Would you expect to provide all alcohol over Christmas for your young adult children?

[MacNTosh]

DC’s all at Uni are home for Christmas and it’s lovely to have them all here, but I’m feeling a little miffed about them drinking any booze we get in ie. bottle of gin was drunk in one night, I had two drinks they drank the rest. Dh and I have cut down the amount we drink over the last couple of years which has coincided with the dcs being older/going to Uni. I can’t work out if I’m being a bit miserable and should just accept that they’re enjoying not having to live on a budget at home and just let it go or if they should be getting their own drinks at this age.

Christmas Day/Boxing Day will be covered as various family members are all bringing wine etc as are we.

They have part time jobs so have money in theory although one has spent everything this month.

What do you think?
A. It’s Christmas, they’re students, provide all the booze
B. They should buy their own some of the time

It entirely depends on whether you can afford it?

If you can they why on earth not!

It you can't then kindly say you want special Xmas drink and Csnt afford to buy more do they want to chip in??

Once I left university I would bring home some wine at Christmas, but my parents didn't ever seem to expect it of me, more that it was a nice surprise. If it bothers you, ask them to make a contribution.

We always provided while they were students but if they'd sank a bottle of gin in one night, I'd have asked them to replace it. There's coming home to be spoilt at Christmas.... and there's taking the piss.

Ours are now all working, only one living at home but all here for Christmas with partners. We have plenty of wine, beer and fizz, some spirits & liqueurs - and we've said if they want anything different, they can provide.

My 18 year old can help himself to whatever wine and beer is in the fridge. He will ask ask if he wants some spirits. As a rule he can have whatever he wants apart from the ones I tell him are off limits to him - the expensive shit basically.

If you can they why on earth not!

It’s not just about the cost. It’s about not taking advantage and not being greedy, as well as not damaging your health.

My DS (22) has a bottle of vodka (on its 2 year ! He's not a drinker at home)
DD (19) likes a Smirnoff Ice or two
DH likes whisky/beer (DC don't)
And I don't drink alcohol.

So yes we do buy it for them but they don't drink much anyway

I would provide drink, but if they'd had that much gin and weren't providing any I would get them a bottle each as a present plus some cheaper alcohol and just say the gin in the house was out of bounds. I assume at uni they drink cheaply so have taken advantage of gin at home.

I think I'm in the A but... Category.

So A but...not if you can't afford it
A but... when I was home I knew what was help yourself drink Vs only when offered drink (worth differentiating)
A but... once I started earning after uni I started bringing wine for Christmas.

So I don't think they should have drunk a special bottle, but a trip to Aldi or Lidl may be the answer - 70cl for maybe £12 and quite drinkable especially by teenage standards.

I just want my dc to come home, feel comfortable and drink whatever they want. I don’t keep tabs.

I would never ask my children to contribute. I'd be thrilled that they were getting on well enough to stay up drinking.