Christmas dinner has become complicated for one family (Picture: Getty)
Bumping into your ex is a situation we all try to avoid – but one man will have to contend with seeing his at the Christmas dinner table.
A user on Reddit explained how she’d caused somewhat of a family feud after inviting her brother’s ex-wife to join them for turkey and all the trimmings.
In turns out that the poster was best friends with the ex – before she became her sister-in-law – and she didn’t want her to be alone on Christmas Day.
‘My brother’s ex-wife and I had been best friends before the two even started dating,’ the post by @mermaiddiamondz read.
She explained that marriage didn’t last long – the pair divorced after four months and her brother ended up moving into his own, new apartment.
It was then that he met his now-fiancée, with the couple due to be married in February 2024.
‘My parents are hosting Christmas dinner at their house and when I found out my best friend wasn’t spending Christmas with her family due to them planning to do their own thing this year I decided to invite her to my parents’ home with my parents’ permission,’ the Reddit post continued.
‘I told my brother about it to give him a heads up. He didn’t care or mind.’
But, when his new fiancée found out, the situation took a turn for the worse.
‘She called me asking why did I think it was okay to invite my brother’s ex to my family Christmas dinner,’ wrote the poster.
‘I reminded her that my brother’s ex been my best friend before the two met… But she didn’t accept that. She told me I was being disrespectful inviting my brother’s ex-wife.
‘I told her if she has a problem with MY BEST FRIEND being there she can just stay home.’
Some of the commenters were sympathetic to the poster’s situation.
‘Your brother decided to date and marry your best friend. He knew the possible fallout would be messy,’ wrote @cocoasneeze.
‘His now fiancée doesn’t have the right to dictate your family’s guest list, and if you’re allowed to invite your best friend to family events.’
Others agreed. ‘It would nonsensical to banish her because of a short lived marriage mistake both parties agreed to end amicably,’ wrote @sea_spirit_55.
However, the majority of commenters felt the poster was being unfair.
‘I think most people would be uncomfortable with their partners ex at a family holiday,’ @dear_Parsnip_6802 wrote. ‘I understand the ex is your best friend but not a good start to building a relationship with sister-in-law.’
Others agreed. ‘She is your friend, I get that, but at the same time, she’s your brother’s ex wife… I don’t see how the fiancée is supposed to enjoy her time at your parents’ Christmas dinner when she knows that her fiancé’s ex wife is there too,’ said @Independent-Jury3643.
‘This was done to me once and it was the most uncomfortable, awkward experience for me,’ added @jad31.
Others asked the poster to imagine if the tables were turned.
‘Put yourself in your brother’s fiancé’s shoes, how would you feel? Its perfectly fine to continue a friendship with her but you also need to consider the feelings of your brother’s fiancé who is now family,’ said @efficient_poetry_187.
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And, for those that were on the fence, the woman’s comments on the post made up their mind – especially as they felt she was purposefully trying to make her sister-in-law feel uncomfortable.
‘I honestly didn’t care about her feelings,’ wrote the original poster. ‘I didn’t put a ring on her finger and don’t owe her any loyalty.’
Ouch.
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Family Christmas can be complicated.