to think the novelty has worn off after 3 hours

[pinkginandtonic]

Went to brother and sister in laws today for an early Christmas get together. We have just got home.

Had a lovely lunch, a few glasses of wine etc. All good fun and a bit of a laugh.

Then they get out the giant party poppers and before long the meal has descended into a riot with food, napkins etc being thrown across the table.

Now, I find this all quite fun and amusing but this literally goes on for 3 hours. No real conversation just constant throwing of food at one another. I know they all think I am really boring but I just find it very dull and childish for so long.

The brother and sister in law are in their 50's.

Every "do" that involves them always ends up the same way - in the summer the water pistol super soakers come out and that also goes on for 3 hours too.

It's not just at their house but at mine or at parents-in-law.

I have come home feeling like I must be a right old misery, but am I?

I would hate it. The only time I allow supersokers is in the sea. No throwing food in my house. I am obviously very very boring but at least sane.

ETA people who describe themselves as ‘mad’ are rarely so. The same with people who describe themselves as ‘with it’. Again is never the case.

Like a previous poster I’d have assumed your in laws were minted, public school rich kids who work in one of Daddy’s businesses when not going on numerous holidays. Basically the type who doesn’t have to ever worry about finding the money to pay for their ‘help’ let alone clean up after themselves!

• don’t NOT doesn’t !

Can't you just not invite them round, or just give dry, boring food that won't make a mess?

They sound gross. Immature, inconsiderate and disgusting. Can you just not go to these "dos"?

Ah, it takes me back to when I used to work in a large office and our Xmas meals always ended up with the occassional bit of bread roll, party poppers, wrapping paper and xmas crackers being chucked about. Wet food was a no no though, we weren't barbarians. It was good fun, but it wasn't constantly for 3 hours, and there was plenty of chat at the same time.

My family enjoy wrapping paper fights at Christmas (ten points if you miss your target and get it in the fire instead) and water fights in the summer (beware the person with the hose). We have a laugh
Sounds like fun to me wictional

Take a dozen eggs. Fire them at everyone. Leave.

Why do you keep going ?Be busy.Very very busy

I pride myself on how immature I still am, my children are more mature than me, but still, this just sounds dull as fuckety!

They sound like they are trying WAYYYYYYYYYYY too hard to LOOK like they are having fun! lol, and succeeding in doing just the opposite!
I usually end up on the kids table at family get togethers because I get bored of the adult talk lol, plus I like making the kids laugh, but really, this sounds awful. YANBU.

I couldn't cope with this and contact would be limited from hereon in.

I like a get-together, being merry pissed as a fart, lots of laughs and a few party games etc... But throwing food like a pack of rowdy chimps for 3 fucking hours would leave me in a really foul mood. I would have left well before 3 hours of such distasteful behaviour. If DH then described me as a bore/prim & proper etc he'd get both barrels and he'd be getting the silent treatment for a few days.

I like fun, we don't need to always live life so seriously all the time. But throwing food and general shit around is just... not normal! (for want of a better word).

It seems to me that they find it so difficult to talk to each other that this is the best they can come up with to pass the time, and avoid communicating. I reckon all of them secretly hate it too.

Throwing food? That’s very strange! I love a good laugh and a bit of craic but surely that’s ridiculous?

This reminds me of the thread about the family who insisted on the 'bum slap dance' every Christmas.

That sounded grim too...

Very odd.....

Bum slap dance??? 😂

What would you even wear ?
I like to dress nicely for parties but in your circumstances I'd have to wear gardening clothes or something .

God that sounds awful, I'd hate it, YANBU! I'd have left I'm afraid x

Your so lucky that they are fun. Too many miserable people

Plug123,

I often have a good laugh with people I know (ie fun) and it never involves throwing food or water at each other.

What a bizarre family ritual- why waste food or even make a mess in your house. What examples are they setting to younger members