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Vegetarian Woman Left Baffled After Family Demands Ham For Christmas Dinner, Are Shocked They’re Kicked Out
Two men at a holiday dinner, one looking concerned as the vegetarian host explains no ham was prepared for Christmas.

Family Complains About Plant-Based Roast And Claims Vegetarian Host Ruined Christmas

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Hosting during the holidays can come with a lot of pressure. You’ll be expected to keep everyone happy while maintaining a smile and ensuring that nothing in the oven burns. That’s why some people just outright refuse to host their family members. 

But when this couple got pressured into having everyone over for Christmas, they obliged. On the actual day, however, they were met with anything but gratitude for the feast they prepared. Apparently, even vegetarians are expected to serve meat during the holidays. Below, you’ll find the full story that was shared on Reddit, as well as some of the replies invested readers left the author.  

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    This woman and her husband were pressured into hosting Christmas dinner

    Family freaks out at Christmas dinner as vegetarian host explains no ham was prepared, causing tension around the table.

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    But her in-laws were anything but grateful when they realized that there wouldn’t be any meat on the table

    Text excerpt discussing a vegetarian host who did not prepare ham for Christmas, causing family upset.

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    Family reacts with shock and surprise after discovering vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

    Family freaks out at Christmas dinner when vegetarian host does not prepare ham for the holiday meal.

    Text excerpt from a family conversation misunderstanding vegetarian Christmas meal preparations and food allergies.

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    Family freaks out after discovering vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

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    Family reacts negatively when vegetarian host did not prepare ham for Christmas dinner, sparking tension over plant-based meal choice.

    Young woman sitting on a couch looking thoughtful during a Christmas gathering in a cozy living room decorated for the holiday season.

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    Family freaks out over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas, causing tension and disrespect during holiday meal.

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    Text excerpt about family conflict after vegetarian host did not prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

    Text conversation expressing frustration about a family conflict during a vegetarian Christmas without ham.

    Text on white background reading: ETA: For the people asking if his family was aware, we just had a fully vegetarian catered wedding 4 months ago, so yes.

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    Text excerpt explaining ham translation from a French Canadian, related to vegetarian host and Christmas family reaction.

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    Family reacting with shock and frustration after discovering the vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

    Family reacting with shock around a Christmas dinner table after discovering no ham was prepared by the vegetarian host.

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    Thank you message from a vegetarian host expressing gratitude after family reaction to no ham at Christmas dinner.

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    40% of people admit that the holidays often come with arguments in their households

    In theory, the holidays are all about spending time with loved ones, expressing gratitude, getting rest, and reflecting on the year behind you. In reality, however, these days aren’t always full of love and affection. In fact, plenty of families end up getting into intense arguments on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    According to a survey from Trust & Will, 40% of people admit that their holiday gatherings include some conflicts between family members. And one third of these arguments will actually escalate into issues that may affect family relationships all year round. 

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    When it comes to the topics that are most likely to create tension, politics is definitely number one. But family dynamics and past grievances aren’t far behind, as well as relationships and finances. Even estate planning discussions might come up on Christmas just in time to ruin dinner.

    Because conflicts are so common during the holidays, one would think that family members would go into these special days on their very best behavior. After all, nobody wants to leave a relative’s house sobbing on Christmas. But unfortunately, the guests in this story made it clear that they did not appreciate all of the effort their hosts put into planning the big day.

    According to Changing America, Americans who identify as vegetarian or vegan now make up between 6% and 10% of the population. Many are choosing to keep meat off their plates to save animal lives, improve their health, minimize their environmental impact, or even save money.

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    It’s important to respect the views and dietary preferences of anyone who chooses to avoid meat

    Making this change is often relatively simple and easy for individuals once they get the hang of it. But what makes it challenging is when others don’t respect their choices or refuse to accommodate them. While a dietary preference may not be the same as a food allergy, as it’s up to the individual to choose which foods they want to avoid, it is still something that others should acknowledge and accept.

    Just like how certain cultures and religions have their own set of dietary rules to follow, those who choose to be vegetarian have created a set of rules that align with their own ethics and beliefs. Because of this, it can be incredibly disrespectful to ask or expect someone who doesn’t eat meat to prepare it.

    Vegetarians and vegans typically stop seeing meat as food, so asking one to prepare a ham isn’t the same as asking your friend who chooses to avoid gluten to buy you a loaf of bread. Buying and preparing meat would go against their values, not to mention the fact that it would probably gross them out too.

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    If it’s really important to someone that they have meat on their table on Christmas, they probably shouldn’t pressure the only two vegetarians in the family to host. Haven’t they ever heard the saying “my house, my rules”? When someone is gracious enough to invite you into their home and prepare a feast for you to enjoy, the polite thing to do is say thank you and eat up without voicing any complaints.

    We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you have reacted if you were in this host’s shoes? Feel free to weigh in. Then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing dietary preference drama right here

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    Later, the author responded to several readers and provided more details about her situation

    Discussion about a vegetarian host and family reacting to no ham prepared for Christmas, highlighting family frustrations and hosting challenges.

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    Reddit comment discussing family drama over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner.

    Reddit conversation about a vegetarian host preparing a Christmas meal without ham, causing family to react strongly.

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    Screenshot of an online discussion about a vegetarian host and family upset over no ham served at Christmas.

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    Reddit conversation showing family frustration as vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

    Conversation about family’s reaction to vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas and the food served instead.

    Family freaks out over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner, causing holiday tension and disappointment.

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    Screenshot of an online discussion about a family freaking out over the vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas.

    Family reacts with frustration over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner in a meat-expecting household.

    Commenters discussing the translation and cooking method of boneless pork shoulder in a conversation about vegetarian Christmas meals.

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    Family reacts with shock when vegetarian host does not prepare ham for Christmas dinner gathering.

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    Readers overwhelmingly sided with the author, assuring her that she did nothing wrong and calling out her guests for being ungrateful

    Reddit comment criticizing rude guests upset over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner.

    Text post explaining why a vegetarian host did not prepare ham for Christmas and family reactions about dietary choices.

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    Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a family upset about a vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner.

    Comment discussing family frustration when a vegetarian host did not prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

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    Reddit comment discussing family conflict over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas feast.

    Comment expressing support and criticism of in-laws' behavior after vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas.

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    Family freaks out after discovering the vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham for Christmas dinner.

    Family upset discovering vegetarian host did not prepare ham for Christmas dinner, sparking holiday meal conflict and expectations.

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    Commenter responding to family reacting negatively to vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner.

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    Reddit comment discussing family conflict over Christmas dinner when vegetarian host didn’t prepare ham as expected.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing family conflict over a vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas.

    Comment discussing family reactions to vegetarian Christmas meals without ham, highlighting meatless meal acceptance and variety.

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    Screenshot of a comment discussing family reaction and communication breakdown over vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas.

    Comment on a forum post about a family upset over a vegetarian host not preparing ham for Christmas dinner.

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    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    Read less »
    Adelaide May Ross

    Adelaide May Ross

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Howdy, I'm Adelaide! I'm originally from Texas, but after graduating from university with an acting degree, I relocated to sunny Los Angeles for a while. I then got a serious bite from the travel bug and found myself moving to Sweden and England before settling in Lithuania about three years ago. I'm passionate about animal welfare, sustainability and eating delicious food. But as you can see, I cover a wide range of topics including drama, internet trends and hilarious memes. I can easily be won over with a Seinfeld reference, vegan pastry or glass of fresh cold brew. And during my free time, I can usually be seen strolling through a park, playing tennis or baking something tasty.

    What do you think ?
    WindySwede
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When in Rome? 🤷‍♂️ It's one day, eat your ham tomorrow, you'll survive one day 🙀🖖

    eric p
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who grew up with vegetarian parents, have you tried a tofurkey. They are... not good

    Load More Replies...
    wobbly jelly
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you were clear it shouldn't be a problem. You could say I don't want to / don't know how to cook a ham, but you are welcome to bring one (if you Ok with that). You will also get the twisted argument - if a veggie comes to a meat eaters house, most will cook / attempt a veggie dish, however the inverse if rarely true, with not many veggies cooking a meat dish.

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm quite fond of meat, especially beef, but the meal she prepared sounds like something I'd at least try. The sides sound great.

    Load More Comments
    WindySwede
    Community Member
    7 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When in Rome? 🤷‍♂️ It's one day, eat your ham tomorrow, you'll survive one day 🙀🖖

    eric p
    Community Member
    3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    As someone who grew up with vegetarian parents, have you tried a tofurkey. They are... not good

    Load More Replies...
    wobbly jelly
    Community Member
    4 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you were clear it shouldn't be a problem. You could say I don't want to / don't know how to cook a ham, but you are welcome to bring one (if you Ok with that). You will also get the twisted argument - if a veggie comes to a meat eaters house, most will cook / attempt a veggie dish, however the inverse if rarely true, with not many veggies cooking a meat dish.

    Lady Eowyn
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm quite fond of meat, especially beef, but the meal she prepared sounds like something I'd at least try. The sides sound great.

    Load More Comments
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