WIBU to fake a positive Covid test so everybody f***s off?

[glacialseafoam]

As the above really. I don't even know if I’m joking or not at this point I’m so irritated.

Both sides of family have invited themselves for hours and hours tomorrow plus dinner (and breakfast, and lunch, with 7 dogs between them…). Plus they’ve come to see the kids tonight to bring Christmas eve boxes and pyjamas etc. I went on an hour and a half dog walk for some space and they were still here. Honestly, nobody is enjoyable company and I really can’t be arsed. MIL is apparently turning up at 7.30 with her drip of a partner to ‘watch the kids open their presents’. She won’t leave til after dark. She did contribute a cheap sticky toffee pudding and a tin of custard though.

The last thing on earth I want to do tomorrow is cook for 16 (fussy & uninvited) people. And they all wonder why I don’t like Christmas. It’s the same every year. Can’t tell them to leave us alone for the day or come for a hour or something as would create so much drama.

We see both sides of the family ALL of the time, for context. They don’t even really like each other….

F*cks sake.

OP’s said she’s not going to back out of hosting, and that’s fine.

Hopefully this year is the straw to break the camel’s back and OP says no from next year.

God almighty!

If I was facing a 7.30 to umpteen-o'clock day of horror like that I'd actually feign death never mind Covid!.

@WorraLiberty

Jokes aside though

These people are not uninvited and absolutely no-one can invite themselves anywhere.

You and your DH have invited them and their 7 dogs to your home and if you're unhappy with that, you'll need to stop doing it.

Also, make sure your DH learns to cook roast dinners in the new year so Christmas dinner won't be down to you.

yup.....rod for your own back. If you don't want to do it, why do you do it?

Oh I'm so doing this for the first day back at work, I need a rest.

Can't you say you're very sorry you've come down with a d&v bug and need them all to stay clear until 48hr after your last bout. You absolutely cannot be cooking with d&v.

And it means no 10 day isolation.

Do it. Then next year book a holiday over Christmas. Merry Christmas OP!

@Couchbettato

Can't you say you're very sorry you've come down with a d&v bug and need them all to stay clear until 48hr after your last bout. You absolutely cannot be cooking with d&v.

And it means no 10 day isolation.

And if she does that she'll continue to have the problem until she puts effective boundaries in place.

Christ ! I’m visiting family tomorrow and was meant to stay over for a Boxing Day walk, I have just had a text telling me to bring my swimming costume so we can go in the hot tub - I need a red sharpie pronto!!

Please actually do it . You dont deserve that shit

OP,
Make '22 about asserting yourself.

It is empowering.

In your situation I would be buying all food ready made in Iceland, plus the turkey and fling it up.

There is no way I would be going to any trouble for a bunch of uncouth heathens.

Do the least you can do and as you are serving up feign a migraine and disappear after eating for lie down.

Screw them.

You're a grown adult... just say no! No to turning up at 0730 and give them an arrival time and make it clear they need to be gone by x time. Sorted. What part of this is so tricky?

I certainly wouldn't waste a load of time make a nice roast for them all. Think Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side - she goes and buys a load of pre-prepared cold food and her family say 'thank you momma for going to the store to get this food'. I don't think the oven even gets turned on.

Then do a proper roast on Boxing Day when they've all gone.

Seriously, though, you need to stop going through this shit every year 'for an easy life' (whose easy life? Doesn't seem that easy for you). I'd stick to your guns that next year you're not hosting.

@WorraLiberty

Jokes aside though

These people are not uninvited and absolutely no-one can invite themselves anywhere.

You and your DH have invited them and their 7 dogs to your home and if you're unhappy with that, you'll need to stop doing it.

Also, make sure your DH learns to cook roast dinners in the new year so Christmas dinner won't be down to you.

^^This. All of it.

Do it,save yourself the headache.

"Both sides of family have invited themselves for hours and hours tomorrow plus dinner (and breakfast, and lunch, with 7 dogs between them…). Plus they’ve come to see the kids tonight to bring Christmas eve boxes and pyjamas "

No-one can invite themselves if you say "No"

"We’d be bullied into going to somebody else’s house if I didn’t host which isn’t fair on the kids."

Why would you allow yourselves to be bullied?

Someone else needs to grow a backbone it seems

"Have had 34 years of it. There’s no way to reasonably deal with her."

Just say "No".

If the fake the test you'll get out of it this year but will have to deal with it next year....

FGS grow a bloody backbone.

Life is far too short to be this miserable. It sounds shit.

😔 thankfully this isn’t happening to me tomorrow but they sound exactly like my in-laws. See only what they want and nothing else. Even when you confront them or even jokingly make a dig (hoping they take the hint) they just answer back like you’re the person being unreasonable 😩

@DontPeeInThePlayHouse

You're welcome to use mine

This is hilarious 😆

You need to read the "just tell them to fuck off" thread on here recently. So much joy and relief from doing what you want to do and not what cheeky fuckers want you to do.

Just tell them to go fuck themselves http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/4431675-Just-tell-them-to-go-fuck-themselves

I can say no to her arriving at 0730, doesn’t mean she won’t arrive at 0730 though. Honestly may kill my dog off and just go for a walk until it hurts after lunch.

I usually do have a backbone in normal everyday life, but one side of the family is super manipulative and the other side just are very loud and self important and too much on the top of the others. You can say no all you like but you’d pay for it for the rest of the year.

Treat yourself to therapy in the new year so you can learn and implement some boundaries.

You wouldn't pay for it on an ongoing basis if you just stopped any engagement with them as soon as they're unpleasant. 34 years of not putting boundaries in place isn't easy to overturn though.

Yes fake it and enjoy your Christmas.

I agree with previous poster- try some therapy in the new year. There is no need to either do this tomorrow or ‘pay for it all year’ if you don’t. You can stick up for yourself and have some boundaries to preserve what you want. You matter too, not just them. Maybe the kids would benefit from a non - trampled down mother?