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Why does everyone think it's okay to bring a plus-one to Christmas dinner without asking first?
I noticed at my family's holiday party last December that my cousin Sarah showed up with her new boyfriend and his two kids. Nobody had a clue they were coming. We planned for 12 people and ended up with 16, which meant two people had to eat off paper plates on the couch. It happens almost every year with different relatives just assuming it's fine to add extra people. My aunt ended up short on food and had to make a last-minute run to the grocery store at 6pm on Christmas Eve. Has anyone else dealt with someone randomly bringing extra guests to a family dinner?
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mila_perry137d ago
Yeah, the whole "two people eating off paper plates on the couch" thing hit close to home. I once showed up to my aunt's house with my new roommate's dog because she said "bring whoever" and I took it way too literally. I was that person one time and I still cringe thinking about how my aunt had to microwave extra frozen pizza rolls for the dog while the rest of us just stared at each other. Since then I always text ahead and double check, even for stuff like cousins I've known for years. It's just one of those things you learn the hard way, I guess.
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david_rivera47d ago
And like @mila_perry13 said, you never really know what "bring whoever" means until you've been burned by it. I had a buddy who told me to swing by his BBQ, said "the more the merrier," so I brought my cousin who was visiting from out of town. Turns out his girlfriend's mom was there and she was super religious, like no drinking no swearing type, and my cousin showed up with a twelve pack and started telling stories about his ex. We were both asked to leave after like 20 minutes. I still don't know if he was mad about the beer or the stories but I learned to always ask who else is coming before I show up with anyone.
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