Sister asks woman hosting Thanksgiving to sign 'Code of Conduct.' She says no thank you and opts out

Thanksgiving is a time for families to come together, share a meal, and make cherished memories. But what happens when attending the gathering requires signing a "Family Code of Conduct"? That’s the surprising dilemma one Reddit user, u/ziolczykdaniel, shared in a viral post about her sister’s unconventional proposal for Thanksgiving this year.

The Reddit user, 32, explained that she has hosted Thanksgiving every year since moving into her home five years ago. "For context, I (32F) have hosted Thanksgiving for my family every year since I moved into my house five years ago. It’s always a little messy and chaotic, but that’s part of the charm, right?" the woman wrote. While she was prepping for the celebration, her sister decided to help her "bring some order" to the gathering. Initially, the woman thought her sister wanted to help organize the party, but she was stunned when handed printed copies of a "Family Code of Conduct." The rules were unconventional, including a ban on "overlapping conversations" at the dinner table, a total restriction on political or controversial topics, a dress code for Thanksgiving and assigned seating based on "optimal personality compatibility."

After reading the Family Code of Conduct, the woman couldn't believe what she was seeing and asked, "You can't be serious." What initially seemed like a joke turned serious when her sister accused her of not acknowledging her efforts to improve family dynamics. Her sister even called her ungrateful and stubborn, which led the woman to cancel hosting Thanksgiving. "I canceled hosting, and now my family is mad at me. My mom thinks I should’ve just humored her (her sister) for the day, while my brother (35M) is refusing to go anywhere unless 'no one tries to draft a holiday constitution,'" she added.

Seeking advice, the woman turned to Reddit to ask if canceling Thanksgiving was the right decision. Her post quickly gained traction, with many users rallying behind her. u/johnnyjohnjohn1998 wrote, "Her sister’s approach completely misses the spirit of Thanksgiving. OP did the right thing by refusing to let her take over and dictate how everyone behaves in her home." u/excellent-highway884 commented, "Just host your brother lol. Tell everyone else that if they're happy about a code of conduct they're free to attend your sister's house. However, you will not be hosting."

u/zombiehealthy2616 wrote, "Tell your parents they are welcome ONLY if they stop molly-coddling your sister. Tell your sister she is not welcome unless she drops this BS. Your house, your rules and all that. If she doesn't like it she can stay home but unless SHE is doing the cleaning, prep, set up and cooking for the family on HER turf she doesn't get to make decrees. And, for kicks and giggles, I think you should tell your brother that to spite your sister you guys are all doing PJs for Christmas. I mean, I'm all for smart-casual but this would be 'gang on like Donkey Kong' time."