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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

GF FIL might not come from xmas dinner... very worried

182 replies

Newsnat · 11/11/2019 03:06

So some background... my FIL is gluten free. Not through choice, he was diagnosed several years ago with celiac disease. My MIL’s way of coping with this was to make everyone in the household go GF at shared meal times, rather than cooking two separate meals every night.

We have never had in-laws round for a meal before (in about two years of living together) but recently went to the effort of buying a full new dining set, enough crockery to accommodate both DP’s family and mine at the same time and arranged a dinner.

My DP asked his parents to come about two weeks in advance of it and they wouldn’t give a straight answer until the day before when they said they wouldn’t be coming because of FIL’s intolerance, even though we made it clear we would make a GF plate for him or he could bring his own (this was apparently a ridiculous suggestion).

I’ve not spoken to in laws about it (FTR - I do get in with them incredibly well, it just doesn’t seem like my place as we are not married) but DP tells me FIL is worried about anyone else other than MIL cooking for him. They don’t tend to eat out since the diagnosis and only to places that are throughly vetted.

The issue we now have is I am pregnant. Due imminently and I really really want baby’s first Christmas to be at our own home with me and DP. Also don’t fancy dragging baby out, plus want to be comfy 8-4 weeks PP in my own surroundings, plus I have my own mum to consider...

Up until now we’ve spent every Christmas since we got together apart at our own parents homes. My mum lives on her own and has agreed to come to us, she’ll sleep on the sofa (bless her) on xmas eve so she isn’t waking up on her own on xmas day (I usually go over night before) and all this will be fine. If DP’s parents agree to come to us for dinner......

My DP hasn’t spoken to them yet as it’s obviously a delicate topic giving the previous incident and I am so so so worried they won’t come for Christmas dinner on their first grandchild’s first xmas and my poor DP misses out on his parents and has to watch me enjoy it with mine. Pregnancy wasn’t planned so we didn’t really realise our last christmases at ‘home’ were our last... it’s so important to me that everyone be together and I also hate feeling like poor DP is being forced to chose between everyone )even though I know he doesn’t feel this way - obviously would chose his baba everytime).

I’ve tried to talk to him about it and he said he should bring it up with his parents sooner rather than later but he his just focussed of on the prospect of labour at the moment.

What should I do? This is really stressing me out and I think FIL is absolutely ridiculous. AIBU?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 12/11/2019 13:50

I don’t want partner to become resentful of this and therefore trying to find a way to accommodate everyone at the same time.

He won't!

My maternal gran was always on her own. She got invited to my other grandparents (so your PIL) or was at my DPs when they hosted. Every Christmas I had I spent with both sets of GPs.

My MIL is on her own (opposite to your situation). My parents invite her to Christmas lunch when we go there.

Just leave your DP's parents to him. You've stated your needs - that Christmas Day with your mum is a Number One priority. He doesn't seem massively bothered by that, does he? He hasn't said that's a problem? Don't borrow trouble, as my lovely gran would have said. (see also, There's more than one way to skin a cat.)

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2019 13:54

I also hate feeling like poor DP is being forced to chose between everyone )even though I know he doesn’t feel this way

In all of this, your DP is the issue (and the solution to the problem). He doesn't seem to care that much about informing his family of his plans for Christmas, and he doesn't seem to care that it's causing you stress.

Tell him to ask them!

Figgygal · 12/11/2019 13:55

My husband has CD we are going to PIL for xmas dinner they won't go full gf but understand cross contamination

Do your pil's never eat out?

Agree with others it's not hard to make the full meal gf these days M&S are particularly helpful in that regard

vivacian · 12/11/2019 15:17

Agree with others it's not hard to make the full meal gf these days M&S are particularly helpful in that regard

ARRRRRRGH

BertrandRussell · 12/11/2019 18:16

I suspect that the people saying that it’s easy to cook a gluten free Christmas dinner have never cooked for a true coeliac.

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2019 19:39

Do your pil's never eat out?

Agree with others it's not hard to make the full meal gf these days M&S are particularly helpful in that regard

Doesn’t much matter if you can easily cater a GF meal, from M&S or elsewhere, if the coeliac you’re cooking for won’t eat anywhere away from home - it’s right there in the OP!

DP tells me FIL is worried about anyone else other than MIL cooking for him. They don’t tend to eat out since the diagnosis and only to places that are throughly vetted.

It’s about whether they’ll come at all, for a meal or just for evening drinks or morning Bucks Fizz, and the OP’s anxiety because her DP won’t ask them!

TheDarkPassenger · 12/11/2019 19:44

Yeah of course it’s easy to do a gf dinner!!!

Fucking hard to avoid cross contamination though. Especially when it seems you have no idea just how little gluten could make him violently ill!

I’m obviously a coeliac and while I do soemtimes eat at others houses the cc risk is massive and wipes days out of my life if I am glutened. It basically turns your little hairy gut receptors to mush and it’s painful and often messy. I’m quite happy to eat at home before though.

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