Tricks and Tips - Holiday Survival Edition

[PepperPottsJ]

So....  I look forward to spending Thanksgiving with my MIL about as much as I look forward to doing my taxes.  Share with me your favorite stories (aka nightmares), tips and tricks to survive the Holidays with your loving family.

[rooskie]

I get to make the meal at my inlaws house so we will be there all day long. I usually prep the turkey and go hide with the Black Friday ads or bring over knitting.

Luckily for me my MIL is legally blind so I can get away with eye rolls. However FIL needs a hearing aid and is the worst person to watch sports with, so I might bring over ear plugs.

We were over there 4 hours Sunday and I was so happy to be in my quiet car when we left.

Also, we will be packing the battery backup for our phones and the iPad.

[ohinvrtedworld]

My holidays have often been plagued with pregnancy announcements, but I think I'm in the clear this year! Phew. Well, hopefully.

I simply plan on alcohol, and plan on joining the sports room with the guys when talk inevitably turns amongst my many SILs about babies and kids for hours on end.

Some of my ILs voted for Trump because of supreme court reasons, some vehemently despise him (including me!), and while I'm pretty sure none of them are silly enough to bring up politics on a holiday, I guess you never know. That would be the time probably to go "shopping" lol.

[billyhorrible]

This is the first time I am ever spending Thanksgiving with my MIL. My plan is lots and lots of alcohol.

[icedtea]

Booze. So much booze. It's the only way to survive my family's holidays. Thanksgiving is fine, and Christmas day, but Christmas Eve is forever a shitshow.

We're staying south this year, so it is irrelevant, but yes. Booze. Also, have a buddy. Never leave your buddy.

[butlerfan]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha


Ok....I think I have clogged up the randoms with the fact my In-laws are in town this week and what not.

How I survive....minimize time with them and drink. And complain on here

[butlerfan]

And Christmas is with my side so no issues there. My mom may get mad at my dad but I grew up on that and can deal with that.

[butlerfan]

And they are staying at her parents Thursday night and heading out Friday morning. We are starting the turkey at our place and then going over to aunt and uncles later on for Thanksgiving so that will help.

[ironbaby]

PepperPottsJ, you give me lyfe.

I cope, quite seriously, by starting my day with a Turkey Trot with 20+ of my closest friends, mimosas, and coffee. It sets the tone.

Luckily, I adore my and MH's families, but the overwhelming crowd gets to be a bit much (30+ people).

[lilsneezy]

[thechickencoop]

Nov 22, 2016 11:43:05 GMT -5 rooskie said:

I get to make the meal at my inlaws house so we will be there all day long. I usually prep the turkey and go hide with the Black Friday ads or bring over knitting.

Luckily for me my MIL is legally blind so I can get away with eye rolls. However FIL needs a hearing aid and is the worst person to watch sports with, so I might bring over ear plugs.

We were over there 4 hours Sunday and I was so happy to be in my quiet car when we left.

Also, we will be packing the battery backup for our phones and the iPad.

I am so, so sorry and clearly an awful person but this seems like it would lead to a hilarious situation.

[thechickencoop]

Thanksgiving is with some of my family; they're fine, no pregnants (including me so I will be doing all.the.drinking). ::shrug::

Looking forward to a long nice weekend and some town festivities Saturday.

[thechickencoop]

PepperPottsJ I'm pretty sure the answer is alcohol for tips and tricks.

[rooskie]

Nov 22, 2016 22:48:00 GMT -5 thechickencoop said:

Nov 22, 2016 11:43:05 GMT -5 rooskie said:

I get to make the meal at my inlaws house so we will be there all day long. I usually prep the turkey and go hide with the Black Friday ads or bring over knitting.

Luckily for me my MIL is legally blind so I can get away with eye rolls. However FIL needs a hearing aid and is the worst person to watch sports with, so I might bring over ear plugs.

We were over there 4 hours Sunday and I was so happy to be in my quiet car when we left.

Also, we will be packing the battery backup for our phones and the iPad.

I am so, so sorry and clearly an awful person but this seems like it would lead to a hilarious situation.

It's weird. She says she can't see anything and light hurts her eyes, but then she will talk about what she sees on tv so we don't know how blind she really is.

She does lose their dog in the house pretty often.

[Deleted]

We're not going home for Thanksgiving, but when we do wine is a big part of safely navigating any drama.
MIL's sister's house is the only one where we sometimes get drama, but luckily the gathering is so huge that it rarely involves me. I hide in the kitchen with the cousins I'm closest to and just wait out the crazy.

[icedtea]

lilsneezy, dying at that meme.

[RajahMD]

Alcohol. That's pretty much it.

And if anyone asks about kids, I've already told my husband that I'm not holding back. And if that means that the floodgates get opened, well then, they asked for it.

[lilsneezy]

Nov 23, 2016 10:19:02 GMT -5 icedtea said:

lilsneezy, dying at that meme.

I Evil Kermit

[wannabmama]

MH's family doesn't drink much so I have to survive all on my own...and a brand new baby and two trump supporters (at least) will be there. Ugh.
BUT I do get to go to a friend's later for alll the booze.
Did I mention it will be CD1 or 2...and if it's 2 I get to wake up to drive an hour and a half to get blood work and u/s and then come home and stab myself?
Yeah...Thanksgiving rocks this year.

[icedtea]

wannabmama, if there was ever a time for a flask...

[wannabmama]

Nov 23, 2016 13:25:46 GMT -5 icedtea said:

wannabmama, if there was ever a time for a flask...

I literally just saw all these nips we had from skiing last year...I think a couple might jump into my purse.

[ohinvrtedworld]

Nov 23, 2016 13:30:10 GMT -5 wannabmama said:

Nov 23, 2016 13:25:46 GMT -5 icedtea said:

wannabmama, if there was ever a time for a flask...

I literally just saw all these nips we had from skiing last year...I think a couple might jump into my purse.

Seriously. Hide all the mini bottles in your bag.

[icedtea]

Ooh I like @samrs22's addition of Dunkin.

[wannabmama]

Nov 23, 2016 14:40:43 GMT -5 @samrs22 said:

wannabmama that sucks. I highly suggest getting dunkins and and put in 2 nips of baileys and two nips of whiskey to start drinking when you arrive.

I knew I liked you.

[wannabmama]

Nov 23, 2016 18:57:51 GMT -5 @samrs22 said:

Nov 23, 2016 18:45:47 GMT -5 wannabmama said:

I knew I liked you.

I'm fun to drink with too. Are your inlaws close to me?

Sadly not close enough...but we should find a time to throw back a few soon

[PepperPottsJ]

Nov 22, 2016 22:50:24 GMT -5 thechickencoop said:

PepperPottsJ I'm pretty sure the answer is alcohol for tips and tricks.

I was really hoping someone would break out a poison or food poisoning story