so every year around xmas when h's aunt is in town from boston the women in the family go out to dinner for a "(last name) ladies' dinner". there are seven of us who go every year. it's fun and i was excited to start being invited when we got engaged. every year we were going to an olive garden close to MIL's house. two years ago i open my big fat mouth and mention that it's far for three people to come (not me) and that we should meet somewhere in the middle the next year (which would have been last year).
fast forward to last year and one cousin now has a baby. at the last minute i get sick and i decide not to go so as not to infect the baby. the problem is, MIL, aunt and SIL don't drive so they were counting on me to drive to this new spot half way between everyone.
so fast forward to this year and MIL starts bitching about the dinner. i don't understand why. turns out they didn't tell me because they didn't want me to feel bad but last year they had to switch the venue back to closer to MIL because of the driving situation and there was major drama surrounding that. apparently CIL refused to go to the restaurant where we usually go because she doesn't like the area (she doesn't think it's safe and didn't want to bring her baby there - honestly, i don't get that). MIL and SIL were insulted because apparently both cousins make cracks about the area they live in. so now SIL is not going to go this year and MIL doesn't want to go and is hoping it's not mentioned. it's sad because it was a fun tradition!
Re: and more family drama...
it wouldn't be a holiday without family drama here. we do it to ourselves really....making my dad and mom hang out together (divorced for 20 years). this year, my mom sat on the couch and cried for 45 minutes. i really think she wasn't getting enough attention and just needed someone to make her special for a minute. i mean...seriously. she's a child.
i probably confused you mentioning the CR town. the cousins live there, so it's not really relevant, that's just where they are traveling from. the restaurant and where MIL and SIL lives is in the county with the bad reputation.
Yah I'm quite sure the CIL meant just the restaurant and wasn't implying that MIL or SIL live in a bad area and to be honest it's truly only fair that everyone meets half way if 3 of the folks are always driving further especially since that's about half who come.
I don't see why that's such a big deal..I mean last year was a fluke with you getting sick and MIL and SIL making an issue out of driving without you.
Honestly if your SIL and MIL don't want to go I'd go without them...I'd of course mention it to them (if CIL mentions it to you) and say you're planning on going to keep the tradition alive and will drive them...but if they want to be sourpusses well let them be haha
Oh that stinks!I hope that the tradition can stay despite the drama.
My family doesn't have any traditions like that, between 8 my siblings there are 5 parents, so holidays are hectic enough and my MIL is from Switzerland so she doesn't really do traditional American holidays. My side of the family is trying to make more of an effort to get together at the holidays now that we're adults but throwing kids and in-laws into the bunch gets crazy.