Family member has bought refrigerated gifts

[ScottyandWestie]

AIBU - Family member arriving on Saturday to stay for the whole of Christmas has just advised me they are bringing gifts which need to be refrigerated. It’s not alcohol but they will not explain what the items are for fear of “spoiling the surprise” and will need “possibly two shelves of the fridge”. I have a large fridge but due to catering to a huge amount of people over the Christmas period it’s full and will be at capacity tomorrow. I explained this but they are adamant. AIBU to suggest they store their gifts in a cool box in our shed?

2 shelves of fridge space is big ask over christmas!

I'd text back and say your fridge will be full to busting so unfortunately they will need to bring a cold box or mini fridge if they insist on refrigerated gifts as you cannot accommodate this request.

I know, @Blondeshavemorefun, but there’s a lovely stable out the back, and a great security light doth shone around.

(What you doing up at crazy o’clock anyway? I think you were getting up just as I was finally getting to sleep!)

Or a Kilo of Mounjaro

rising like Ol’ cheeses above the Sauce for the meat 🎵

This thread has reminded me I need to sort the fridge out for the weekend & Xmas shops.

Thanks 😐🙄😉😁

It can't be cheese, unless they are millionaires.

I have an outrageous quantity of cheese in my fridge right now and even that doesn't take two shelves up.

Just repeat that you don't have any space in your fridge, but they're welcome to bring a cool box for it to be stored in the shed. You can't offer them something you don't have.

At least they have told you. SiL bought us a cheese board one year - all wrapped up. i put it under the tree where it sat in the centrally heated house for nearly a week. it was fizzing when we opened it🤮i had wondered what the farty smell was in living room that seemed to linger but kept blaming family members .

Barry Two-Shelves needs to be made into a Christmas film

EastEnders spinoff, main character Shaun Williamson

Did you tell them in plain language like No, there isnt space in the fridge for your stuff.

I was working last night so awake silly o clock

Normal?? Oh shit. We bought one once from Asda and it was mouldy, so we cut the mould off and let the foxes take the rest.

Cool box in shed is fine. Wack bag of ice in and keep rotating fresh freezer blocks in.

I don't understand how they can be travelling to yours for three hours, not in a car so presumably no refrigeration/cold box available for the item, but when they get to yours whatever they are schlepping needs to take up two shelves in your fridge? Surely it will be on the turn then anyway?

"I'm so sorry I can't be more helpful, especially on short notice, but as you can imagine we need the fridge space ourselves for all the people we're hosting."

Then grey rock.

We are already fulll to the brim and about to activate our "outdoor fridge" which is a cool bag for veg and a big metal ice bucket/bowl full of ice and all the fizz and wine moves outside on the table.

Two shelves free 😂

I need to know what it is and who is the proud bearer ( my money on MIL)

well I think you did the right thing!

Good point.

Garage or shed. Stand firm.

I would simply say ‘No my fridge will be full with all the Christmas food.’
I have a spare fridge in the garage and I would still be upset at this request. If I take something that needs to be kept cold (like a desert) to someone else’s house, I always keep it in a cool bag/box with lots of very large ice blocks. It does work to keep it cool.

I also think it’s a jamon, with a stand.

Those things are kept at room temperature in shops, bars and homes in Spain, all year round.

Therefore they do not need refrigeration in the UK in winter so it can't be a jamon leg.

I don't think it's even a gift. I think it's the leftovers from relative's own fridge which they don't want to go to waste over Christmas. Lots of little tupperware boxes full of things like 2 sausages, half a lettuce, a few boiled potatoes.

Wondering whether it’s products from Lush? Some of those have to be kept refrigerated, don’t they?

You've told them the situation, they haven't listened. When they arrive, point them in the direction of the fridge and let them figure it out for themselves. Within minutes, I can only imagine, they'll be asking you about your shed. This is for them to figure out.

ooooh no... nonono..

The sort of person who will haul half a deer and a brace of salmon plus dramatic ice sculpture and demand two shelves of your groaning, creaking, bulging fridge..

Is absolutely the sort of person who would merrily decant the contents of two shelves of the fridge out onto the worktops, stuff their goodies in there and then walk off and say precisely fuck all about the problem they have created!

Then shrug at you when you notice, and ask where the fuck you're meant to put the cream, the butter, the cheese, the brandy butter, the pigs in blankets etc, as if you should have an extra fridge and the fact you do not have a commercial walk in fridge is very much your fucking problem.