*Lighthearted* - maybe a quiet space to offload - what do your guests unwittingly do that annoys you...

[EstherGrey]

Ill at the minute, so 'guestless' this year but thinking back mine would be my 'first' ☺️😂 'MIL' - who when she visited insisted on putting the dishcloth in bleach to soak.

Actually, I wasn't even married to DH at that point and the house was very firmly his house...but somehow I managed to be offended 😂 that she was critical of my 'cleanliness' standards.

Not that I hold a grudge...now divorced and twenty years on...🤣

Breathe.

Flush with the toilet lid up!

Both my mum and my MIL follow you around the house chatting at you non stop while you're trying to tidy/load the tumble dryer/go to the toilet. They don't stop talking to breathe.

It's like they're terrified by any 20 second silence, they have to fill it. You can't have a 5 minute rest unless you have a bath.

Arrive

Say “oh no, I don’t mind” or “whatever’s easiest for you” whenever I ask a question. No! I don’t want to have to make a decision for other people! Just tell me what you want!

Eat crisps from the packet while we watch tv.

Crunch crunch crunch

Then fold up the packet into origami.

@PotteringAlong

Say “oh no, I don’t mind” or “whatever’s easiest for you” whenever I ask a question. No! I don’t want to have to make a decision for other people! Just tell me what you want!

That's like my MIL, only she just says "whatever".

My mother:
You ok?" Every time you walk in or out of the room, even if you're only gone for 10 seconds. Go for a wee "you ok?", come back "you ok?". Go to the kitchen for a drink "you ok?", come in from the kitchen with said drink "you ok?".....
Not because they're concerned for whatever reason, just because it's something to say.

Put on a film and all you can hear is crisps being crunched. I know you can't eat crisps silently, but you CAN close your mouth while you chew.

There's a member of the family I don't speak to, been no contact for years. Yet my mother insists on telling me all about them and what they've been up to and expects me to contribute to the conversation no matter how many times I've politely told her that I have no interest in this person.

Some laughs here...'breathe'...'arrive'. 😂

Mine just don't leave me alone. GO AND SIT IN THE OTHER ROOM - you don't all need to sit/stand in the kitchen as I prepare food...Christmas film is on, sofa is comfy, fire is on....GO.

@LivingInaBuildingSite

Eat crisps from the packet while we watch tv.

Crunch crunch crunch

Then fold up the packet into origami.

Is my dad your guest, or are you my mum 🤣

As you're prepping for the Christmas Eve buffet, making the Marie Rose sauce and washing the leaves, cooking the eggs, slicing bread etc they're hovering around "I'll just plate these shall I?"

No! The meal is still 90 minutes away and it's a fucking buffet!! Go and watch something on tv.

@Cheeseycheeseycheesecheese haha, it’s my FIL who does that.

I have to grit my teeth and can only breathe when the origami is complete. I have gone to the loo and insisted they carry on watching whatever just so I can avoid the crunching.

MIL also follows me round the house which drives me demented 😬

Hover in the kitchen getting in the way ( we have a large kitchen and they still manage!) Leave the toilet seat up. Break glasses whilst washing up ( FIL banned from helping now!)

Hover around when I'm busy, tiny kitchen and they keep standing in the way when I trying to empty dishwasher etc but don't actually help

Where do I start 🙈🙈🙈
Tomorrow my 5 siblings & partners nieces and nephews & partners & kids will arrive at my house.
18 adults in total.
My SIL's face will be like a smacked arse when she arrives my brother will be half cut.
Other SIL will nosy around my house asking his much things cost.
One sister will help in the kitchen, One will get drunk throughout the day and cry by the end of the night, One will get on the karaoke machine and want to dance with everyone.
Oldest brother will get the 12 YES 12 kids hyper.
Kids will chase each other all over my house then start hitting each other
One of my nieces will fall out with her partner it happens every year.
DH will tell me NEXT YEAR YOUR MAD FAMILY CAN FUCK OFF 😂😂😂😂
Merry Christmas everyone 🎅🎅

My mother insists on helping to tidy, wash dishes etc. She’s just being nice, but doesn’t really know where stuff goes and has never owned a dishwasher. Last year she opened it fully while I was facing away, I turned around and fell smack on and over it….completely wrecked it. She was so upset, and I was so sore lol.

Dishwasher....why do elderly people rinse/wash every single item before putting things in the dishwasher....

Currently I’m a bit pissed off because people I thought would have left 3 hours ago are still here.
And eating food I had earmarked for another time .

My brother is staying for three full days and will monologue literally the entire time.

It’s not a conversation, he doesn’t want to know anything about anyone else’s life, just keep up an unspeakably tedious stream of consciousness, mostly about his golf club.

I love him, it’s very kind of him to come, but I already want to beat my head against a wall.

How's it going everyone?

BiL keeps sitting in my seat at the dining table. It's the small things that get on my nerves.

Shoes on inside!

Hang around in the kitchen while I'm trying to make drinks. Not particularly getting in the way, but sometimes I need a five minute breather from talking and making coffee is the perfect opportunity. I don't want to be followed into the kitchen and feel embarrassed about how untidy my mug cupboard is.

'Enjoy' their food. With much smacking of lips and chewing noises. Good job really because they never say thank you and I'd never know they're enjoying it otherwise.

Today we've got competitive family coming who always find something to be better at. Never mind. I've got a bottle of Bailey's somewhere