My husband’s sister and brother and their families celebrated all the holidays at our place for five years. I cooked, served, looked after, and cleaned up afterward. They just celebrated. But last year my patience came to an end, and I had a riot. It’s just all hard for me physically, mentally, and financially, because the amount spent on groceries was very decent.
And for a year now, I have been trying to get them out of my neck of the woods and distribute the responsibilities among everyone. But recently my mother-in-law tried to press the point that they are not young anymore and time is not easy, so she wants to celebrate the New Year together again. So I called my spouse’s brother and sister and told them that Mom wanted us to celebrate New Year’s together. At first they perked up and said we should listen to Mom and they were for it.
Then I told them that we should divide up the dishes among all of us, who cooks and brings what.
I am ready to provide dishes, cook two hot dishes, bake a cake and get pickles, cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, lecho and more canned compote. So everything we have in the cellar.
And they have to prepare two salads, fish, meat, cheese, sandwiches of their choice, fruit, and drinks. Let them each bring something to drink.
When I listed them all, the liveliness in my voice immediately disappeared. They said they didn’t have time to cook, they were working, and that it was necessary to buy everything first and then cook it afterwards. And what’s more, they see no point in bringing food to us, since it will be at home, they will celebrate at their place.
To this I asked them, what about Mom? And guess what they told me … We will congratulate her on the phone and that’s it. So they do not want to distribute the work and the material part. Only to all ready with pleasure. I haven’t told my mother-in-law about it yet. And I don’t even know how to tell her. She will be very upset.
And that’s why I need all this trouble? Her kids are self-effacing, and I have to deal with everything again. And I can’t do that to my mother-in-law. I mean, she’s my husband’s mother. And we don’t know what awaits us in our old age.
How to be in this situation? Maybe someone can advise me.
