Are you flexible enough to cope.........................

[Rainbow1901]

with extra people at Christmas time? There was one Christmas when 2 of DHs' nephews plus girlfriends turned up just as we were finishing our Christmas dinner. We were just clearing the table ready for pudding - we already had a full table and SisIL went mad at them for just turning up.
Coming from a family who just welcome people whoever and whenever they turn up - DH and I just washed up a few plates and cutlery and let them dig in while everyone else just topped up their wine glasses and began chatting to them and stood around so they could eat. There was nothing left for bubble and squeak the next day but we couldn't give a monkeys! It was ultimately one of our best christmases ever with a real party atmosphere and it was the early hours of Boxing Day before everyone left.
Would you welcome the extra people? Or would it give you the horrors and you just put out a few crisps for them? Or would you point blank refuse to host and accommodate them? Or just what would you do??

It would be fine with us and the teens
we would work something out

We would cope, although more than two extra (adult-portion) guests at very short notice, and we might have to get a bit creative with the main.

I would internally raise my eyebrows if someone dropped in for Christmas dinner without warning just because they fancied it. Unexpected additions because their car broke down/train was cancelled, someone had to go to hospital and the others need a distraction, they thought they'd be okay on their own but then found they weren't, anything like that, then I'd be very glad they felt they could come to us.

And I have been the 'waif and stray' invited to join a friend's family for Christmas, so I will absolutely offer the same if needed.

Well, that would be a surprise but I can't imagine being inhospitable, it's unlikely they wouldn't be aware it was rather an imposition. But the polite thing would be to offer them food and drink like every other guest, so that's what we'd do. My DH tends to take that sort of thing in his stride while I would need to privately flap about in a tizzy before getting my act together and demonstrating being unfazed to our DS... 😆

Everyone welcome here.
My childhood Christmases always included at least DDad’s batchelor friend who was paralysed on one side, and drive one of those little pale blue fibreglass cars. Plus assorted waifs & strays DM always knew. The odd foreign student who didn’t go home for Christmas (we lived in Central London). Plus assorted girlfriends of my brothers as time passed on. Then… well we’ve always had people. I don’t understand “closed” Christmas lunches. In my job i am often working or on call at Christmas. As soon as I am not I will volunteer for Crisis, or similar local charity.

Me hosting? It would be fine. We usually have more food than we need, or if I had to I’d stick a frozen pizza in the oven (which the kids would probably prefer anyway!).

My mother… complains constantly that my brother never goes to her house for Christmas. He rang yesterday and said can he and his family come? She was appalled, it’s far too late to make that decision, they can’t expect her to cook extra for them etc. I’ve played peacemaker and things are sorted, they are coming, it will be lovely, my mum will be stressing because she thinks they demand extra (they don’t, they’re just vegetarian but totally chill about it and will happily just eat veggie sides).

Big personality differences. I don’t know why people stress about Christmas. It’s just supposed to be a fun day in my book.