Second choice for Christmas

[Happyhettie]

Hi,

I invited my parents for Christmas and they accepted which was lovely and we (DH and I) were looking forward to it, started getting food in etc

My parents have told me that they’d rather spend it with my brother, SIL and their children. So if they invite them, then they’ll go there and cancel us. My DB and SIL are always very last minute so this could be as late as Christmas Eve.

I really do understand that children are excited about Christmas and it’s magical so they’d want to be with them but I’m really quite hurt by it. We’re child free by choice.

If my brother doesn’t invite them for Christmas then how am I supposed to cook dinner / have them over knowing they don’t actually want to be here? Feeling really shit.
I know this isn’t AIBU but am I BU because I’m hurt? Or is this how it is if you don’t have children and I just need to get a grip?

He'd rather spend Christmas alone with a cat than come and have some adult company with us.

I have to admit that I’d choose to spend Christmas with my cat rather than with my brother’s family - it’s nothing at all personal to any of them, they’re lovely, but it’s 3 nights of sleeping on a sofa & having no space to myself. Can’t face it.

And since I don’t drive & they live at the other end of the country, I can’t get home by train until the 27th so no chance of just going for the day.

I wouldn’t leave him hanging though, that would be really unfair.

I’d love to know how Christmas ’25 went for you @Happyhettie
Hope you had a good one. However you spent it.