Will everyone please STOP the extremely tone deaf 'Christmas Fridge' threads

[TempNameForObviousReasons]

I see these multiple threads every single year and they drive me bonkers. The four days leading up to Christmas Day my feed is inundated with all the stuffed fridges, it's a complete and utter disgrace. Not just a few posters but sometimes literally hundreds of you all joining in with these enormous overflowing fridges, it's barbaric and in incredibly poor taste. I have already seen THREE seperate fridge threads today alone, it's scandalous... please people just think about what you are doing by jumping on this bandwagon. Now I take this a bit personally and here is why.... There are people in this world who are starving and many families, mine included, are having to rely on food banks this year just to keep our children fed. As in dippy eggs and soldiers on Xmas eve. Many of us are in a dire state with finances and the pressures of Xmas. The fridge threads are incredibly upsetting and triggering. By all means have a nice christmas dinner with all the trimmings but why post it and rub it in the faces of those less fortunate? They will be very lucky to scrape together a very basic dinner for the family this year?

I so look forward to seeing everybody's gluttonous greed in full swing, fridges stuffed full of obscene amounts of food and alcohol that will most likely go to waste. (And waistlines. The greed of Christmas it's all totally out of control and I despair)
All the cheese boards, cheesecakes, cheeselets, and on and on and on.
Honestly I wish MNHQ would BAN the threads, they cause many people anguish and distress.
It is one day so please keep some perspective or even better, pop a selection pack or some small treats in a collection trolley to help all the fantastic homeless charities and food banks ensure more people can enjoy a sweet treat on christmas day.

(Thanks to my local foodbank and those who kindly donated, at least me and my children have a lovely box of celebrations that I will bring out on Christmas Day for us) 🙂

Interesting!

ODFOD

There is something excessive and unpleasant about Christmas, I don't like it as a festival, but I make an active choice to spend as little time as possible around shops, shopping and supermarkets, because I find the whole thing a bit much, too noisy, lots of horrible tatty presents (which are expensive!) and piles of stuff destined for landfil because I can't honestly think people would want to buy most of the left-over stuff after Christmas.

It is up to you to dodge what you dislike, though, OP. I haven't seen these threads at all and I don't go in the Christmas topic either. The onus is on you here.

I haven’t seen a single fridge thread 🤔

This has to be one of the stupidest threads I've ever seen on MN. So you go online, you click into something and read it and get all huffy cos it doesn't relate to you.

You obviously can read and write OP, don't you think your posts are triggering for blind or illiterate people? You work, aren't you goading at disabled or sick people who cannot work? You mention your kids, don't you think that's offensive to posters struggling with fertility issues? I could go on. Guess what, the world doesn't revolve around you.

Apologies if this has already been suggested bit change your settings. I get 'Featured' posts, which is usually fine, apart from the photo of someone's verruca that I was just treated to 🤐

I haven’t seen a single one. What are you accessing to be seeing so many?

To be fair, OP has stated several times that she didn’t “seek out” these threads, that they were in her Active threads when she logged in.

I don’t think it’s fair to say threads like that are motivated by greed or bragging. I see them as posters sharing pride and joy in the lovely celebration they anticipate providing for family and friends.

I also don’t find it weird to share fridge pics - I like seeing them! I enjoy not only sharing the posters’ joy, but also seeing just how different their shops are to mine.

On Reddit, they have sections where people post fridge pics all year and invite others to make assumptions about the fridge owner. For instance, someone might post the contents of their enormous American fridge, and then the other posters would try to guess how many teenaged boys she had based on the amount of milk. It gives me a tiny insight into a life nothing like my own and is interesting enough to browse for a few minutes while having a cup of tea.

In another section, people post their shop along with information on where they shopped, how much it cost, how many people it’s for, and how long it has to last. Many posters seem to be quite young and away from home for the first time, buying quite a bit of processed food. Others will give them nutritional advice and tell them how they could save money by learning to cook. I find it mildly interesting and quite sweet.

It’s all just people sharing fairly mundane things with others who might be interested. It’s not intended to make you feel bad.

Hope you and your children have a lovely, cosy Christmas.

YABU and incredibly judgemental. Not everyone has to do as you do. If you’re only not having plenty of food and drink because you can’t afford it then that’s hypocritical. You just understand that other people earn more money than you. If you could have excess but don’t want to, then be more tolerant of others choices. Just skip past things you don’t agree with as we all mostly do. Obviously some people get enjoyment discussing their fridges. To each their own. I like to hear what different foods everyone has over Xmas as a celebration. In my house there are several options and it’s nice to hear recipe suggestions.

Where are these threads?

I haven't seen one so far.

It’s actually not a dig at all at people in your situation.

We can’t just stop talking about things - or else there will be nothing to talk about.

I sympathise with you. I’ve used food banks. I’ve lived pay check to paycheck. I’ve had to make up meals with whatever is in the cupboard. But, I don’t think stopping people talking about their full fridge will do anything because there will always be people in the world with full fridges.

Im also from one of these countries that the media love to portray “the starving children” - whilst my family are alright(ish) occasions like Christmas is actually all about bringing people together with food.

I don’t want to take away from your struggle though. I want to say that when I needed my community the most, I learned to rely on strangers and when I was furloughed during covid, I connected with a foodbank that supplied fresh fruit and veg weekly but also genuine community and company - and I would volunteer (slyly for my pride as I found it hard admitting to needing the help). Around me there are people that put on free lunches, free hot meals - you do have to look for them, and it’s a bloody hard thing when you don’t want to admit you need the help, but me and my Dd found our community this way. I hope things work out for you x

I haven’t actually done my Christmas food shop yet so couldn’t post a photo but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am currently living a life of sickening excess and actually have two fridges at the moment. One is in the garage, destined for landfill. Sad.

This is the same as “don’t post photos of your babies or pregnancy news because we are trying to conceive”

Why should someone else dull their joy to protect your feelings? We need all the cheer we can get at the moment.

i can understand both sides, but at the end of the day whos to say how much would actually be used and left over ?

@TempNameForObviousReasons
We lived in poverty for a decade. I now work but only minimum wage so now have more money but still not riches. But I’m smiling and happy with my lot. Always have been tbh. I accept my situation is as it it is and it’s mine to change.
The overflowing fridge threads? I’ve been on MN 20 years and I can’t say I’ve ever noticed them really. I’ve certainly never got upset about them. Just like I don’t get upset about threads going on and on about designer handbags or cruises.

The cheese one yesterday was funny I’ll admit and yes the op spent a lot on cheese but that doesnt mean she’s a massive spendthrift in other ways, nor did she post just to wind you up.
Also how can you be sure loads of the food will go waste? I know everything I’ve bought will get eaten. Shame on those who do buy too much and waste stuff but that doesn’t mean lots of us will.
Plus it is but once a year. Many like me are probably pretty frugal all year round but it’s reasonable to have a few treats at Christmas.
Its not nice that people have named you on the other threads but what did you expect by starting a thread about other threads and having such a massive rant?
Maybe switch off MN/the internet if it’s upsetting you that much -you can’t police it just to fit your preferences and your situation

I put 'fridge' in the search box and only one thread dealing with Christmas came up. This is it:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5463178-christmas-fridge-thread-2025?page=2
I would have thought it was an easy thread to miss, I never saw it before.

You're not being unreasonable but please can you link the thread, sounds amazing

So many people on here are honestly just c*nts.

I am really sorry you’re struggling and you’re right, there really is no need to rub excess into people’s faces.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and I hope you manage to still have a special time together ❤️

I didn't even know there was a Christmas thread.

I can see your frustration, OP. But people can post what they like. Christmas is a time for over-indulgence and many people do so to excess. Though not everyone will be doing so, if that's of any comfort to you.

Sorry you're struggling. This can be a tough time for many. Perhaps stay off socials a bit if you find these posts triggering? Though, I must say, I am often somewhat surprised that those 'scraping by' always seem to have a smart phone via which to scroll through social media...

This weird modern mentality that no one is allowed to enjoy anything ever because someone else has got it worse is absolutely bonkers. And I say that as a single, childless by circumstance and not by choice woman who can’t afford housing. Would you think it reasonable if I said you’d upset me by mentioning you’ve got kids and your own fridge? Presumably not.

You're responsible for your own triggers and not opening up and consuming content that is upsetting to you.

I don’t think it’s fair to say threads like that are motivated by greed or bragging.

You have to be kidding me.

I have an American style fridge freezer and a dozen people eating at my house this Christmas. I know how ridiculously fortunate I am to have chosen a career which is stable and has allowed me to make a lot of money.

WHYYYY would I then feel the need to post a pic of this so strangers can go “aw wow Jacques that puts me to shame!” etc…

I see them as posters sharing pride and joy in the lovely celebration they anticipate providing for family and friends.

no. That’s the basics - we all try and do Christmas, 30 years ago we didn’t go round bragging with pride that we managed to organise ourselves at the shops.

OP @TempNameForObviousReasons you are not wrong and not crazy.

You are sadly one of the few normal folk left on here - everyone else is so changed by the Internet that we’ve lost perspective

P.S to all those trying to gaslight the OP and say “oh but I haven’t seen any Christmas fridge threads”

GO TO THE CHRISTMAS BOARD and click on the latest Christmas thread. You’ll find that in the first few posts , people are saying “why is this the third fridge thread I’ve seen today…?”

STOP gaslighting the OP, just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean that they haven’t. You’re not Mumsnet

I rather like the fridge threads.
l like to see how people pack their fridges! I’m funny about what goes where on my fridges (I have 3. I expect the OP would think I’m very GREEDY) but we live rurally and can’t just pop to the shops.
I think I’m just very nosey. And a tad judgemental. I get a frisson of smugness when I can roll my eyes and see how poorly people have packed their fridges.
I also look for top tips on how to pack fridges.

I appreciate it can’t be easy looking at people’s fill fridges but fgs, as everyone has said, just don’t look!
I save up all year - with Naked wines, Tesco vouchers and the Christmas saving club, I buy M&S gift cards, I’ve even got an Iceland card as they will deliver trays of pop (24 cans ) for free and you get an extra £1 for every £20 you put on the card, I buy my M&S vouchers through topcashback so I get cashback too.

It’s a bit mean to begrudge people a bit of Christmas joy.