If a guest - what did you take?

[familyissues12345]

If you were invited for Christmas Dinner or longer, did you take anything? If so, what?

Went to my parents, took Christmas presents but nothing extra.
They are coming here on Sunday and won't be bringing anything.

We hosted, one son and DIL brought stuffing and makings for Mimosas. Other son and DIL brought just themselves and little one. It's all perfectly fine, I don't expect them to bring anything. In the future if I feel it is overwhelming, i will ask for them to pitch in.

DM stayed here for 3 days (Xmas Eve to this afternoon), arrived empty handed (not even a Christmas present for DH or I) and expected to be waited on hand and foot despite being told as soon as she arrived to help herself to anything in the Christmas cupboard. I just couldn’t and wouldn’t

2 bottles of wine and 1 Prosecco, cheese board and charcuterie chutneys, grapes, crisps, cheese straws. Oh and crackers (for the cheeseboard and to pull!).

You can all come to mine next year. Once again (for the 18th year in a row) my relatives have turned up empty handed and expected being waited on hand and foot.

We hosted, DS and GF bought 2 boxes of wine, a bottle of champagne and a case of beer, here 3 nights. MIL bought a ham here 5 nights. DH drives 250 miles to collect and then does it again to return and we cook 2 Christmas dinners as his sister turns up on 23 before returning overseas , she arrived with FA. We have hosted for 24 years, she is very thankful as is SIL but they are tight.

Four bottles of champagne, two bottles primitivo, large bowl of stuffing, large bowl of red cabbage, homemade tiramisu, M&S trifle, M&S Christmas Pudding, Brandy Butter, cream & custard and grapes.

Gosh, some of these people who bring nothing

We’ve been at SIL’s since Christmas Eve afternoon. Leaving in an hour or so.

We brought 4 bottles of wine, a bottle of gin, the cheeseboard, accompaniments for Christmas dinner… stuffing, sausagemeat, bread sauce, PiBs, a couple of desserts and all the ingredients for a cooked breakfast on Boxing Day from our local farm shop.

Also brought SIL flowers. They would bring similar when we host.

PILs brought the turkey.

So SIL did the veg? 😂

People like different things. If I’m hosting, I actually want to do it myself. Your family is obviously an all-chip-in family. I would find that interfering. That’s ok!

Wine, beer, a homemade dessert to serve 10, homemade chutney.

In past years we have hosted for our family - 5 adults, food discussed in advance and it's been agreed what they should bring. Usually cheese, crackers, picky bits alcohol and soft drinks. The last couple of times they have arrived empty handed despite having planned what they would bring, and sat around to be waited on for the several days they are here. We decided not to invite them this year, it has been quieter obviously, but much cheaper and I haven't felt put upon!

Funnily enough, this is about cheeky fuckers, but yes I agree my OP wasn’t particularly clear 🤣!

Thanks everyone, I was just intrigued to see what others do. We’ve just had Christmas at my parents, them, us (4) and my brother and family (4).

I took crisps, beers, soft drinks, chocolate, Christmas Day breakfast and the ingredients to make the veggie main for Mum and I.

Brother took bugger all. Literally nothing at all. Spent the entire time with heads in cupboards helping themselves, and when we left (day before them) and DH took his Christmas beers home - bought as part of his present- I heard them moan to each other.

No one will pick them up on this, there’s no financial issues with any family so it’s not like any of us are going to struggle as they didn’t contribute, but it just seems so bloody cheeky!

I am a feeder/gifter though, so appreciate others opinions as personally I wouldn’t dream of turning up somewhere without something

I took a dessert to my parents (pre agreed).

BIL and gf showed up at mine with an entire turkey carcass that wasn’t asked for. Wasn’t even from their house but from her parents who didn’t want it. I sent it back home with them.

Unbelievable! Siblings and I always spend Christmas together in some configuration or other, and we all contribute. Often we will take responsibility for a dinner and bring the ingredients as well as always bringing plenty of alcohol and snacks. I make the Christmas pudding.

We hosted. DM bought stolen, cheese twists, shortbread, chicken, ham and a bottle of wine. I gave her about 40% to take back.

Other couple bought chocolates, crisps, a couple of cheese and cream. They don't drink.

We are with my Mum and her partner for 3 days.

We brought:
Wine x 4
Port
Red cabbage
Sausage rolls
Stuffing
Chocolates

We are leaving today and suspect that we'll be given cold turkey and Christmas pudding to take home with us

@ResusciAnnienope, it’s takes quite a bit more to host 10 people for three days.

Not sure it’s ’interfering’ if you all agree what you’re bringing. In our particular circumstances I shared the Christmas order form for our local deli and asked if they’d like me to order anything. I think it’s poor manners to turn up somewhere without contributing.

I agree bringing contributions to the Christmas dinner is quite specific and doesn’t work for everyone. Surely you’d expect guests coming for three days to contribute something though?

Crackers, christmas pudding, yule log, profiteroles, wine and beer, my sister hosted.

My sister hosted dinner. We did not stay over. We brought 2 x cremant, 1 x red wine, 4 x beers, 4 x non alcoholic beer, large cheeseboard, box of cheese crackers, leonidas chocolates - large box, homede cranberry sauce
Also gifts for them all etc

We have previously hosted 18 inlaws one year to a full christmas dinner - starters, turkey & ham with many vegetable side dishes, himemade desserts, wine, soft drinks, nibbles & snacks etc and they literally came empty handed. I was shocked as i literally could not imagine doing that

We hosted. My mum stayed one night and brought a bottle of wine, a pot plant, a big box of satsumas and a serving dish I'd asked to borrow. Also her own duvet and pillow, to save me some laundry.

We were at a Xmas day with about 40 guests so the menu was shared. DW and I did a (huge) cheeseboard. Others did a ham / turkey / lamb roast / salmon / lovely salads / prawns / desserts etc. everyone also took whatever they wanted to drink, as is normal in Australia. We took a bottle of wine and chocs for the host as a token thanks for hosting / small Xmas gift.

We've not gone to visit other people, but we've had two sets of friends come to see us. I was given a lovely bunch of flowers by one lot and a giant box of chocolates from the other. Much appreciated.

I took a crate of wine, a box of luxury crackers (the sort you pull), a selection of cheese and savoury biscuits, several different chutneys and a Christmas tree made of profiteroles.

We had Boxing Day at DP’s parents’ house. I asked what we could take and was told nothing so we book wine for DP’s mum and cider for DP to drink. I’d also had flowers delivered on Christmas Eve.

I wasn’t invited anywhere this year, but I never turn up empty handed. Even if I’m just taking the children to play somewhere, I’ll take a packet of biscuits.