I have every right to un-invite them, don’t I?

[asblindasabat]

I’m hosting Christmas Day this year for my family and my in laws. My DH’s brother and his OH have both caught a really bad head cold / borderline flu.

They say they are coughing and spluttering, BIL has a chesty cough, sore throat, temperature etc.

We have been in contact, I’ve been wishing them to get better, as you do when someone is unwell, and they still think they can come to my house on Christmas Day!

BIL said that they will come if they feel up to it and that if they’re slightly better than what they are now, they’ll just take some lemsip and will come down and try to enjoy it as best they can.

I haven’t yet replied, I hate confrontation, but I feel a bit uneasy with them coming down here when they could be potentially still spreading an infection! Should I tell them that they shouldn’t come? At the same time, I feel a bit mean because it’s Christmas Day, we could leave the food round to their house so they can eat at home, if needs be but I don’t want myself or anyone else getting their germs.

DH says that if they’re feeling a bit better, even if not totally better, that there is no reason why they can’t come!

I also wouldn’t want to be in the same space as people with this type of illness and totally understand. Could you consider dropping them round food (as you said) and hopping on a video call to still spend time together and then having an additional get together when they’re better.
seems sensible to me.

Yes. My plan was to make Christmas dinner as normal and when my guests are sitting down to eat, I plan on going to make the 10 mile journey to deliver the food to BIL along with his gifts so I’ll have to eat my dinner when I get back home.

And then we can do a Skype video call on our big tv so they can join us that way and they are welcome to come round in the new year for a meet up to make up for it.

DH is now starting to realise that they shouldn’t be coming, but only because BIL now has diarrhoea. But he doesn’t want to let them down so thinks they should come anyway and that we should just hope we don’t get ill. It’s totally ridiculous.

Well I’ve done it… I’ve sent the text to BIL telling him I don’t think him and his OH should come as they are still ill and I have told him my proposed arrangements!! Awaiting a response.

Well done and stick to your guns. You're the reasonable one here and if anyone says any different they're wrong!

Well done @asblindasabat

I think you’re being more than accommodating and reasonable. Especially as it’ll mean your Christmas experience is also interrupted somewhat.
I really hope they are reasonable in their response. And I hope you can all have a merry Christmas, whatever it may look like.

You’ve been sensible here, OP.

I hope that they will decline your offer of dropping off dinner to save you the drive on Christmas Day.

Any update @asblindasabat? How did BIL respond to your (perfectly reasonable) message?

That that’s fine but that they would like us to bring desserts and some nibbles too. Not even a please or thanks!

🤯😱

I think you can say no, we have all been ill for weeks it's a horrific bug you do not want to catch (if it's the same one we've had).

You've done the right thing OP . This article was on the BBC news website.