Thanksgiving and the Tale of the Unfiltered In-Law

Thanksgiving at our house has always been like a well-oiled machine – until the year my mother-in-law, Doris, decided to spice things up with her unfiltered opinions. Picture this: The turkey’s golden, the pies are cooling, and the family's all here, eagerly anticipating a feast. Then, Doris arrives.

As we gather around the table, I can sense Doris gearing up. It starts with a comment about the mashed potatoes: "Interesting texture." Then, a quip about the stuffing: "Not like I make it, but okay." But the real showstopper comes when she eyes the turkey: "Is it supposed to be this...crunchy?"

The table goes silent. Forks freeze mid-air. Even the turkey seems to hold its breath. My husband gives me the "please don't react" look, but it’s too late. I'm about to launch into a full-blown retort when suddenly, my teen, the family peacemaker, kicks my shin under the table – hard.

Ouch. Message received. I bite my tongue (figuratively, thanks to the kick) and plaster on a smile. The rest of the meal passes in a blur of passive-aggressive compliments and my silent prayers for strength.

Post-Doris' departure, we all let out a collective sigh. That's when my teen, wise beyond their years, pulls out a surprise – a pack of Zip It For The In-Laws. "Should've used this earlier, huh?" they say with a grin. I can't help but laugh. They're right. A simple swipe could've saved my shin and my sanity.

From then on, every time Doris came over, I had my secret weapon. A swipe of Zip It, and suddenly, her "constructive criticisms" became amusing, not aggravating. Who knew a little lip balm could bring so much peace?

So, here’s to Thanksgiving, to crunchy turkeys, and to learning that sometimes, the best way to deal with in-laws is to simply Zip It and enjoy the ride – or at least the pie.

Robin, Tennessee