffthesidewalk

    show up at the sister in laws about 8 or 9 with a shitloada fast food and once dinner is eventually served nobodys gonna be hungry

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  • BlindSpot

    I don't celebrate Christmas, but I understand that for any event, being punctual with serving of meals, is paramount. Since you were not invited, she is the one who started this war. You have your own dinner. Your day should not be spoilt every year because of her.

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