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?

🤣🤣🤣

I’m wondering if it will take up two separate shelves, or whether it’s quite tall, so you need to take one shelf out?

Maybe it's a ginormous champagne. In which case I can definitely help if you want to send it my way 😁

Well I suppose at least they told you. Years ago my late MiL came to stay a week before Xmas and we vacated our newly-decorated bedroom for her. When she left there was a funny smell in the room but as her hygiene was very questionable we weren’t surprised. However, even after washing all the bedding and airing the room it just got increasingly strong and unpleasant. We were seriously thinking about getting rid of the mattress when one of us thought to check the Christmas present for us she had left next to the radiator. It was a selection of cheeses.

😂

Simply say your fridge is full already, but you’re welcome to put them in a box in the shed otherwise we are unable to accommodate them. Then don’t go in any further discussion and make sure your fridge is full.

How can they be adamant that they need to use space in a fridge that doesn't exist?
No is a full sentence

If the items are ok to be in transit (possibly inside a warm car?) for 3 hours, they can probably be stored in an unheated space somewhere until time to consume, like a shed or garage etc.

Just need to keep the bundle free from attracting vermin.

Yes send a photo of your fridge .

Maybe it is a whole pig or pheasant.

What time are they due to arrive tomorrow? Because you’ve inadvertently created a thread where everybody will be eagerly awaiting an update and nobody will defend you and remind us all that you have a life and can’t be expected to drop everything to update us.

Stick some ice packs or small bottles of water in the freezer and leave it in the shed or garage - we use our garage and greenhouse for overflow

Place saver - really dying to know whether its animal, vegetable or mineral - I'm frazzled to fuck over my own fridge and shopping conundrum - I still have to buy crap in readiness for the feeding of the 5 thousand - loaves and fishes wont work so I would fight to the death before giving up two shelves before the onslaught. Hold your position and defend your fridge territory.

Sorry - I have been working and creating an “outdoor fridge”. I have one large old fashioned plastic cool box / bin thing that was my mum’s years ago. I’ve got a few of those blue Ice packs in the freezer ready for tomorrow. I’ve set up the patio table for it inside the shed. If it’s too big for the cool box it will have to just sit on the table. Not heard from my neighbours yet so want to be prepared. Guests are due here about 3-4pm depending upon traffic. My son has told me he’s been asked to make room in his car boot to keep the surprise cool. He asked how big a space was needed and got a few noncommittal umms and ahhhs. Relative is a royal pain. Two years ago they insisted they couldn’t eat Christmas dinner as a lunch due to medication, had to have something very light. Wanted to make everyone else eat the same way. My sister is made of sterner stuff than me and just set aside a plate of food for them for the evening and gave them soup while everyone tucked into the roast. The family what’s app group was on fire that day and we were in awe the whole year. Last year oddly enough, medication was not an issue - Christmas dinner was eaten with everyone else at the usual time.

I’m with your sister. No way I’m having a Christmas dinner I don’t want just to please some pain in the arse family member! And I wouldn’t expect other people to change dinner plans for me either.

Oh Gosh! All I can say is good luck!

My god how incredibly thoughtless, I have family that have been known to turn up with the contents of their fridge and random bits from their freezer, I just put it out in the conservatory although its not actually that cold at the moment!

Just hanging on to find out what on earth they’re bringing! I’m imagining a whole hog for roasting or something

I can’t wait to find out what this is. I’m betting this relative is one of those that shows up with things that are random, fiddly and unwanted and then expects everyone to fawn over them with praise. I’m expecting some kind of large food item they got free from somewhere. In what world do they think you’ll just randomly have time/the accoutrements to conjure up a meal with whatever giant bird/ham/profiterole tower they drag along? Like you haven’t considered that people will need feeding over Christmas and thank god they brought an entire deer

😂

Funny you mention free food. They won a turkey in their raffle years ago and thought it would be helpful to bring on Xmas day without mentioning.

OK, that really can only be a man. Or a woman with a Cook in the servants’ quarters.

😂

I bet he imagined himself like Reformed Scrooge, turning up at Bob Cratchit’s house with a goose, to squeals of joy 😂

OP, is this your mother? Could you perhaps dig the hole for that ’new patio’ you mentioned wanting, direct the relative to put the surprise put the cool box in the hole and ‘accidentally’ fill it in while she’s in there? 2 birds, 1 stone and all that.

I think it’s her dad.