To ask what you're dreading most about Christmas with your inlaws this year? ( lighthearted )

She sounds horrible but so do you

Ah, go on, Father! You will, you will, you will

Oh my god, 11 degrees?!

One thing I hope never happens is that I become the subject of. The Christmas Bingo. When my M was alive my Dd used to give us all bingo card that contained all the things she would do and say. She never could understand while every often someone would call “Line” and a chocolate would wing its way to them. If she said the same thing three times that would be Bingo and a gift would arrive

Now am the oldest I shall be looking out for any sign that I have taken her place.

Sorry this isn’t so lighthearted but both my MIL and my Mum have had serious health issues this year and we don’t know how much longer we’ve got with either of them. So although a Christmas with lots of driving isn’t what I wanted for this year, it’s about making the best of the situation. I shall be a paragon of virtue until I’m home alone and then I shall eat all the sweets in front of whatever heartwarming crap is on the telly!

@SlothfullyYours did you miss the part where I am the in law who people dread at Christmas?? That was literally the point I was making. It’s a weird bubble where I can relax and spend as long as I want with someone compared to my usual life. Would it make you feel better if I promise I contribute what I’m asked, clear up afterwards and buy everyone thoughtful gifts?

So when we see each other we turn into teenagers giggling behind our hands and whispering in jokes. She is an angel from heaven, knows I barely drink and don’t drink wine so last year made a bottle of cocktail just for me. We were missing when dinner was called, eventually found in the garage by one of our teenagers. We got a row at dinner and separated which we found hilarious and our children couldn’t believe. We took the dogs out for a walk before pudding because “actually we’re not teenagers and you can’t stop us”. We missed pudding because we were drinking in the shed with 3 dogs

The pair of you sound insufferable. Maybe tone it down this Christmas instead of trying to prove how cool you are.

@Christmaslogistics can I just check: Is Timotei really named after the shampoo rather than Timothée Chalamet?

I'm dreading that FIL has decided they're not coming to Xmas lunch with my family due to 'health issues'. He's capable, just doesn't want to make the effort for DH sake. They come to mine as SIL is too selfish, and they've nowhere else to go. They're always welcome & it's very light and simple.

I've flat refused to run away after lunch to sit around FIL & his DW's tiny, dull unit. DH says he's not either, but bets on he'll disappear for 'an hour' with the DC and be gone all afternoon, saying 'it wasn't the plan to stay so long, but...' and my DM whining the DC aren't there, etc.

Then SIL will demand a lunch in another day. I just wish they'd all go away!!

You should be thankful - my SIL's son and partner have had their deceased chihuahua taxidermized and she goes EVERYWHERE with them, from room to room! They now have 2 other live chihuahuas too, but, nope, the dead one still is everywhere! Even on the bedside table at night.

OMG all this Chihuahua content is causing me to wake the neighbours with laughing.

MN needs a Chihuahua Board where all this can be brought together and shared

Aristotle passed away in August but they are bringing his ashes in a little treasure chest (MIL got this made by her ‘crafty’ friend it’s covered in diamanté) so he can still participate 😬 (can’t complain really as last year his participation in Christmas seemed to be some kind of mission to impregnate soft furnishings🤮).

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Im a Chihuahua owner and am besotted with mine but that is fucking unhinged 🤣

Husbands family are great but their social battery is depleted after a couple of hours. Nothing wrong with that apart from the fact that they don't want to admit it /DH doesn't either and all insist we stay longer, so I'm left trying to entertain my son in a room full of adults who are all silently watching.

(I think this year will be better because DH has finally observed the dynamic and understood what I'm sayingz and we've kept visits since then much shorter)

FIL is very health conscious, which brings untold joy at Christmas.

Nothing!

Because we're having Christmas with our best friends who live a 5m walk away with a similar aged toddler instead.

Plenty of flex to appreciate each other's schedules and traditions, big glorious dinner at the end, relaxed evening with fizz after.

Family relegated to the days when their complaints and foibles can't spoil Christmas with two gorgeous and energetic children.

The double dipping of chips and dips. I don’t think I need explain further!

I could do, but what else would he spend his Christmas Eve doing if we relieved him of that job?!

@Muchtoomuchtodoyou need to tell FIL about microwaving the swede before peeling. Game changer apparently. Can’t help with anything else though.

We will play Christmas table sardines as MIL insists on serving up so much and decorates the table within an inch of it’s life that there’s just not enough space!

There’s plates, side plates, at least 2 glasses each, napkins, crackers (often 2 each as she likes the pattern and couldn’t decide which to get!), a home made decoration complete with candles (which have to be lit) that she’s foraged for and made herself (inevitably with a creepy crawly that puts in an appearance mid meal!) and that’s before we start on the food and drink.

The meat is plated for us, but we have roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, mashed parsnips, mashed swede (which has taken fil most of Christmas Eve to peel and cut!), carrots, peas, sprouts, red cabbage and cauliflower cheese! Any of these could end up with a bit of foraged foliage in amongst it! Add in wine, water jugs and soft drinks and you can probably imagine the carnage!

Then there’s the gamble of which of them will fall. To be fair it’s not always on Christmas Day, but we’ve been in A&E with one or the other 3 out of the last 4 Christmases. They always have a reason why they’ve fallen so do not think that balance exercises or falls prevention classes are suitable for them 🤷🏻‍♀️

Oh, the joys. Perhaps one day they’ll accept the invitation to come to us instead!

I think i know her 😂

nothing, we don’t see them anymore. Christmas for the first time in decades will be lovely & peaceful, no more family dramas.

The ‘faff’

Not really related to the topic, but I went to a concert yesterday and was astonished at how long it takes people to just sit down.

Find your seat, sit on it.
Easy.
Stop bloody faffing.

Drives me wild on aircraft too.

We go to boxing day tea for MIL. It's the 90 minutes of Christmas he will tolerate although no Christmas food will be served instead it has to be a salad with trifle. If we didn't go her Christmas would be half a day with us and the rest with him. He already forbids any Christmas decorations, she's not allowed to put any Christmas cards up. He took the Christmas tree and baubles to the tip a few years ago because he's not having Christmas in his house.