33-year-old sister refuses to host a big Thanksgiving again after her entitled siblings contribute nothing to the family feast: ‘My sister “helped” by bringing one store-bought pie’

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Sep 18, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

This woman set some healthy holiday boundaries with her family this Thanksgiving after enduring one of the most grueling cooking days of her life. Last year, she cooked a multi-course meal for 15 people without as much as a 'Thank you' or a 'well done!' from the ungrateful crowd, and watched everyone ransack her kitchen for leftovers after the dinner was through. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, she decided to appreciate herself by refusing to host the family Thanksgiving this year. 

Sorry, everybody else, you'll have to find your free turkey and leftovers somewhere else. 

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  • "My sister assumed I would do all the cooking again"
    via SolStock

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AIO for refusing to host Thanksgiving after my sister assumed I would do all the cooking again?
    via Yosh1Ch4o850
  • 1 (33F) hosted Thanksgiving last year at my house. It was A LOT, cooking for 15 people, cleaning before and after, buying all the groceries. My sister (36F) "helped" by bringing one store-bought pie. She took home leftovers, but didn't really lift a finger otherwise.
    via Yosh1Ch4o850
  • This year, she texted our family group chat saying: "So excited for Thanksgiving at OP's again!! I'll bring dessert ". "... Except I never agreed to host. When I told her
    via Yosh1Ch4o850
  • that I wasn't planning to do it this year (I have a smaller kitchen now and just started a new job), she got offended and said I was "ruining tradition."
    via Yosh1Ch4o850
  • I suggested she host at her house or we go to our parents' instead. She said her place is too small and she's "not much of a cook." When I said that wasn't my problem, she told me I was being selfish and dramatic. Am I overreacting for not wanting to host again?
    via Yosh1Ch4o850
  • Cheezburger Image 10549670400
    via SolStock

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I'm not much of a chef, so cooking an illustrious meal is a big ordeal. Buying the ingredients, setting the menu, finding recipes, and keeping my head on straight while juggling cooking times is only half of the battle. After that, everyone critiques the food and leaves you with a mess of dishes and a hoard of hungry family members ravenous to get their hands on some leftovers. Get back, vultures! This is my food now. 

  • Capital-9. My mom used to always do Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. As she got older and slowed down, I would go to my folks place, do a "visitors are coming" clean the week prior. Then I would help cook the meals. That's went on until I was actually doing all the cooking.
    via Capital-9.
  • Then, one year, I had an operation over Christmas and everyone discovered the joy of eating out for the holidays. From then on, Thanksgiving and Christmas were held at various venues. We all chipped in to pay. No pre or post cleaning.
    via Capital-9.
  • Many times we would dine in fancy hotel restaurants ( always open at the holidays, usually have specials). In fact, I'm going to say, almost all the time. Mom had more fun and wasn't as tired too.
    via Capital-9.
  • No host dinner at a restaurant in a 4-5 star hotel. You won't be disappointed.
    via Capital-9.
  • Powerful_Put_6977. Not over reacting in the slighted. Under reacting if anything. "Sis I'm not hosting Thanksgiving this year. There is no 'tradition' of me hosting it as I only hosted it the one time. I never agreed to host it again so I have no idea where you got the idea that I was going to do it.
    via Powerful_Put_6977
  • I'm not being selfish or dramatic as I'm simply stating facts. As previously suggested, we can have Thanksgiving at your house or go to our parents or even do our own thing - whatever works
    via Powerful_Put_6977
  • for most people, of those three options, works for me! Please don't volunteer my home, my things or me without at least doing me the courtesy of checking with me privately first. It would have saved you a lot of embarrassment. -
    via Powerful_Put_6977
  • Ok_Algae_7232. NOR. doesn't matter what she says, she wants you to host it to enjoy ur free labor, she's not really a fair opinion. write in the group chat that you have a smaller kitchen and new job, can't host this year.
    via Ok_Algae_7232
  • Add that you're excited to see who will host this year and will bring pie. enjoy ur thanksgiving and relax. don't accept the forced obligation. also what tradition you hosted it for a year, she needs to calm down.
    via Ok_Algae_7232

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family drama dads famiies drama kids brother thanksgiving hosting siblings moms parenting dad host story family sibling sister stories parent mom cousins parents
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