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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:
SweetnsourNZ · 19/12/2025 22:27

Thread has got too long for me to read whole of it but just wanted to say if they are coming from 3 hours away isn't that too long for refrigerated items anyway?
Tell them to hire/buy a mini fridge you can plug into car and use when they get here.
Cheese actually doesn't have to be refrigerated except soft cheeses. In fact specialty European cheese shops here sell it off the shelf and only have aircon on for hot days.
It seems like a ridiculous gift really, as surely you will all have enough to eat anyway, most people overbuy food for Christmas anyway.

Have a great Christmas everyone.

thenightsky · 19/12/2025 22:04

Place marking to find out what this cold surprise is.

My guess is a tower/cake of cheese. We did that for DD's wedding. It took up a lot of fridge space in the days prior. We had to take out 2 shelves to fit it in.

Okiedokie123 · 19/12/2025 21:32

It will stay perfectly chilled at this time of year in the shed in a suitably sized box. What a weird thing for a guest to do, especially at Christmas!

Alpsk1 · 19/12/2025 21:29

They are definitely being unreasonable to expect you to have 2 shelves free when hosting over Christmas! I’m very intrigued to find out what it is!

Changename12 · 19/12/2025 21:11

TheAutumnCrow · 19/12/2025 20:35

I think it’s her dad.

Show quote history

I think it has to be OPs parents otherwise she would have told them to F off with the fridge space.

LivingDeadGirlUK · 19/12/2025 21:11

My money is on some kind of desert.

Delphiniumandlupins · 19/12/2025 21:09

It depends I suppose whether it's something (things) that absolutely need to be refrigerated, how cold the weather is in your area, and whether your fridge is actually half full of drinks. Your cool box arrangement in the shed sounds good. Any other family nearby who could help out?

Therealjudgejudy · 19/12/2025 20:49

Two whole shelves....what the helly??!!

TheAutumnCrow · 19/12/2025 20:35

FreebieWallopFridge · 19/12/2025 20:28

OP, is this your mother? Could you perhaps dig the hole for that ’new patio’ you mentioned wanting, direct the relative to put the surprise put the cool box in the hole and ‘accidentally’ fill it in while she’s in there? 2 birds, 1 stone and all that.

I think it’s her dad.

FreebieWallopFridge · 19/12/2025 20:28

OP, is this your mother? Could you perhaps dig the hole for that ’new patio’ you mentioned wanting, direct the relative to put the surprise put the cool box in the hole and ‘accidentally’ fill it in while she’s in there? 2 birds, 1 stone and all that.

Wobblylegs1 · 19/12/2025 20:19

ScottyandWestie · 19/12/2025 20:12

Funny you mention free food. They won a turkey in their raffle years ago and thought it would be helpful to bring on Xmas day without mentioning.

I bet he imagined himself like Reformed Scrooge, turning up at Bob Cratchit’s house with a goose, to squeals of joy 😂

Lamentingalways · 19/12/2025 20:17

ScottyandWestie · 19/12/2025 20:12

Funny you mention free food. They won a turkey in their raffle years ago and thought it would be helpful to bring on Xmas day without mentioning.

😂

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 19/12/2025 20:13

OK, that really can only be a man. Or a woman with a Cook in the servants’ quarters.

Original poster
ScottyandWestie · 19/12/2025 20:12

Funny you mention free food. They won a turkey in their raffle years ago and thought it would be helpful to bring on Xmas day without mentioning.

OP posts:
Lamentingalways · 19/12/2025 20:05

bonquiqui · 19/12/2025 19:56

I can’t wait to find out what this is. I’m betting this relative is one of those that shows up with things that are random, fiddly and unwanted and then expects everyone to fawn over them with praise. I’m expecting some kind of large food item they got free from somewhere. In what world do they think you’ll just randomly have time/the accoutrements to conjure up a meal with whatever giant bird/ham/profiterole tower they drag along? Like you haven’t considered that people will need feeding over Christmas and thank god they brought an entire deer

Edited

😂

bonquiqui · 19/12/2025 19:56

I can’t wait to find out what this is. I’m betting this relative is one of those that shows up with things that are random, fiddly and unwanted and then expects everyone to fawn over them with praise. I’m expecting some kind of large food item they got free from somewhere. In what world do they think you’ll just randomly have time/the accoutrements to conjure up a meal with whatever giant bird/ham/profiterole tower they drag along? Like you haven’t considered that people will need feeding over Christmas and thank god they brought an entire deer

awrbc81 · 19/12/2025 19:55

Just hanging on to find out what on earth they’re bringing! I’m imagining a whole hog for roasting or something

LivingDeadGirlUK · 19/12/2025 19:55

My god how incredibly thoughtless, I have family that have been known to turn up with the contents of their fridge and random bits from their freezer, I just put it out in the conservatory although its not actually that cold at the moment!

LassitersLegend · 19/12/2025 19:47

Oh Gosh! All I can say is good luck!

SilverPink · 19/12/2025 19:31

I’m with your sister. No way I’m having a Christmas dinner I don’t want just to please some pain in the arse family member! And I wouldn’t expect other people to change dinner plans for me either.

Original poster
ScottyandWestie · 19/12/2025 19:21

Sorry - I have been working and creating an “outdoor fridge”. I have one large old fashioned plastic cool box / bin thing that was my mum’s years ago. I’ve got a few of those blue Ice packs in the freezer ready for tomorrow. I’ve set up the patio table for it inside the shed. If it’s too big for the cool box it will have to just sit on the table. Not heard from my neighbours yet so want to be prepared. Guests are due here about 3-4pm depending upon traffic. My son has told me he’s been asked to make room in his car boot to keep the surprise cool. He asked how big a space was needed and got a few noncommittal umms and ahhhs. Relative is a royal pain. Two years ago they insisted they couldn’t eat Christmas dinner as a lunch due to medication, had to have something very light. Wanted to make everyone else eat the same way. My sister is made of sterner stuff than me and just set aside a plate of food for them for the evening and gave them soup while everyone tucked into the roast. The family what’s app group was on fire that day and we were in awe the whole year. Last year oddly enough, medication was not an issue - Christmas dinner was eaten with everyone else at the usual time.

OP posts:
tarnishedglitterball · 19/12/2025 17:00

Place saver - really dying to know whether its animal, vegetable or mineral - I'm frazzled to fuck over my own fridge and shopping conundrum - I still have to buy crap in readiness for the feeding of the 5 thousand - loaves and fishes wont work so I would fight to the death before giving up two shelves before the onslaught. Hold your position and defend your fridge territory.

CoastalCalm · 19/12/2025 16:21

Stick some ice packs or small bottles of water in the freezer and leave it in the shed or garage - we use our garage and greenhouse for overflow

WilfredsPies · 19/12/2025 16:17

What time are they due to arrive tomorrow? Because you’ve inadvertently created a thread where everybody will be eagerly awaiting an update and nobody will defend you and remind us all that you have a life and can’t be expected to drop everything to update us.

Poodlelove · 19/12/2025 16:12

Yes send a photo of your fridge .

Maybe it is a whole pig or pheasant.