When my mother-in-law told me I wasn’t “family enough” to be in last year’s Christmas photos, I bit my tongue. This year, though, I had a plan, and let’s just say, it had her storming into my house just days before Christmas.
If my mother-in-law, Ellen, ever wrote a book, it could be called “How to Get Rid of Your Daughter-in-Law in Ten Easy Steps.” Honestly, it’d probably hit all the bestseller lists because I know so many people who’ve dealt with in-law trouble.
I’ve been struggling with my mother-in-law’s attitude long enough to know that she gets off on this. When Peter and I started dating, Ellen treated me like I was just passing through, like some temporary fixture in her son’s life.
For five long years, she made me feel like an outsider.
Peter’s family loved to take photos, especially during holidays, birthdays, and other important occasions. Somehow, Ellen always managed to convince everyone that I shouldn’t be a part of it.
Whenever I said something, she would retort with, “Well, when you two actually get married, then I’ll think about it.”
Think about what? Treating me like a human being?
The worst part was how calculated she could be. To anyone outside the family, she seemed perfectly polite, almost charming. But behind closed doors, she was a master of the backhanded compliment.
“Oh, Elizabeth, you’re so… ambitious. Peter must be exhausted trying to keep up with you!” Or, “I suppose your parents must’ve been modern to raise you that way.”
I’d brush it off, thinking: One day, when Peter and I get married, she’ll finally have to take me seriously.
Well, we did get married last year, just a week before Christmas, and let me tell you, nothing changed.
At the annual Christmas Eve gathering at their sprawling country house, Ellen’s true colors came out in full force. After dinner, when it was time for the family photo by the fireplace, I naturally assumed I’d be included.
I was standing next to Peter when Ellen swooped in, her tone syrupy-sweet. “Oh, Elizabeth, would you mind stepping aside? This is just for family.” I’m telling you, I was floored!
I stared at her, wide-eyed. “I am family,” I said, glancing at Peter for support.
Ellen waved a dismissive hand. “Well, you two just got married. You’re not familyenough yet.”
The room went dead silent. You could’ve heard a pin drop. Thankfully, the rest of the family didn’t let get away with it. For once, they stood up against her antics.
Even my father-in-law, Frank, spoke up. “Ellen, that’s enough. Elizabeth is part of this family now.”
Peter backed me up, too, saying, “Mom, you’re being ridiculous. She’s my wife.”
Reluctantly and with a pout, Ellen let me into the photo. But the entire time, I could feel her obvious displeasure. The whole thing felt tainted. In fact, she looked like she swallowed a lemon in all the shots.
This year, though, I decided enough was enough. Ellen’s behavior hadn’t improved one bit since last Christmas. If anything, she’d gotten worse. Every phone call, every family event, she found subtle ways to remind me that I didn’t belong.
So, it was time to do something about it, and luckily, I had a lot of help from the family.
The holiday season arrived, and the first part of my plan had taken shape perfectly. So, a few weeks before Christmas, I mailed out holiday cards, something I’d never done in my life.
The front featured a photo of Peter, me, and the rest of his family… everyone except Ellen. I didn’t feel guilty about it, not even a little. If she didn’t think I was “family enough” last year, then maybe this year, she wasn’t family enough.
I didn’t have to wait long for her reaction. In fact, I’d plan for her big reaction. One quiet morning, as I sipped my coffee, I heard the unmistakable screech of tires outside.
A moment later, the front door flew open, and there she was, red-faced and furious, waving the card angrily.
“You think this is funny?!” Ellen’s voice was sharp enough to shatter glass. “How dare you do this to me?!”
I set my coffee cup down carefully, keeping my expression neutral. “Good morning to you too, Ellen.”
She slammed the card on the table, her voice sharp. “Don’t you dare ‘good morning’ me! How could you exclude me from ANY family photo? I’m Peter’s mother! When did you take this? WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?”
Her outrage was almost comical, considering last year’s fiasco. But I stayed calm. “I thought you didn’t see me as family,” I said evenly. “You made that pretty clear last Christmas when you said I wasn’t ‘family enough’ to be in the picture.”
“That’s completely different!” she snapped. “And you got your way, didn’t you? You were in the photos! Now, you’re just being petty and cruel, Elizabeth. Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for me?”
“Humiliating?” I raised an eyebrow. “Imagine how I felt last year, being told I didn’t belong in the family photo AFTER GETTING MARRIED. I guess now you know how it feels.”
I’d never seen anyone get as angry as my mother-in-law at that moment. Her face became redder than normal and sweat dripped from her forehead. She was about to rip into me. Except…
“Ellen, that’s enough,” a male voice came from the hallway.
It was Frank, who had hidden in one of the bedrooms as soon as we heard the tires. He had come over because we all knew the kind of reaction the holiday card would have.
Ellen whirled around, her eyes wide. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?”
“I’m here because I helped Elizabeth with the holiday card. What you’ve done all these years needs to stop now. Elizabeth is part of this family now. She’s your son’s wife! We might have excused your behavior when they were only dating, but your attitude went too far last year.”
Ellen’s entire body was vibrating with rage. “You’re taking her side? Against your own wife?”
“Yes,” Frank said without hesitation. “Because you’re wrong, Ellen. And I’m tired of watching you push Elizabeth away. It’s not fair to her, to Peter, or to the rest of us.”
“Fine,” Ellen spat. “If you’re so determined to betray me, then maybe we should just get a divorce!”
“Mom, stop.”
Peter’s voice cut through the tension. He came from the door next to the kitchen that led to the garage, his hiding spot. This was the final part of our plan, to face her together, because no one wanted to leave me alone with Ellen’s rage.
“As Dad said, you’re not being fair to Elizabeth,” Peter said, his voice level. “Or to anyone else. She’s my wife. How many times did you need to be told? I’m a grown man, and I need you to respect her. If you can’t do that, we’ll have to reconsider how much time we spend with you.”
Ellen’s jaw dropped. “You’d cut me off? After everything I’ve done for you?”
“I don’t want to,” Peter said softly. “But I won’t let you treat Elizabeth like this. It’s not right. And if you can’t accept her as part of the family, then we have a problem. She’s going to be the mother of my children, and I wouldn’t want them around someone who has no regard for their mother.”
The room fell silent. Ellen seemed genuinely speechless… but also helpless.
I took a deep breath and spoke up. “Ellen, I’ve always wanted to be a part of this family. But you’ve made it clear, time and time again, that you don’t see me that way. I’m not asking for much, just a little respect. If you can’t give me that, I don’t see how we can move forward.”
Ellen stared at me, her eyes still hard and untrusting.
I sighed. “We never wanted a holiday card without the entire family. But doesn’t it say something that the rest of your relatives were willing to help me?”
The anger seemed to drain from Ellen at my words, but her expression was impossible to decipher. I didn’t expect an apology; all I hoped for was a change in her behavior.
“Very well. I can do that,” she finally said. She gave each of us a short glance and stormed out of the house.
Frank, Peter, and I all collectively exhaled.
“Do you think that will work?” Peter asked his father.
Frank just shrugged and cracked a smile. “I don’t know. Her pride was just wounded. We’ll have to see.”
In the weeks that followed, Ellen’s behavior started to change. It wasn’t a complete turnaround, and I didn’t expect it to be. But she made an effort, however grudgingly. She invited me to tea, asked for my input on small family matters, and even managed a few real compliments here and there.
By the time Christmas Eve rolled around, she was actively trying to include me in traditions. When it was time for the annual family photo, she surprised everyone by insisting that we all be in it together.
As we gathered around the fireplace, Ellen stood beside me, smiling, not her usual forced smile, but something almost genuine.
It wasn’t perfect, and it never would be. But it was a start.
Here’s another story: Our 10th wedding anniversary trip was supposed to be about reconnecting and romance. Instead, it turned into a bizarre nightmare when my mother-in-law decided she couldn’t let her “precious son” out of her sight. And that wasn’t even the worst part.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
