Hosting vs helping.

[Barbararara]

I would happily host a horde, but I dread going to my in laws for Christmas and having to help in someone else’s kitchen. Anyone else feel like this? I think it’s probably mostly social anxiety.

I don’t mind hosting as long as I can get on with it. Most people I host are thoughtful and want to “help”, so now I do almost everything ahead of time and just do the actual cooking/ putting in oven when they arrive. Plus I get to not feel like the sweaty skivvy.

I don’t mind helping at all. I’m happy to follow instructions because if it turns out shit it’s not my fault! I also have no shame rifling through people’s drawers and cabinets looking for what I need, and also am very good at ignoring things like “BATONS!! NOT RONDELLES!!” if I know the person (ahem MIL) is just trying to be poncy.

Best of all is going out to eat together. There’s really no shame in that at all!

I hate people helping me in the kitchen (probably the only thing I do that drives MIL crazy) and don't really enjoy helping other people either - but I'll do it if the host wants to. I got myself a pair of socks this year for my stocking which say "Get out of my kitchen".

I don't even like people cleaning up. one of my sils is a devil for this. We are all sitting around the table chatting and relaxed and she will start cleaning up - why? just sit down and socialise.

My favourite ever phrase is "spoony fucker" from MN.

We are all sitting around the table chatting and relaxed and she will start cleaning up - why? just sit down and socialise.

YES!

Unless you're like my family and are swiping your fingers in the leftover gravy and licking it off then going back for more?!