To want do spend Christmas day with my friends, not my family?

[OldMona]

We all feel that we just ruined our families' Christmases last year.

I asked my granddaughter to 'stand up pet and let Great Uncle Bill have a seat' when we were gathered for pre-lunch drinks. Apparently her self esteem still hasn't recovered and she now thinks she's of little value

Edna was so excited when her nephew brought his new baby around that she stroked her cheek and said 'ooh, what a poppet'. The baby is, apparently, incensed at having her space invaded and will probably never speak to Edna again (when she learns to speak)

And Shirley brought her granddaughter a Barbie doll and her grandson a train set and has, apparently, forced gender stereotypes on the children, tried to outdo Santa with the cost of the presents and cluttered up her DIL's house with plastic rubbish .

To add to all that, I passed around a tin of Quality Street after dinner and apparently deliberately 'imposed my own tradition' on DDIL who had a box of Belgian truffles in the fridge; Edna asked if she could listen to the Queen's speech not realising that she was 'taking over' the family day; and Shirley assumed her Grandson would sleep on the blow up bed so she could have his room, causing the poor lad to feel 'ousted' and 'as if he wasn't welcome in his own home'. She honestly just thought that with her chronic arthritis and bad back.......

So, we don't want to cause any more trouble. Would we BU to buy a nice turkey and pud in M&S and stay in Edna's house this year.

Thanking you,

Mona, Edna and Shirley.

[scatterthenuns]

I'd give up on people, and go and set up a naturist commune together.

[Iamverynotcrazy]

I would do it! Everyone deserves a day they can spend with people who appreciate them. I.hope you all have wonderful Christmas day together.

[Rebecca2014]

Nice see a thread from the opposite side (parents side)

I would do it.

[Branleuse]

do it!

[florentina1]

Hee hee, just make sure you don't fill Christmas balloons with helium or write Xmas in the cards

[PatriciaHolm]

I think all your relatives are completely entitled to go NC with you; after all, Christmas is all about being completely selfish and getting presents, isn't it! None of this family togetherness nonsense

[UsedtobeFeckless]

Go for it! Sod the ungrateful little so and sos ...

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

Is this a combination of all the stupid in law Christmas threads that have been doing the rounds?

[OldMona]

Thank you for the replies. We honestly hadn't realised how out of touch we were, and didn't mean to cause offence to anyone.

I now stand up for children and teenagers on the bus, Edna ignores anyone with a baby in case they think she's a space invader or will give the poor little thing leprosy with all her germs, and Shirley has bought her grandchildren goats in a developing country as they are (a) gender neutral, (b) not made of cheap plastic, and (c) won't be cluttering up anyone's living room.

We have definitely learnt some manners after last year's fiasco.

[LikeASoulWithoutAMind]

[Hooleywhipper]

I love you and want to be part of your gang. Have a fantastic Christmas

[LucilleBluth]

I love it!

[FattyNinjaOwl]

[sugar21]

OldMona
Your thread is brilliant as is your UN, well done

[ExitPursuedByABear]

Is that you Hully?

[Inertia]

Did Shirley not think to check what the arrangements were with whoever was hosting? Ordinarily yes, you'd expect a NT teenage boy (for example) to happily give up his room for his grandmother. However, the autistic small boys I know would probably be quite distressed by somebody they didn't know well turning up in their home and taking over/ turfing them out of their room because the visitor had 'assumed' rather than making arrangements with the parents/ hosts beforehand. Two sides...

[TurnWifiOn]

Thank you, I do wonder if my Grandma (aged 92) is insisting on Christmas day at home alone, with the Brandy, Quality Street and TV due to the reasons above...

[HubertsBirthdayStick]

I think I'm having a stupid day today. I can't follow the OP at all.

Whops!

[BewitchedBotheredandBewildered]

My thought exactly Exit!

[OldMona]

Ooh I don't think Shirley even thought of that Inertia. Her grandson is 18 so she's known him a long time, but of course he could have SNs she hasn't been told about. I will suggest that she tries to tactfully find out, without looking like an interfering cow poking her nose into things that don't concern her.

[TurnWifiOn]

Inertia no one would expect an elderly person with "Chronic Arthritis and bad back" to sleep anywhere other than an actual bed would they?

The OP doesn't mention "Teenage or Autistic" in her wonderfully written OP.

[TurnWifiOn]

Sorry cross post with (fantastic) OP