my in-laws could be a bit thoughtful this year about my nuclear family. It's been a shit year in some ways and they've already been crap less than supportive.
BUT as my PILs KNEW what we were having for Xmas day dinner, it would have been thoughtful extraordinary if they could have put enough thought into feeding us, after a 2 hour journey around the M25 in Xmas traffic, to bring the GCs to see them, if they didn't SERVE US UP THE SAME MEAL WE'D HAD THE DAY BEFORE especially as they knew DH wanted something different - he'd even asked for it!
Their other child and GCs have been there for the ENTIRE festive period, but as their family has grown there wasn't any room for us anyway (we were told) so they've basically had a free ride, free heating, free booze (lots) and extra presents. FFS I don't expect any of that, but a SLIGHTLY different meal would have been nice.
Also I don't eat fecking meat so could they actually reheat some frozen veggie concoction from the supermarket so I didn't just get fed veggies and pastry sides for the Boxing Day dinner, which is our equivalent of Xmas day with them as they can't be bothered to spend ACTUAL Xmas day with us cos they're so busy with their favourite GCs and DC. Considering I know the MOST expensive turkey ever known to man was consumed Xmas day by my PILS and SILs family, plus all the booze and free heating they've had AM I BEING UNREASONABLE to expect BETTER CATERING and not just be told to be grateful as I didn't have to cook the fecking dinner. Oh and BTW OUR version of this dinner was MUCH better....
Oh and I ALWAYS cook flesh for them and my family - so I have to cook an extra meal.... And THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER 10 YEARS NOW - IT IS SOOOO BORING NOW I don't even want to see them next Xmas, but that would upset DH too much. It has mean't I've decided they're going to get packed off to the old folks home if they need help when they're older and sod the old gits (Had been fantasising about a lovely granny annexe...).