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AIBU?

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Original poster

Family member has bought refrigerated gifts

408 replies

ScottyandWestie · 18/12/2025 20:15

AIBU - Family member arriving on Saturday to stay for the whole of Christmas has just advised me they are bringing gifts which need to be refrigerated. It’s not alcohol but they will not explain what the items are for fear of “spoiling the surprise” and will need “possibly two shelves of the fridge”. I have a large fridge but due to catering to a huge amount of people over the Christmas period it’s full and will be at capacity tomorrow. I explained this but they are adamant. AIBU to suggest they store their gifts in a cool box in our shed?

OP posts:
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Oldraver · 21/12/2025 21:36

My Mum did something similar on one of the years she came for Christmas. I was on my way to pick up my order from the supermarket when she phoned and said she had been in M&S spent loads, bought the shop etc while laughing like a drain (she can be manic)

She bought THREE types of roasties, pigs in blankets, sauces, gravy all the prepared veg...just the stuff I was on my way to collect

It was way too much wouldn't fit in the fridge and just got wasted

AlwaysRightISwear · 21/12/2025 20:28

Haupt · 21/12/2025 11:29

In the 50s my grandparents were promised a turkey by country cousins and they said they'd drop it off. All well and good - everyone was looking forward to the fresh turkey dinner including my Mum who was a wee slip of a thing.

Anyway the cousins arrived and dropped the turkey off. It walked up the drive and into the backgarden. That was not expected.

My grandfather had to chase it around the garden but managed to kill it, my grandmother then had to pluck it and prepare it for the oven.

No-one could eat it.

Show quote history

At least OP didn't get this!

Thanks for the update btw.

Motomum23 · 21/12/2025 16:09

Oh god OP take the fresh yeast out or put it in something airtight - my first boyfriends dad was a Baker and all their fridge food stank of fresh yeast! Even the cans of coke!

J3001 · 21/12/2025 15:49

Just googled it cheaper on amazon than tesco , 1 in my amazon basket ready 🥂

DontStopMe · 21/12/2025 14:49

Hmmm. A bit late for a marketing ploy - too late to order for Christmas. Might make it for New Year.

Slàinte Mhath!

IHeartKingThistle · 21/12/2025 14:25

Brilliant marketing thread. All the reaction posts using the full name of the product! Still enjoyed it though :)

Original poster
ScottyandWestie · 21/12/2025 14:21

I really like the voucher idea much better than random bits of food turning up that you have no room for. Next year it’s my other sisters turn to host and I will suggest this. One of my favourite awkward occasions with this family member was when they got their finger stuck in a tea cup handle (it was v small) we tried ice, butter all kinds to get it off, but we’re in a village pub close to parents. We had to go home and soak their whole hand to loosen it then take it back. Never a dull moment, it’s funny when you are not on the receiving end of the chaos and abject refusal to do what everyone else is happy to go along with.

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · 21/12/2025 14:06

lemondropsandchimneytops · 21/12/2025 13:22

Is OP in the marketing department for Arran Gold? 😂

Ooh, that would be clever marketing. Draw us all in with a mystery about a CF relative taking advantage and then name dropping the product in the big reveal once we're all over invested.

OonaStubbs · 21/12/2025 13:53

Maybe she ran over a pheasant on the way and has put it in the boot of the car. Or if she hasn't come yet, maybe she is planning to run one over?

SabrinaCarpetCleaner · 21/12/2025 13:43

Renamed · 21/12/2025 11:28

Arran Gold? Isn’t that a potato?

Surprised that unopened bottles of liqueur need any kind of refrigeration.

They don't while sealed, only after opening. I wouldn't gift anyone cream liquer unless I knew they really loved it. It's a very aquired taste (there's only one person in my entire family who enjoys it. Even the smell pouring it gives me the ick!).

@ScottyandWestie is being very diplomatic, but the main character guest in question sounds a royal pain. They've probably sampled the liquer at a fayre or such like and because THEY liked it, well, everyone else will too.

If you're a house guest over Christmas the thoughtful thing to do is ask the host can I bring anything, and if nothing is needed then a M&S/tesco voucher is appreciated by most. All that said, I'm bit of a grinch when it comes to guests at Christmas, I just can't be remotely arsed with any nuisance value.

Silverbirchleaf · 21/12/2025 13:35

lemondropsandchimneytops · 21/12/2025 13:22

Is OP in the marketing department for Arran Gold? 😂

If so, s/he should get a bonus!

LiveToTell · 21/12/2025 13:28

Bulbsbulbsbulbs · 18/12/2025 21:08

Delia always says the boot of a car is as cold as a fridge. Or tell them to buy a cool box.

We had to store leftovers from Christmas dinner in the car one year 😂

lemondropsandchimneytops · 21/12/2025 13:22

Is OP in the marketing department for Arran Gold? 😂

DisappointedD · 21/12/2025 13:18

ChocolateCinderToffee · 21/12/2025 07:48

I can just see the manufacturers of Arran Gold scratching their heads over the sudden rise in sales!

I thought this 😂

Haupt · 21/12/2025 11:29

JoshLymanSwagger · 20/12/2025 18:47

@ScottyandWestie
You really will need a bigger wheelie bin this year...

One year my Uncle won a frozen turkey in a raffle.

He sawed it in half (clamping it on his work bench - he used a new blade?!) and delivered literally half a solid Bejam turkey and half it's still frozen giblets still wrapped in plastic for us (Dad, mum n me) on Christmas Eve.🤢

It was the first year I didn't eat any turkey...I don't think my Dad did either.

I really hope she's gone OTT on alcohol as a gift.
🙏🏻🥂

In the 50s my grandparents were promised a turkey by country cousins and they said they'd drop it off. All well and good - everyone was looking forward to the fresh turkey dinner including my Mum who was a wee slip of a thing.

Anyway the cousins arrived and dropped the turkey off. It walked up the drive and into the backgarden. That was not expected.

My grandfather had to chase it around the garden but managed to kill it, my grandmother then had to pluck it and prepare it for the oven.

No-one could eat it.

Renamed · 21/12/2025 11:28

Arran Gold? Isn’t that a potato?

Surprised that unopened bottles of liqueur need any kind of refrigeration.

Silverbirchleaf · 21/12/2025 11:25

ChocolateCinderToffee · 21/12/2025 07:48

I can just see the manufacturers of Arran Gold scratching their heads over the sudden rise in sales!

i thought the same. It dies look delicious though.

Bjorkdidit · 21/12/2025 11:24

JingsMahBucket · 21/12/2025 08:47

Okay, that’s it. I’m going to bookmark Arran Gold for gifts next year.

Edited

Same here. Also, I was in John Lewis yesterday and they were giving out samples of Coole Swan which is an Irish cream liquer and that was very nice too.

MIL used to make her own but she's not really well enough to do it now. I must ask her for the recipe.

Silverbirchleaf · 21/12/2025 11:23

Pereniallyannoyed · 21/12/2025 10:27

To be fair, Little Baby Cheeses was born in a stable, so….

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That made me snort out loud!

chesterelly1 · 21/12/2025 10:35

A sprig of holly for each bottle of Arran Gold instead of bows? Then you could go retro with the rest and put a few sprigs along the top of picture frames. Obviously if it’s very jaggy delegate this task back to provider of the holly. Or if you’ve got somewhere that you want to be “out of bounds” to guests (cupboard of doom in my case) could you arrange all the holly in a big vase or even a bucket with a big bow and place it there.

Pereniallyannoyed · 21/12/2025 10:27

Silverbirchleaf · 19/12/2025 07:57

Guess they’re manifesting the Christmas story, ‘There's no room at the inn!’ , and expecting op to find room!

Can you reply that the food will have to go in the stable?!

Show quote history

To be fair, Little Baby Cheeses was born in a stable, so….

SharonEllis · 21/12/2025 10:23

ScottyandWestie · 21/12/2025 10:16

The holly is still in a bag in the porch - I don’t know what to do with it. I did consider a sprig for the Christmas pudding - or Yule log but other then that I’ve no idea. I’m not particularly crafty or arty, not sure what to do with it.

Lay it out on top of a bookcase or something? It looks really pretty. I always decorate with it and wish I had more! It lasts for ages.

Original poster
ScottyandWestie · 21/12/2025 10:16

The holly is still in a bag in the porch - I don’t know what to do with it. I did consider a sprig for the Christmas pudding - or Yule log but other then that I’ve no idea. I’m not particularly crafty or arty, not sure what to do with it.

OP posts:
Changename12 · 21/12/2025 10:12

Yes thanks you for the update. Couldn’t you just tell her (in a very subtle way) not to do this again to you and that fridge space is at a premium at Christmas. What did you do with the Holly?

Lamentingalways · 21/12/2025 10:09

ScottyandWestie · 21/12/2025 00:16

Such a long day, only just sat down. Gifts are bottles of something called Arran gold I’m assuming it’s Baileys like - for some family memebers who went on a Whisky holiday earlier this year. They’ve got one each - they are in the shed in the new “outdoor fridge”. Also a large wheel of Stilton, a Brie and an ash covered goats cheese, that someone expressed a liking for once? these are in the fridge. A large profiterole dessert came too but I persuaded it to be eaten this evening. So that’s gone and then there’s some blocks of fresh yeast which are tiny for a family member that likes to bake, also in the fridge. I am almost disappointed it wasn’t a tortoise hibernating 😂

I love people that update - thanks OP.

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