Family Gatherings Should Only Include Family, Not Strangers!

I think that family gathering should be family and friends that are close enough that they are like family. I have had a few young cousins bring friends to family gatherings before, so that they would have someone to hang out with while the adults sat around and played cards. That I think is okay.

I don't necessarily define family as people you are blood related to, so I'm not sure we agree on this one. I could easily see inviting a close friend to a family gathering, and in fact I feel safer at family gatherings if I have a close friend with me. I'm not the type who can just go spend time with my family and feel comfortable, so having a friend along makes it work out better for me. I wouldn't invite anyone whom I felt would be dangerous to a family gathering, but then I wouldn't be friends with anyone who didn't fit my morality anyway.

I don't agree. I bring friends or my worker, as I'm disabled. I will allow my kids to bring a friend to play with, better than than them being under me every minute.

I feel it should be up to the person who's house the gathering is held at but for a friend who is invited to take it upon themselves to invite someone is just plain rude and then to show up 2hrs late is even worse.

Yes, I have to agree with you, family gatherings should consist of family. However, my family always had a tendency to make friends - family. Meaning close friends of the family, soon became an extended part of the family itself. I don't think any stranger should be a part of a "family gathering". To me it was pretty gutsy on this guys part to show up to a family gathering of people he didn't even know. Or should I say, just very bad taste on his part.

I think you are abosulately right.we can not bare others who have no realitionship with us to disturb our happiness,especially he is a bad man with a bad habit.

I think Family gatherings should only be for family and /or very close friends that have been around for a very long time...I have a friend that has been in our family for years and we consider her family..This joker was a total stranger and unknown from anyone of your family members and your sister in law should have never brought this person into the family gathering..Who knows he might have scoping the place out for a future robbery...I really agree that he could have been or might become a real problem to your family...It sounds like he was an odd ball ...I agree wit you...I think your sister in law was way out of line,and your mother in law probably only agreed to keep peace ,i would imagine that your sister in law sorta put her on the spot,and she just agreed...

I have to admitt when I have a family gathering I invite a few friends that I consider family. Now when I go somewhere for a gathering no I do not invite them, even if I would like to. Some of my friends are more of a family to me than my family.

I think that's a personal decision each family should make based on their own family structure and beliefs. If they asked if they could bring someone else and they weren't told no, then I guess there's nothing wrong with it. I sure would have objected if it were just someone off the street or someone like you described, though ...

Family is what you make of it. Should you just bring whoever uninvited, well that would be bad form where ever you go. However if it isn't your house, get over yourself, because it is none of your damned business. it is between whoever and the person hosting it. Don't like their house rules host it at your house or go home.