Religious Parents Forbid His Girlfriend's Visit For Christmas, So Redditor Decides To Celebrate At Her Home And Faces Furious Parents

"This led to me essentially saying that I will be out of town with my girlfriend"

Filip

• Published in Interesting
• November 19, 2023

"Home for the holidays" holds a special charm... But if family harmony is lacking, perhaps it'd be wiser to celebrate it elsewhere.

While many love spending the holidays with their loved ones, it's important to remember that not everyone must celebrate the festivities the same way. And that's the problem that recently appeared in a Redditor's family.

The OP is a 26-year-old man. He explained he moved back home to complete his education, intending to leave in a couple of months.

His family, deeply religious and strict, has set rigid rules that significantly impact his daily life. For instance, cooking after 10 PM is forbidden, but the OP often stays up late at night because of his night-time class schedule.

Moreover, the family's strictness extends to social interactions. Friends are only allowed to visit under the condition that they engage in "wholesome" activities, and any cursing is met with stern reprimands from his father.

Additionally, his friends, even those in need, are not permitted to stay overnight because it's in contradiction with the family's religious values. Initially, there was a tolerant stance towards his long-term girlfriend visiting, allowing her to sleep over while the OP slept on the couch.

However, this arrangement slowly changed, with his father expressing displeasure over her presence for more than a day, mentioning disturbance to his daily routine. It culminated in banning her from staying over and suggesting she should stay with her brother, who lives nearby.

In response to these escalating restrictions, the OP chose to spend the holidays with his girlfriend and her family. This decision was met with disappointment from his mother, who accused him of being petty and disrespectful towards his father and the house rules.

The OP told her that she was encouraging her father's control issues by not saying anything. And if she wants to be disappointed in someone, she should look at her husband.

But, the OP questions whether his actions and feelings in this situation were justified.

OP asks:

The OP said his parents are very strict and religious:

He provided some instances:

Initially, the OP's girlfriend was allowed to stay over, but they changed it also:

So, the OP decided to go out of town and spend the holidays with his girlfriend and her family:

This decision disappointed his mother:

But the OP told her that by staying silent, she encourages his father's controlling issues:

One Redditor supported the OP's decision.

But another one supported the OP's parents' strict rules

Many Redditors were shocked that someone could agree with the OP's father's control issues:

The OP is an adult, he can make his own choices

Another Redditor agreed the OP was not in the wrong

The OP explained:

The OP's father has the right to set restrictive rules in his home, but that doesn't mean the OP has to obey him

This is a lesson for them

The OP should be able to cook

The OP responded:

Redditors agreed that the OP's father has the right to set rigid rules in his home, but that doesn't mean everyone should stay home and respect them. Therefore, the OP was in the wrong for choosing to get out of town for the holidays and spend them with his girlfriend.

Filip