Christmas cancelled

Basically they can’t be bothered to change out of pjs etc and travel. They are well enough to eat a full Christmas dinner though.
They are happy for you to cook for them all day and be left by yourself.
It’s not great OP. I definitely wouldn’t be cooking and would be reevaluating any effort with them in the future!

That's shit. So much illness this year.

I would pop your friend a message, explain you're home alone, can you pop in for a drink at a time convenient to them, not expecting them to get dressed or anything? That way you won't be alone all day but also not expecting them to be hosts.

We are having a quiet family Christmas but I would happily have a friend over in similar circumstances.

• I did also feel nauseous however and definitely wouldn't have been able to face a large meal

I'm merely pointing out these people may not be lying and op actually maybe saving herself from feeling awful

What-are you still cooking a Christmas dinner for them?!

@pinkdelight in our office many of us came down at the same time yes

Flu nami going through UK, last year 700 people in hospital with flu this year we are at 3000 in hospital. Some medics are calling for masks etc. And headache and ache were my first symptoms

Cheeky fuckers.

Do you have plans tomorrow? Could postpone until then. They might be feeling better after 24 hours.

Do they have form for being grabby, entitled and expecting you to do the grunt work?

I agree. That's really cheeky. If they're too ill to come they're too ill to eat a big meal.

Yeah but the whole family?? All at the same time. I just don't buy it. Not coupled with the 'but we can still eat your food' BS.

Honestly I'm a bit speechless at how they have behaved. They know how much food you must have paid for to feed that many people and the effort you have gone to to plan it and shop for it . I would have to be at deaths door to cancel on someone after that. Particularly as that someone ( who has said they are happy to risk the germs)will now be alone for Christmas day when they have each other. And now they want you to go to the effort to cook all that food and have it ready to be collected. That's taking cheeky fuckery to a whole new level.

I must have missed that part in the OP, where she states that she has not been invited to share the dinner with them, where they are staying. Has she said that there is a reason why she cannot go with the Bil when he comes for the food?

Hope you end up having a lovely satisfying one anyone op, as others say make sure you keep the loveliest bits for yourself and hope you get to watch some lovely tv and read something lovely x

• the illness going around is sudden.

I was feeling off and within an hour I was literally bed bound.

I would offer to bring the food to them. Then you and BIL can eat together and wait on the sickies.
I would rather get sick than spend Christmas day alone.
Wear your mask and partially open one window near where you sit.

Bizarre that they would assume OP would still be cooking as per the original plan once they cancelled.

If they are anything like my "headachy & achy", driving & eating a Christmas lunch would be a no.

Nah, fuck that shit. They don’t get to leave you out and get you to do all the work. There is no way they are all ill. And if they are they won’t need dinner. I’d message them and say I’m so sorry, I must be coming down with what you have as am suddenly headachy and achy. I’m not up to cooking dinner so let’s reschedule for when we are all well again.

then have a lovely relaxing day.

Is that not bit cheeky of them as you might not choose to cook much now? It sounds worse cooking a load of stuff and still being on your own!

Being totally honest yes I would prefer Christmas just my dh and kids but if I knew my friend was alone I would rather they told me and I would invite them. Knowing they were alone would not be worth my ”perfect family Christmas “

I wouldn't be cooking for them.

If I was nearby I'd be offering for four of us to come over.

Guess what we forgot to get out of the freezer yesterday😂

This is too weird. No way do they all feel too ill to do Christmas with you yet they're well enough to take your food and do Christmas without you. Sorry, you sound much nicer and possibly more of a pushover than me, but I'd be steaming and insist on joining them one way or another, or they don't get the catering.

So they've basically just cut OP out of the dinner, apart from her food and labour??

Its ok to be sad and dissapointed. The build up is huge and then it all goes down like a baloon.

Once you feel a fraction better, see what can be done. Can you all meet up once they feel better? Can you take food to them so it gets eaten and they dont have to worry about food /assuming its something they could eat while ill/. Have a peaceful day by yourself or whatever you can think of.

No way would I cook for them today. If they’re unwell they don’t need a full Christmas Day meal. simple!

suggest that as they won’t enjoy it anyway that you’ll reschedule so that you can all have it together when they’re better

So they're happy to let you do all the work and collect the fruits of your labours but they're not actually going to eat with you. Bloody hell that's the cherry on top that is