Roll up, roll up for your Christmas rants! This is a non-judgmental safe space where you can say what you want about what went down over Christmas

[DontFallInTheHaHa]

Now the proper Christmas/visitors season is over it’s Moaning Time.

Ill start.

To DH’s family: why must you all behave like it’s your first day on planet earth? It’s not endearing to be perpetually late, unprepared and disorganised. I don’t enjoy driving 2 hours to be stood outside in the freezing cold because you popped to Tesco and forgot the time we were arriving. And if you say “What am I like!” Again, I WILL answer with “An annoying twat”

To 12yo DD: I know you’re hormonal and life is tough as a preteen in 2025. But you do not have “nothing to wear”. I bought lots of outfits - that you picked BTW - as part of your presents. Put them on and STFU before I give you another lecture about being parented in the 80’s

My elderly parent spoilt our Christmas by being miserable and not joining in, and moaning about us and I am not inviting them next year I am adamant about that!

To DSIS 45: Why have you dragged my 80 year father 250 miles down to see you today when you did FUCK ALL for anyone over Christmas (or indeed at any time of the year), telling him you were unwell and felt rough... when apparently you were well enough to go out to the pub last night (off the wagon again then) and tomorrow you've booked a taxi and will be making him come with you to the vet to sort out your cat. It's not your cat's fault, but you could not have dragged my octogenarian dad with a bloody bad back and heart condition all the way to London when he would have given the money for the cat if you needed it. I know why you didn't, because if he is there in person you will milk more from him. It's his money, his choice, but he's not a well man and you're a selfish bitch.

Sorry, I know that wasn't lighthearted but I am fucking furious. His train goes through my city on the way home so I am going to volunteer to pick him up and drive him home if it helps as he gets tired really easily. Or he can stay at mine.

I feel ya

my MIL was moaning because her neighbour complimented her (MIL’s) sofa. I still can’t figure out what the problem is. I’m not an anti-MIL person either we used to get on great but she’s definitely passing into the grumpy bastard realm!

she also said her neighbour tells the same story over and over again, and it’s draining. MIL told me that on 3 different occasions 😂

Watching SIL greet distant relative with same faux warmth I've long suspected wasn't real as she uses to greet me with some interest. I've been 'matching her energy' last few years and feel a lot better for it.

Dragged my family away from their christmassy relaxed home on boxing day for a meal at parents house, half a days' drive away, as I was told it was the only day my sibling was off work and could join a family meal. Only to find said sibling had 27th off work as well. Recognised that yet again I am the one who puts myself, and now my immediate family, out to suit my parent and siblings.

I get more and more furious and resentful towards my selfish, lazy father every time I spend any time over Christmas with my parents. My annoying, neurodiverse brother has brought his newish gf to stay every Christmas and while we are happy that he's finally found someone, it is like waking over hot coals having a conversation with them both as they will never ask a question about what you're doing or what's going on in your life, they will only give information, whether wanted or not. We don't really like each other and never have done, yet here we are for the sake of our mum.

DH, having said he'd put a brave face on it, couldn't have made it clearer he didn't really want to be there, tossed and turned all night then was in a foul mood all day (having kept me up so I had virtually no sleep) I only do it for my darling mum who helps us so much with childcare and has such a miserable time with the three of them that I go to relieve her.

My parents are now mid/late 70s and although mum is incredible, my dad isn't doing great, health wise. Although it doesn't stop him drinking like a fish and refusing to eat any carbs, hence making meal planning a bitch. The house looks so run down and grubby and there are loads of things that dad could fix but won't. I dread the guilt trips I get about not being with them at Christmas but I also get guilt tripped by DH because he hates going to a cold, uncomfortable house. I wish I could just fuck off on my own and leave the lot of them to get on with it.

Thank you for this OP, very cathartic!

DM hosted a games day- proceeded to get pissed with my Aunty playing god awful music full whack on you tube that the kids most definitely were not interested in.

Moaned the next day that ‘we didn’t play enough games!’

Fuck off.

The fact we're Jewish. None of us are interested in Christmas but because mum who's got early onset Alzheimer's and is in a specialist unit loved the time of year. So I had bland giyishe food thrust upon me and then forced to eat the left overs days after. In a very weird assimilation performance.

My sister is also depressed and got.dumped and believes she now gets to check out from everything and have everyone serve her.

O and I crashed and lost my drone

If

Had a lovely day with extended family, generally was a very peaceful and happy Christmas. With the exception of realising my adult son couldn't even be bothered to get me a token present from my grandchildren, let alone him, despite the fact he and his son live with me, I do a massive amount of childcaring as he's a single parent working nights, and he spent several days prior to Christmas telling me about the presents he'd bought for his girlfriends parents and grandparent. Unappreciated is a massive understatement.

@Arlanymor i feel for you and your dad x it sounds like a really horrible situation

Thanks lovely, I really appreciate you saying that - he just feels he can't say no. It's just such a long trip for him, plus she never meets him at the station, so he has to take three tubes to get there and back to Paddington - he's never lived in London, it's all unfamiliar. But again, his choice to do it, not my place to interfere, I just have to pick up the pieces... I know what'll happen, he'll call me tomorrow when he's getting on the train and say: "Thanks for your message lovely, I'm honestly fine. I've got a Mars Bar to eat on the way back..." And then a few hours later I will get a call when he's at Cardiff saying: "Actually do you mind meeting me/if I stay?" And of course I don't and of course he can, I'm only an hour down the line. But she just never thinks of him, only herself and it's hard.

To my darling son. Why say you would cook the Christmas dinner then hide away and not help with any cooking?? I know you felt overwhelmed but I was in agony by the end of the day......not fair on me and it left me in a really bad mood. I know you feel overwhelmed sometimes but please if you say you are going to cook.... actually cook!!!!

😢 That is awful.

@Arlanymor your dad needs to start saying no and mean it. Easier said than done though x sending hugs to both x

Thanks love - it's honestly just one in the latest line of things with my sister. I just feel so cross because he's honestly not a spring chicken and walks with a stick. He must be shattered when he gets to her - she can't not see it - he certainly is when he travels back. Anyway, he'll be asleep now, so I've sent him a message for the morning saying that I will: a) pick him up from my station and he can stay the night if he likes, b) will pick him up from my station and drive him home if he likes or c) will meet him at the station and take him for food/a cup of tea at the hotel across from the station if he wants, just to break up the journey. Will see what he says when's on his way back. She never, ever comes up to visit him or my mum. It's all on her terms. Has been for the longest time.

Fucking off for Christmas sounds Heavebly

i say we get an all-women commune booked for fed up MNers for Christmas 2026

@DontFallInTheHaHa I'm in ❤️

@DontFallInTheHaHa you have made me really laugh about not mentioning being parented in the '80s. Look it wasn't great here, the prep/cooking to eating ratio was about 20:1, and those that did manage to sit down for a short while on the musical chairs, had to do it with a backdrop of over-stimulated toddlers, elderly people with alzheimers, and grumpy teens with "tiredness" issues. Followed by taxi driving by me to all and sundry. Thank god it is over. xx

You're not wrong, you're really not. And he actually went to see her in the summer and on the way back he was so tired and I went to get him from the station and he stayed at mine. He said: "I can't do this anymore, it's too far, I'm too tired and I'm 80 in December." I agreed and said he needed to knock it on the head. My sister doesn't work, doesn't have children, she could very easily make the journey - my dad would pay for the train ticket no problem. And yet my dad turned 80 at the beginning of this month and here we are. I will talk to him again because he was so earnest last time, but I just think he is guilted into it. Thanks for being so kind, I have honestly welled up reading your lovely words and those of @EmeraldShamrock000 - you're so sweet, I appreciate it.

I feel your pain. The last time we went to ILs for Christmas Day (we just did post-Christmas visits this year) SIL - who promised to cook and built it up hugely - hadn’t had much sleep and “felt overwhelmed” so she popped the turkey in the freezer for new years and broke out the cheese and biscuits and tried to paint it as an alternative picnic fun day.
i felt like crying. And I was starving ans I hadn’t eaten since lunchtime the day before to make room. I got a couple of measly crackers and some offensive cheese with fruit in it. Imagine saying you’ll do a dinner then reneging! Not even asking anyone else to take over! She’s 45! and wonders why we didn’t go round the next year.

I put this in the Christmas thread earlier today but here it is again:

Grown adults talking about stockings in front of children. Fine if you are an adult who loves receiving a stocking, but when around young children PLEASE remember that stockings are really for them, so maybe think before you mention that your partner / mum / whoever ‘still’ does you a stocking…and definitely don’t ask me in front of my children whether “we do stockings for them or not?” Happens every year with certain family members despite my pointed “of course not. Father Christmas does that!” Responses.

The family group who saves all their presents to open in front of a wider audience after Christmas lunch. It means the present opening is uneven, goes on for 3 hours, and all the kids are bored, even the ones still opening presents. I never understand why they don’t do what the rest of us do and open immediately family presents in the morning before travelling to see wider family.

Ur son sound like a complete asshole Andy need to kick him out. Give him a date and tell him to grow tf up. Absolute selfish twat

@Arlanymor you are very very welcome. Slightly devious but maybe next time your sister suggests a visit... Darling dad could pretend to be violently ill?? So he can't travel and keep making up excuses for hime?? Sending hugs again x

Oh but those bonkers wobbly chaired Christmases are the most fun!

And the lecture about 80’s parenting sends DD insane, so naturally I love to crank it out. The response: “oh my god-uh, like I like care about like how people were like patented like a million years ago-uh.”. The Kevin energy is real.

I’ve told this story on MN before but I once had a BF whose family did this - we took it in turns one at a time and stared as everyone opened each gift. Including gifts from people outside the family, which I was told to bring along unaware of this mad process. It was bloody odd. Not to mention my best friend got me nipple tassles made from sweets as a joke and BF’s mum pulled a horrified face. Unclench, Maxine.

The whole process took hours and giving fake reactions to shit presents is tiresome.

BF was dumped before New Year. One of a few things that gave me the ick