Christmas cancelled

I’d be telling them to piss right off. If they’re that unwell they can’t possibly eat a Christmas dinner. To me, it sounds like they can’t be arsed to come more than anything else. Cheeky fuckers,

So they’re well enough to enjoy a Christmas lunch and BIL is well enough to drive (so he could drive all of them, couldn’t he)??

they should have either come to you. Or invited you to come to them.

expecting you to still cook and sending BIL to „pick up the food“ is incredibly mean. Don’t play along, OP! You will feel so much worse afterwards.

Anyone who’s on their own, check and see if your local parkrun is taking place. You don’t have to run the 5km and you’ll be welcomed. Lots of friendly people, you don’t even need to register if you just feel like turning up.

I would agree with the majority that this is a whole new level of rude. Freeze what you can have a drink get cosy and get an Indian takeaway (if you like Indian) but don't spend the day cooking for people that are so inconsiderate.

They probably didn’t want to expose you, so if you’re ok to catch a bug, then let them know you and BIL will bring the food and you will eat with them.

Merry Christmas!

No way would I be cooking for them to collect it. Sorry, I think you need to stand up for yourself here and say you won’t be cooking a large meal to eat alone, they’ll have to make other last minute arrangements, as they’re expecting you to do. This is spectacularly rude of them.

Sorry OP, I think they're taking the piss. You cook all day for them and they celebrate together, whilst you're on your own? I would tell them you're not bothering to cook, you're postponing until they're feeling better.

It'd a bit rude for them to expect you to cook and hand the food over to them so that they can all eat together, while you stay home alone. Unless it's something life threatening, can't you wear a mask and go to them?

Fuck that shit, you’re not bloody meals on wheels 😤
they’re not coming because they’re ‘headachey’?
Don’t spend your day slaving over cooking for them op.
I’m gutted for you that you don’t have anyone local to spend the day with, over the years we’ve welcomed many an unexpected guest or two at Christmas and wouldn’t think twice about offering a very last minute invite if someone was going to be on their own and wasn’t planning on it.
Go for a lovely walk, some pubs will be open if you want to nip in for a cuppa/beer/whatever.
i think your family have been quite rude tbh. Cancelling because of illness I can sort of understand (although who cancels because of a headache?!) but expecting you to still
provide the meal is royally taking the piss.

Exactly!

Why aren't they picking up the OP with her food; she has already said she would take the chance hosting them when they're feeling ill. If they really can't leave the house - let Mohammed go to the mountain!

Don’t cook for them. You are being had. They sound very rude and entitled. Do they have form for this sort of behaviour?

Wow, are they for real? They must think you're a mug OP.

A bit achy? Wtf

Yes think is right actually.

They’re clearly not that unwell if they can manage a Christmas dinner. When I have a bad cold the only thing I want is simple food, like chicken broth.

OP, tell them you’ve got other plans now so won’t be cooking.

I'd be really annoyed that they were going to pick up the food but not eat it with me.

Make sure you keep plenty for yourself!

Agreed if you're that ill eating a full on Christmas lunch would be the last thing you'd want.
Absolute piss taking the piss op.
I'd be telling them not happening I'm not a fucking take away.

Well that’s rude. Can’t come because they’re all ill, but be over later to pick up dinner. Bloody cheek.

Are the normally like this, or are you normally close ?, if a close loving family I would go along with it.

but there’s a big part of my the questions - headaches and feel ill is what my mum would have called “ morning i tus “ get up and get on with day and you will be fine, anything needing buckets is cancel plans.

I would be very tempted to tell them you’re going to have a quiet Christmas today and cook tomorrow when hopefully they will be up to attending.

I would put money on the kids have been over excited and up early and all they need is a after dinner nap

There’s no way I would be cooking for them all to enjoy just because they feel a bit headachey. Cheeky bastards!

I'm so sorry your Christmas has been changed at the last minute, I bet it was going to be wonderful with all of your preperation and planning. You sound like a very lovely relative & friend.

Now is the time to turn some of that thoughtfulness back into yourself and put effort into having a really lovely day for you!

Also exactly what @Sketchy said. Whatever they've said they have sounds wonderfully non specific...

I think that is really mean of them too.

A bit headachey = have a paracetamol and crack on.

Slightly horrified at the designs on your food OP. Assuming you're ok with seeing them if they're poorly, I'd say BIL either picks up you AND the food / Christmas stuff or he picks up neither.

Please don't cook for them, what a cheek.