To not go? Just discovered I am an unwelcome guest :(

[greywhitebluepink]

My parents died when I was quite young and so I have been used to spending Christmas alone over the years. I am now married and pregnant but my husband works Christmas Day.

So someone at work made a massive fuss about this and I thought she was being nice. I don’t really like going to other people’s homes anyway on Christmas Day as you get in the way a bit and plus I have been very sick in this pregnancy but she was so insistent it would have been rude to say no, and she lives locally and I thought i could do with expanding my support network with being due a baby. So I said thank you and accepted.

So I text before to confirm arrangements and I got a text back not meant for me saying how she (the host) is so stressed at arranging Christmas dinner and then goes on to say something like ‘on top of that some woman I work with is insisting I feed her too.’

I just replied saying don’t think you meant that for me. She’s tried to ring me twice but I don’t want to talk to her.

We had exactly this situation a few years ago.

Me and a friend were backpacking round a foreign country, taking odd jobs as we stayed a few months in each place.

We had Christmas all planned out, some wild camping at a remote beauty spot. Anyhow a colleague got wind of this and made a massive fuss over several weeks on how Christmas in their country was a family event and we Must come and join in with their family. So we eventually agreed then spent money we didn't really have getting gifts for their family, only for pretty much exactly the same thing to happen as in the OP.

Really odd.

We had our wild Christmas after all. With a campfire and champagne cooled in a mountain stream. :)

I agree that she’s probably playing up the “poor me” element to the person that the text was intended for, so I wouldn’t take it personally

Absolutely this. I was always complaining to friends *and I've got all his bloody family coming here AGAIN!" I would have been mortified had any of them heard me. I was just letting off steam.

Fuck that OP. Pop yourself off to a Sainsbury's local or whatever and stock up on delish food to enjoy at home. Merry xmas to you!

If you go on Amazon and put in a few books you liked when you read before then it will recommend books similar to those.

Yeah but peony would you expect them to feel comfortable if they had heard you, after that ... as I don’t.

OP that’s a horrible thing to happen. I hope it hasn’t upset you too much. Please forget about her and think of all the wonderful Christmas’ you will have with your DC in years to come! Xx

Is your DH working shifts? Can you have some sort of odd late night / early morning meal between you?

jedenfalls that sounds magical:)

He’s on a Leona day tomorrow but he has New Years off :)

Long

is there a risk she might turn up at your door all apologetic OP? Does she know where you live?

The evil side of me would screenshot her text and send it to all colleagues

Awe you did the right thing by cancelling, she is defo playing the martyr but she is a dick, can you update us when you have been to coop as I need to know that you got some nice food

Don't go, the silly cow has invited you round but then slagged you off about it.

Have a nice meal with your DH on boxing day.

And be careful - this sort of story is sadly ripe for DM journos these days.

Sounds to me like a jokey comment gone wrong. I very much doubt she meant it, she was just upping the drama for comic effect. Not nice fo you to read though. To save face, since you have to work together, just accept her grovelling excuses, say you can see she’s stressed and have therefore made alternative arrangements which you are perfectly happy with. Warmly wish her a Happy Christmas knowing that she won’t have one because her stomach will go over every time she thinks of this.

Not sure what you can get for Kindle but I recommend 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman, especially if you've seen the film. Also the entire 'Thursday Next' series by Jasper Fforde, starting with 'The Eyre Affair'.

Enjoy your day, OP. She probably didn't mean it as a slight to you, just angling for sympathy, but she's done you a favour as you'll have a lovely time tomorrow!

I once got ghosted at Christmas, someone was so insistent that I couldn't be at home by myself, I simply had to come, they were looking forward to it. So I agreed. Then she started complaining about the cost of it all, refused when I offered to contribute and then just ghosted me. I would have been fine on my own tbh but it hadn't been a good year and that just about finished me. Why bother in the first place?

Enjoy your new kindle, op, and bollocks to your scabby colleague!

Good grief! She sounds like a right cow. I would just ignore her,let her stew in own juice OP.

I can recommend James Patterson. The Women's murder club series and the Alex Cross series. All stand alone but much better read in order. Also Kathy Reichs. Her books are what the series Bones is based on.

Did you get any nice food? Some takeaways will be open tomorrow- I know it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but at least no cooking/big washing up to do?

I hope you get something sorted. She sounds like someone who needs to make other people think she’s really put upon.

I think you did the right thing cancelling op. You’ll have a nicer time at home anyway.

Christmas is such a stressful pressurised time and she’d probably just had enough. You personally were probably not exactly unwelcome but she just probably wanted to stick the turkey and all the Christmas paraphernalia on a bonfire.

I hope you have got yourself some nice bits to eat, good books, crappy tv, with your feet up, sounds like heaven

Agree with Pearlsaringer's suggestion

If your looking for books, Iv quite enjoyed all the books dawn french has written. They are easy to read if you've been out of the reading game for a while.
I don't know if they are on kindle as I don't have one but I assume they would be.

Get some nice food from the coop, get your comfiest jammies on and have a lovely Christmas. Fuck her and her martyrdom!