After a lasagna showdown with her husband’s mother last Christmas, a woman is denying the request of her in-law to make her signature holiday dish again.
The woman explains on Reddit that last Christmas, her mother-in-law – who asked for the delicious dish – also made one herself and went on a tirade after her guests left hers untouched.
This year, since her son’s wife is refusing to bring her lasagna, the mother threatened to exclude her from the family party that she hosts every year. Keep reading to learn why there will be no yummy lasagna at this family’s 2023 Christmas dinner!
Clashing with her mother-in-law over lasagna at last year’s Christmas party, A 30-year-old woman shared her story online, hoping to get some advice from the Reddit community.
The original poster (OP) explains over the seven years she’s been with 31-year-old Michael (three years married), her mother-in-law (MIL), 58, has hosted Christmas.
The author goes onto share that she makes lasagna, which is highly demanded by family members, for Christmas and other special occasions.
Things got a little bit muddy last year at the annual family get together when the woman discovered that her husband’s mom decided to make a “pan of her own.”
The OP writes about the rival dish, “It did not taste good, and it was barely touched whilst mine had almost half gone near the end of the dinner.”
While may people would shrug it off as a kitchen fail, the OP says her MIL was “infuriated.”
“She wound up doing a rant about how everyone loves me more than her and tried to throw my lasagna in the trash. I say tried because it mainly ended up on the floor.”
Hoping to avoid further confrontation with her in-laws, the woman and her husband “quickly” left after the episode.
One year later, the woman still has not received an apology.
Reddit users were shocked over the mother’s behavior, saying she failed at trying to outdo her daughter-in-law and threw a tantrum in response.
“This woman wanted, for whatever reason, to upstage OP, went through the effort of trying to make OP’s signature dish, did a poor job of it, then proceeded to rampage with revenge and destroy OP’s leftovers.” Referencing that there hasn’t been an apology from the MIL, the user continues in the comment: “I’d be insisting that husband joins OP in whatever other Christmas celebrations she’d prefer to attend from now on. They can send a cheap frozen lasagna to MIL’s as their RSVP ‘no.’”
Cancelled from family Christmas
Deciding to give Christmas with the in-laws one more chance, the woman shared a recent update on what’s happening now.
In late November, the OP writes that her mother-in-law reached out and provided her with a list of what she wants her son and his wife to bring for the annual holiday feast.
On her list was lasagna.
“I politely said I wasn’t going to make lasagna due to last year’s incident and I’d be happy to make anything else,” she pens.
But things quickly spiralled out of control. “My MIL wasn’t as polite and called me vindictive for refusing to make the lasagna over a small mistake,” the OP writes. “I just refused again, and it made my MIL angrier so she told me that unless I show up with lasagna in hand, she wouldn’t let me be at the Christmas celebration.”
With the threat of being cancelled from the family Christmas dinner, the author explains that Michael is playing mediator, trying to persuade her into making peace by baking the lasagna.
“My husband says it’s easier to just make the lasagna to keep the peace, and I shouldn’t hold my MIL’s mistake that she made out of anger against her.” She then says that Michael’s mom has rallied her troops, who are saying “I should also make it even if it’s just half of what I would usually make.”
Begging for advice, the desperate woman asks the Reddit population what she can do.
“OP made the lasagna, so everything is fine, all is forgiven, and MIL can feel better without actually doing any emotional labor,” writes one online user, who adds: “OP should host her own holiday party on Christmas Eve, invite friends and relatives she likes and can trust…and enjoy a drama-free holiday this year.”
Another netizen offers: “Stay home for Christmas this year, it’s time to wean MIL off the holiday throne.”
Meanwhile, other cybernauts suggest her husband earn the peace he’s wanting by making the lasagna himself.
“Sounds like he just volunteered to make the lasagna!” writes one. A second shares, “Why is MiL telling her daughter-in-law to cook something for Christmas instead of her own son! Can he not cook?”
What would you do if you were in the same situation as the daughter-in-law? Please let us know what you think in the comments below and then share this story so we can hear what others have to say!
