Christmas hospitality fail

[Flippertyjibbetty]

Just posted this in antenatal thread I'm on but posting here so that anyone who worries about being insufficiently welcoming over the xmas period can not feel so bad.

I'm a week or so off due date. Very immobile due to spd. Been spending last couple of hours making beds and doing laundry in anticipation of people arriving today. DH with first friend to arrive, his phone is dead.

MIL and her friend (who are staying for xmas) just turned up and starting buzzing doorbell. I wasn't expecting them so early. I struggled down stairs thinking it a delivery and she had her face pressed to window looking in. I shouldn't have opened the door should have hid until they went away and came back...

But I did open the door and just blurted out I'm not ready for you please go to the pub and have a drink I'm not ready for you you're early and just closed the door and locked it.

Not even sure I said please.

Feeling of white hot shame on my face. I know I was U but all I could think was I haven't cleaned the loo there is still bedding all over the landing and I need to deal w the laundry and I can't make them a cup of tea and waddle around and my face is all sweaty and hair frizzy and I actually smell right now...aargh.

So if you feel you're not being as hospitable as you should, be thankful you didn't just slam the door in two pensioners faces on xmas eve...

hahah WELL DONE! and you can blame it all on the hormones!
Can't bear guests who turn up early!

You were reenacting the Christmas story. I bet there was room at the Inn really, they just hadn't hoovered. :o

TBH, I'd be livid with my DH if he left me cleaning the house on my own while he is out there somewhere, having fun. But your MIL could have helped you instead of sending her to the pub.

At least you can blame the hormones!

And breathe!

Well done you. Just wondering why you have the world and his pet dog coming to you when you are so nearly due? And of course all the work is left to you. You could have handed MIL the hoover and said "get stuck in"!

I don't blame you at all. Have a and some

Blame it on hormones! I hope you're ok xxx

Blame it on hormones, ring them say sorry then and get them back to yours to help with the housework & prep! You should have your feet up at this stage not being wrestling bedding onto beds!

As someone who is due in 3 weeks, I want to know why on earth you are hosting anyone at all over xmas???!!.

I would've told MIL it was great she was early as you needed a hand, then let her deal with kettle and other guests.

But mostly i'd be pissed off that DH has fucked off and left it all to me when it's his bloody mother that was coming round!

They should all be waiting on you hand and foot, not expecting you to run around after them

OP can you explain why you are making beds and getting everything ready whilst DH is out? What exactly has his contribution been?

And don't you dare make cups of tea etc - let them wait on you!

Not a fail at all.
They were early.
You were not ready.
Just make you put your feet up when they return.

You were very rude indeed to do that to someone and your dh is a prick too

Not a fail at all.
When they get back, claim it was the hormones, SPD and some light contractions talking and put them to work with the hoover and bed making.
If I was visiting you, I'd expect you to be taking it easy. I never made it past 37 weeks with my pregnancies. Good luck.

Oh your responses have made me laugh thank you.
I must have looked a state because this is ordinarily the kind of thing that would kick off ww3 with the MIL but I text them to say 'sorry you caught me at a bad moment I'm in a bit of pain and need to have a shower to loosen up my back. DH will meet you at the pub'.

DH did some of the hoovering before he left this morning (not all as wore up late after watching film last night- humph) but he is helping in his own way by meeting the friend and keeping him away for a few hours. The friend is quite trying and even with me waddling around I can still get more done than DH and a chatty friend in tow.

It is unfortunate that we have 3 people over to stay that I find very trying, but they'd be on their own and I wasn't expecting to be so incapacitated! Nearly done on the beds etc then can join them for the carol service and pretend I am a normal human being again.

MIL has just had a heart attack (white hot shame rising again) so I couldn't really just hand her the hoover...also she's completely the type to if she does the hoovering or dishes to never let you forget what a favour she has done you and make out that you are a complete slattern.

Which I am of course, it's just not nice to say.

Going to shove some cake in my face and get dressed- have just had that shower to ease my back!!

@stealthpolarbear- hahah!

That’s not a fail! I hate it when people turn up early and find it very rude.

They sound horrendous.

My DPs family always turn up an hour or two earlier than planned when visiting. Usually when we're in the middle of a frantic tidy up, in pyjamas, unshowered and halfway through changing a baby's nappy. I get so anxious and stressed that I then can't enjoy the rest of the visit! You weren't rude at all and they shouldn't have put you in that position. It doesn't take much for people to send a quick text to check if it's okay to arrive early, my favourite guests are the ones that arrive late.

I think you should change your name to I'mAPrickNotLawyer. 😒

Well done OP. I laughed out loud when I read that! 😆 If it's any consolation she's probably enjoying spending time in the pub with her son.

I meant to say after 'ordinarily the kind of thing that would kick off ww3' that she text me to say 'I think you've been overdoing it' which is unusually understanding.

We're all going to a carol service full of sweet little children singing carols this evening and I will just encourage DH to keep everyone's glass topped up tonight to breeze past it.

And will try to smile serenely throughout even though my face's natural setting is resting bitch face.

I thought your response to them being at the door was perfect 😂😂

We'll you've enabled it all to happen thus far, so unfortunately I think you can expect more of the same!

I actually think your DH should have explained a few weeks ago that it wasn't going to work having guests, you're not up to hosting, and asked his family and their friends to get together at one of their own homes. They would have managed, just like they do every other day of the year.

Honestly, It's a day. Just another day. People should be more understanding.

Oh, stuff it Staples!

OP I'm sorry but this really made me laugh and brought back memories of being pregnant at the Holidays. Give yourself a break and by next year this will be one of those funny 'Do you remember the Xmas when...." memories that you all laugh at.

Enjoy the rest of your Xmas. Take it easy, delegate and never mind the comments from MiL.

You know, after today's events, MiL may very well stifle her comments from now on, now that she knows what you're capable of doing when you're, um, 'displeased'!