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) 🙂

Agreed, I hate gluttony. I can't wait for the follow up threads on weight loss boards 🙄

I don’t know. I find it weird and fascinating - or weirdly fascinating. Is it all the psychology of over consumption - and that’s pretty painful to face up to. Especially when you know that people are being exploited in the chain (inc. food production). Count myself in this too - I have a basket of stuff in the hope it goes in the sale. Why? I don’t need it…There are plenty of threads on here along the same lines. People being concerned and worried by their consumption but find it difficult to step out of.

OP I get it. I would never do it and it gives me the proper ick. But I also know that is my fear and shame talking - two very powerful drivers that capitalism and marketing tap into.

There are no abusive personal attacks on this thread. I don't think MN will agree with you, it does not breach any of the guidelines.

I agree with you OP. It’s grim and lacks class.

@TempNameForObviousReasons - Where have you seen them? I haven't seen any of them but I don't do social media except for MN so maybe that's why. I also don't open threads I know will make me feel bad.

It's like people on SM showing off their holidays, houses, clothes, bodies. I have no interest in any of it. Just get off SM and you won't be triggered.

Hide them op. Hide the xmas topic too.
I’n sorry you’re struggling x

@TempNameForObviousReasons

Firstly, wishing you a very Merry Christmas - I sincerely hope that you and your family have a great time.

You say ‘Many of us are in a dire state with finances and the pressures of Xmas’.

Can I ask the cause of your financial dire straits, please? I ask to understand if there is a broader relation to the economy.

They are not appearing on any of my feeds. It must be personalised. I have never seen one appear in all my time here. (Probably on the sex board too much) 😁

I am sorry you are struggling. The Christmas Fridge threads really don’t interest me so I don’t look at them. But social media is literally full of people with lots of “stuff”. It’s life. I am not sure though why you assume that people who have a lot don’t help people who don’t? I am fortunate to have enough for my family and I also donate a lot to various food banks and charities. Probably a lot of people on the Christmas Fridge thread do too?

No, yabu. Any thread on here could upset someone for any reason. Just don't click on those threads if they upset you. I don't participate in them as I'm not interested in seeing other peoples' food but if they get banned then you risk a whole load of other topics being banned also.

I think we can all feel sympathy for anyone who’s struggling to feed their family, especially at Christmas.

The thing is OP, you’re not posting here with a heartfelt plea, you’re scolding everyone and being extremely judgemental with the language you’re using. That approach isn’t going to stir up much compassion.

And yes, many households buy too much food and overindulge - but for many, that’s half the fun of Christmas. I doubt that a single person ever read a post like yours and thought “oh god, you’re right, what a glutton I’ve been - I’m never going to buy loads of food at Christmas again”.

Trying to make people feel ashamed of buying lots of food at Christmas is never going to achieve anything. Not many adults respond well when being scolded like a child.

I hope you manage to enjoy the festive season and things get easier for you in the future.

I’m sorry Christmas is going to be hard for you this year, I hope you and your family can still enjoy it. I haven’t actually seen those threads but I don’t think they’re intended to be hurtful, I’d definitely hide them though x

No OP. You can’t ban people from posting what interests them. I have the whole Royal Family section hidden. I suggest you do the same with Christmas. Christmas fridge is a bit of fun. I am sorry you are struggling but you have options here and don’t have to look.

I think this has backfired somewhat. Most of us hadn't been aware of the threads until OP shared them. Me included. I've just looked at all 3 and can literally not say it screams gluttony or greed to me.

I’ve said you’re being unreasonable only because you cannot dictate what people do and don’t post. But also, my fridge will be brim full tomorrow. But that’s because I’m hosing and have a larger number of extra adults coming for dinner. There will be little waste. It’ll be a big Christmas roast dinner and the leftovers will be eaten until gone then the turkey remains used for soup stock.

I do appreciate it’s hard when you don’t have a lot to see others who appear to be bragging. For some it will be gloating, but for many it’s more a “holy crap I’m responsible for cooking all this” and a bit of bravado as they psych themselves up to deal with it.

I hope your Christmas is lovely OP.

Since OP had kindly linked to them I had a look and my first thought was that they looked crammed and you are really meant to let the cold air circulate round a fridge so a lot of it won't be at an optimum temperature and it's still a few days before it's used.

Another poster has linked the OP made a post on the 30/11 that they had an appointment for cosmetic dentistry.

OP circumstances may have changed drastically if in less than a month she was considering cosmetic procedures to then advising she can only feed her children with food banks and have egg and bread on Christmas Eve.

All I’m saying is be careful.

Perhaps I am being harsh. But when we were buying our 1st property, and the interest rate went up to 15%, foodbanks did not exist. We went hungry, so our daughter did not. We did not have a phone, car, holidays new clothes etc. Now we do, and are entitled to enjoy it

The cheese board thread the other day pissed me off to be honest but we don't even know if it's true. Could just be some twat wanting to start a goady thread for fun.

Your family will have the most important thing at Christmas OP - each other. Children don't care about luxury crackers, locally sourced turkeys and they certainly don't give a frig about a cheese board.

They want a few things to open, their favourite Christmas movie and lots of fun. That's what they'll remember.

This. ^ The furious tone of OP’s post is why I voted YABU.

Sorry for your situation but why bother opening and reading them?

Thank you for posting this. It’s really tone deaf to what many are experiencing right now.

I would never even contemplate writing a fridge post.

My neighbour died yesterday. There are many people who won’t be having a good Christmas because they have nothing to celebrate or because they simply can’t afford food.

I find the overconsumption at Christmas utterly disgusting and something to be endured.

With Christmas fridge, people are catering more than usual. We have family coming so we are going from 3 to 8 on the day. Of course this results in more food. Before people waffle on about the shops being closed for 1 day, yes I know that but I have zero intention of going food shopping on Boxing Day. That day for me is about chilling out, not driving - certainly wouldn’t after drinking on Christmas day anyway. Next scheduled food shopping is my Tesco delivery in 28th and yes that will be more food because DH and DS are off work and at home so no work canteen etc.

Thats what I don't understand, and a long post like the OPs original wasn't just a knee jerk angry reaction. I routinely hide posts that either trigger or annoy me, thats what the hide button is for.

As soon as I opened MN I saw a photo of a fridge jam packed with food. My first thought was “obscene” but for different reasons to you, although I absolutely respect what you say.

I am trying to eat healthily and am not going to change just because it is Christmas as I find that unhealthy eating (especially sugar) sets me off into overeating. I am 2 weeks sugar free and have lost 5lbs in 2 weeks. Not as much as those on weight loss jabs but I want to do it my way.

Despite the majority vote I stand with you, Op. I think you should try to tell find little ways to make Xmas feel special for the children that are not to do with stuffing their faces. Play games and give them lots of cuddles.