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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Unexpected guest on Christmas Day

282 replies

Purtyburty · 12/12/2025 11:17

Hi all I would like some feedback on this situation my DH has given me this morning. This is our first time having Christmas in our own home as we usually go off visiting different sides of the family as nobody lives in the same area. My parents are 5 hours away and DH’s parents are 2 hours away. This year we are hosting DH’s side as we have two young children under 5 and it just gets too much travelling and taking presents etc. We have asked DH’s DB to come as well because he has just come out of a 6 year relationship in the past year. DH’s parents are divorced so just MIL coming as well from 23rd-27th. DBIL has not given a definite answer where he is going but this morning my DH said DBIL said he might come and bring somebody he is seeing with him. DH has not shut it down and he said he said ‘oh really?’ and that was that. AIBU to not want this to be the case? We’ve never met her - I had to ask my husband her name even 😬 when I said I didn’t like that idea DH said im just making things difficult for him now? Thoughts?

OP posts:
Londonrach1 · 12/12/2025 12:06

That's a hard one...both yanbu and yabu

PhuckTrump · 12/12/2025 12:08

Purtyburty · 12/12/2025 11:38

To stay. DH’s family were invited to stay a few months ago. MIL as well. He is late 30s. I don’t know about her family. I don’t know anything about her. I personally think he wants to bring her because he is feeling very ‘single’ especially around this time of year.

No. At this busy time when you’re juggling multiple house guests, it’s not on for BIL to invite someone as anovernight guest who he’s been dating for 5 seconds (and you’ve never met). DH needs to shut this down.

The only time I would go with this is once DCs are in their 20s and want to invite BFs/GFs. That’s not your current season of life—the random BF/GF invitation season. You’re in the Christmas Magic For Little Ones season of life.

gogomomo2 · 12/12/2025 12:11

You don’t know anything about her so there may be a good reason why he wants to invite her, perhaps she has no family. If you genuinely don’t have space for her to stay as well then saying to him that whilst it’s fine for her to spend time with you all, he’ll need to book accommodation because he would have the single inflatable mattress, no space for a double or whatever - but only if this is the truth

honeylulu · 12/12/2025 12:18

I think that's rude of him - telling rather than asking you about bringing a guest.

Coming for the meal/day is one thing (though my comment above still applies) but expecting to bring someone who is a complete stranger to stay overnight in your family home, without asking you to consider it, is really bad manners and uncomfortable for you.

Maybe I'm horrible and uptight but I'm sure I'm not the only one who would feel uneasy about my family Christmas turned into hosting a new person I'd never met.

Purtyburty · 12/12/2025 12:18

Just to clarify I do know a few things (her name now😂) and I think one of the reasons she isn’t necessarily going anywhere else is that she and her family don’t celebrate Christmas. I think maybe I was thinking more from my eldest child’s perspective. You know the Christmas morning glee and ripping open presents. She’s very shy around people other than family and wouldn’t want her to feel shy at this time x

OP posts:
passiveaggressivenonsense · 12/12/2025 12:18

I love a random guest for Xmas, it keeps the MIL busy and everyone else on good behaviour !

DappledThings · 12/12/2025 12:20

You’re in the Christmas Magic For Little Ones season of life.
Yikes. This obsession with Christmas "magic" has qualified for capital letters now? 🙄

I have primary age children. I can't imagine thinking protecting their "magic" (a term I've never seen outside MN and still don't particularly understand) meant I wouldn't be friendly enough to one extra person for the day whose presence couldn't impact things that much.

Friendlygingercat · 12/12/2025 12:20

It would be interesting to consider this from the perspective of the GF. As one poster upthread remarked is she on board with this plan?

This happend to me years ago when I was in an early stage of a relationship with a man. I had avoided mass get togethers with my own family and he wanted me to come and spend the day with his. I declined on the grounds that I was not into the big christmas hosting scene. I was quite happy for him to go and stay over if he wished. Christmas alone held no terrors for me. He was not happy and the resulting argument ended the relationship.

Wrenjay · 12/12/2025 12:22

I'm in the one extra doesn't make much difference camp. If she turns out to be not so great then there are lots of people around so anything inappropriate won't be so obvious, hopefully. If she turns out to be a bit precious or upsets you ask her to help in the kitchen afterwards clearing up!

PhuckTrump · 12/12/2025 12:23

Purtyburty · 12/12/2025 12:18

Just to clarify I do know a few things (her name now😂) and I think one of the reasons she isn’t necessarily going anywhere else is that she and her family don’t celebrate Christmas. I think maybe I was thinking more from my eldest child’s perspective. You know the Christmas morning glee and ripping open presents. She’s very shy around people other than family and wouldn’t want her to feel shy at this time x

So that’s why she’s free to accept a last-minute invitation to celebrate with a bloke she’s been dating for 5 seconds—she doesn’t celebrate Christmas. No. It’s not your job to ease BIL’s discomfort in his first Christmas as a divorcé.

TheTaupeScroller · 12/12/2025 12:23

It's only the 12th of December, hardly unexpected for Christmas Day!

She might be a stranger to you, but she's his current partner. You don't plan to bring a one-night stand to a family Christmas gathering so there are obviously serious?

I don't believe you can dictate which partner are acceptable and which are not, unless you are happy for a massive family fall-out. Do you wait for people to be married to invite them over? What if they don't legally get married?

I would find it very petty, rude and mean to tell my brother not to bring his plus one. They're not get-crashing an intimate and private moment with your partner, what difference does it make.

A family gathering is the perfect occasion to introduce a new partner, isn't it?

TheTaupeScroller · 12/12/2025 12:25

PhuckTrump · 12/12/2025 12:23

So that’s why she’s free to accept a last-minute invitation to celebrate with a bloke she’s been dating for 5 seconds—she doesn’t celebrate Christmas. No. It’s not your job to ease BIL’s discomfort in his first Christmas as a divorcé.

you sound bitter he happily found someone else quickly, happiest relationships I know around me started like that 😂

People learn from mistakes of first failed marriage, and are happy after. What a great way to be welcome in the family " no, my brother's wife does not want you there"

TiredCatLady · 12/12/2025 12:26

Are they also staying in your house as opposed to just coming for dinner?

That would be pretty uncomfortable if you’ve never met her or she’s a casual partner. Though I doubt she’d want to spend Xmas around a family she’s not met yet.

ConnieHeart · 12/12/2025 12:28

bridgetreilly · 12/12/2025 11:48

I think it would be kind to invite her too. In my experience, families are often better when there is an outsider present. But don’t treat her like a special guest, she has to muck in with everyone and help.

Wow, poor girl! Being made to help with tidying up etc & not being treated like a guest!

ArcticGrass · 12/12/2025 12:30

We are a bit more the merrier, DSS has had 4 different, all lovely, girlfriends over the last 4 Christmases. Our ex DIL turned up to stay with her new fiance last year. We've got DH's ex in laws this year.

But to be fair we don't have small children in the house.

Missey85 · 12/12/2025 12:32

It's Christmas and one extra person it wouldn't bother me in the slightest 😊

MaturingCheeseball · 12/12/2025 12:32

I’d just like a bit more information if I were you! A “not celebrating Christmas” person might enjoy experiencing a traditional family Christmas, or might not…

I would groan if someone had multiple food preferences (as opposed to a particular allergy) and if someone didn’t like dogs - well, goodbyeeeee!!!

FrizzyFrizbee · 12/12/2025 12:34

Ah. From your post it reads as though you invited BL as he’d just come out of a 6 yr relationship and so presumably you thought he would be alone. Then it turns out that (unknown to you) this was no longer the case.

It also reads as though BIL assumed he might bring her along, without actually first asking if it was okay. That would irk me, especially at Xmas. How does he know you have the space, that you haven’t made specific food plans? For all he knows, you might already be inviting your neighbours, and it’s enough. But he didn’t bother, he assumed.

Good manners costs nothing, he could have asked.

To make matters worse, when you raise an objection, your DH is not really being helpful.

I would definitely say to DH that in future, nobody gets to invite others without asking first, and you both have to agree (especially if you do most of the work).

You could phone BIL yourself and say, sorry you only have space for him. Or you could swallow it this time, and maybe he will decide to spend it with his girlfriend instead.

If he is invited again, be clear about the boundaries. Shouldn’t be necessary but apparently it is.

Whereismyfleeceblanket · 12/12/2025 12:35

Adult dd put me on the spot one Xmas and asked if her every recent fwb could come round . We all spent hours tip toeing round while they napped on the sofa having been up all night... And doubtfully due to wrapping gifts...

ACynicalDad · 12/12/2025 12:36

If they were an item and it was lunch it's fine, if they've been on half a dozen dates and plan to stay 3/4 days I'd say no.

MaturingCheeseball · 12/12/2025 12:36

Also depends on numbers. 20 for dinner - an extra doesn’t matter. 4 for dinner - awks.

Also what does one do about presents? We do stockings/big pile for all, but I would feel obliged to do a stocking for an extra person and then have our main presents three days later to avoid embarrassment.

honeylulu · 12/12/2025 12:37

Purtyburty · 12/12/2025 12:18

Just to clarify I do know a few things (her name now😂) and I think one of the reasons she isn’t necessarily going anywhere else is that she and her family don’t celebrate Christmas. I think maybe I was thinking more from my eldest child’s perspective. You know the Christmas morning glee and ripping open presents. She’s very shy around people other than family and wouldn’t want her to feel shy at this time x

Yikes, this is a bit uncomfortable. Doesn't celebrate Christmas. But is coming to you ... for Christmas Day? Is she going to join in or not?

I really feel for your daughter being shy and not being able to enjoy her normal Christmas because of a new audience. That's not fair on her. My mum sometimes invited her single friend to us for Christmas. The friend didn't like children (though she was a head teacher) and would tell us off all the time for just being normal happy excited kids. We would stay in our room as much as possible! I wouldn't say it ruined Christmas but we definitely preferred it the years she didn't come!

DappledThings · 12/12/2025 12:39

MaturingCheeseball · 12/12/2025 12:36

Also depends on numbers. 20 for dinner - an extra doesn’t matter. 4 for dinner - awks.

Also what does one do about presents? We do stockings/big pile for all, but I would feel obliged to do a stocking for an extra person and then have our main presents three days later to avoid embarrassment.

Why? I would just get her something small and carry on as normal. She won't be expecting a big pile and might well find the idea excruciating. We don't do adult presents anyway but if I was invited to someone else's house who did do them and in bulk I wouldn't have any issue watching them open their normal and not being involved.

Lindy2 · 12/12/2025 12:40

This would not bother me. 1 extra person with nearly 2 week's notice is no big deal.

He wants to spend Christmas Day with his new girlfriend. Is he not allowed to have a new partner?

TheTaupeScroller · 12/12/2025 12:41

FrizzyFrizbee · 12/12/2025 12:34

Ah. From your post it reads as though you invited BL as he’d just come out of a 6 yr relationship and so presumably you thought he would be alone. Then it turns out that (unknown to you) this was no longer the case.

It also reads as though BIL assumed he might bring her along, without actually first asking if it was okay. That would irk me, especially at Xmas. How does he know you have the space, that you haven’t made specific food plans? For all he knows, you might already be inviting your neighbours, and it’s enough. But he didn’t bother, he assumed.

Good manners costs nothing, he could have asked.

To make matters worse, when you raise an objection, your DH is not really being helpful.

I would definitely say to DH that in future, nobody gets to invite others without asking first, and you both have to agree (especially if you do most of the work).

You could phone BIL yourself and say, sorry you only have space for him. Or you could swallow it this time, and maybe he will decide to spend it with his girlfriend instead.

If he is invited again, be clear about the boundaries. Shouldn’t be necessary but apparently it is.

have you even read the OP?

She said the 2 brothers discussed it together, and the brother hasn't confirmed what he's doing yet . So 2 people having a conversation like any normal human being.

Not quite imposing or assuming anything is it?

The only one with bad manners would be the one inviting, but later saying: you are only invited alone. I am not family either, I am only the wife of your brother but I don't want to see your girlfriend. Who does that 😂

How does he know you have the space, that you haven’t made specific food plans?
you are really clutching at straws here, he might come with his current partner, not his entire football team 😂