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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:
Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 19/12/2025 11:37

It’s just so easy to ask your hosts, well in advance: “What would you like me to bring as a gift to lighten the load of your work/expense and will suit your Christmas plans for a house-full?"

Thefsm · 19/12/2025 11:37

My guess is one of those Parma ham legs with the stand that you cut slices off - those are about two fridge shelves high.

WilfredsPies · 19/12/2025 11:34

My bet is something tall, like a croquembouche (pretty sure I’ve spelt that wrong). One shelf for the base, and possibly removing the second shelf for the height.

Hoolahoophop · 19/12/2025 11:33

GasPanic · 19/12/2025 11:28

Don't you hang stuff like that up in a store to tenderise it ?

I don't think people put game in fridges. Although being a peasant mostly townie I have little experience of how to handle the stuff.

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Whenever we have been gifted game it has always been refrigerated. I guess it depends at what point in the process it is.

Grammarnut · 19/12/2025 11:33

saveforthat · 18/12/2025 20:27

It's probably cheese. Yes it's ridiculous to expect that much fridge space at Christmas.

Cheese should not be in a fridge. The shed will do nicely.

MeridianB · 19/12/2025 11:29

This can only be a man. I cant imagine any woman not ‘getting’ this.

I reckon smoked salmon and cheese.

You mention you’re always accommodating this relative so perhaps a New Year resolution would be to be less accommodating.

GasPanic · 19/12/2025 11:28

Hoolahoophop · 19/12/2025 11:27

I've just been reading the thread about the Royals and Blood Sports. Maybe you are getting some pheasants or the hind quarter of a deer following the local Shoot!

Don't you hang stuff like that up in a store to tenderise it ?

I don't think people put game in fridges. Although being a peasant mostly townie I have little experience of how to handle the stuff.

Hoolahoophop · 19/12/2025 11:27

I've just been reading the thread about the Royals and Blood Sports. Maybe you are getting some pheasants or the hind quarter of a deer following the local Shoot!

GasPanic · 19/12/2025 11:26

Are they notorious for being tight arses ?

Maybe they got a job lot of perishable food on the cheap from somewhere.

Are they expecting you to eat it all over Christmas ? 2 shelves of smoked salmon could be hard work.

WiddlinDiddlin · 19/12/2025 11:23

I'd just be fervently hoping it is cheese and not something that not only needs huge amounts of fridge space but also huge amounts of prep and cooking time/oven room!!

Bjorkdidit · 19/12/2025 11:20

pusspuss9 · 19/12/2025 11:17

I'm guessing a fresh lobster from Maine

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If it's live seafood perhaps the OP can keep it in the bath? <joke>.

I'd not be accommodating their demand for fridge space because it just perpetuates the expectation that people will put themselves out to deal with their nonsense.

KilliMonjaro · 19/12/2025 11:17

Ice box in the garden or garage. What a thoughtless person!

pusspuss9 · 19/12/2025 11:17

ScottyandWestie · 18/12/2025 20:38

Good idea about taking a photo. They are not listening so maybe a visual will help them understand. My big shop is tomorrow for Saturdays gathering, then another on Tuesday for the Christmas gatherings. I will send a photo tomorrow once the fridge is at capacity and suggest the shed a cool box again.

I'm guessing a fresh lobster from Maine

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 19/12/2025 11:14

katepilar · 19/12/2025 10:57

Is it a man demanding this of you?

I’m assuming it’s a mother-in-law (not a joke).

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 19/12/2025 11:10

IncessantNameChanger · 18/12/2025 23:39

🤣

could be worse. My dad bought cheese one year and didn't say it needed to go into the fridge

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Unrelated but a friend once left a mountain of cheese in the boot of our car overnight in France. We'd stopped over to stay in a hotel on the way back and the muppet didn't think to bring it up to his room and chill it.
OMG the stench when we opened the car in the morning and had to have the windows open 6 hours home.

To be honest, I'd bite my lip and ask the neighbours. Don't give her the headspace to ruin your Christmas and hide the keys so there's no chance of letting herself in. Next year, however successful whatever it is, is. Tell her the neighbours are not going away and under no circumstances to repeat it unless the is also buying you a "party fridge" for the shed.

MissMoneyFairy · 19/12/2025 11:09

I would be wary of refrigerating something edible like fish or meat that has been sat in a car for at least 3 hours

LassitersLegend · 19/12/2025 10:59

You're not being unreasonable. I'd tell them that if you can squeeze anything into your fridge you will, but other than that they'll have to have a cool box or they'll have to buy a mini fridge if that's not good enough.

katepilar · 19/12/2025 10:57

Is it a man demanding this of you?

ChocolateCinderToffee · 19/12/2025 10:51

Cheese is my bet, or fancy wine. Either can go in the garage.

Fluffy40 · 19/12/2025 10:46

Leave in the car boot, it’s getting colder !

monchichilarue · 19/12/2025 10:45

DallazMajor · 18/12/2025 20:25

Is it Mounjaro ?

🤣😂

I might need some Mounjaro after Christmas dinner

Alltheunreadbooks · 19/12/2025 10:38

housethatbuiltme · 19/12/2025 09:24

I would assume its a cheese hamper.

I bought cheese once then realized it had to be refrigerated, was really stressful as everyone uses the fridge and I didn't want the receiver to see it. Lesson learned.

Still I have seen on worst gifts threads people who where gifted things with cheese without any storage warning and then it was put under the tree unrefrigerated in a cosy warm living room for days until everyone was like 'whats that ungodly smell'. Apparently not a rare occurrence.

My DM buys perishables like porkpies, sausage rolls and even croissants ridiculously early in December and big's herself up for being ' organised', but basically they go past their best before date, so you end up with stale croissants on Christmas orning, and slimy grey porkpie on Boxing Day. She also has a habit of not putting cheese in the fridge, which makes it inedible in my opinion.

katepilar · 19/12/2025 10:37

Tell them the most you can fit in is the coolpacks for their coolbox.
Cheeky of them.

YippyKiYay · 19/12/2025 10:31

Can DS refuse to have it in his car if it's that big? In case it 'spills over' and wrecks the upholstery? Whatever it is...
And then it won't even leave their house?

Also placemarking as I want to know what happens...
We are in Brisbane, will be approx 30deg on Xmas day. No room in my fridge at Xmas or any other day! We only have two shelves for four people, two of them teen-agers so it is usually full. Everything has to go in the fridge (chocolate, ketchup) as it would melt, go off, or get eaten by ants all year round.

Good luck OP!

WinterWooliesBaa · 19/12/2025 10:29

ScottyandWestie · 18/12/2025 22:08

I will update with what turns up. I have asked my son to give me some clues when he does the pick up and a better idea of the size. Everyone knows fridge space is sacred in the run up to Christmas.

Look forward to the update!

it's utterly ridiculous. So batshit!!

I was going to say, just tell them the gifts will have to be given early (ie as soon as they arrive) but given your situation with the neighbour's house I'd just do that (if I was your neighbour I wouldn't mind in the slightest, if there was room)

utterly batshit gifts at anytime, but especially Christmas.