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AIBU

Hostessing on Christmas Day

(105 Posts)
Carenza123 Sun 20-Dec-20 19:55:36

AIBU when I say I am not looking forward to Christmas Day? We are staying in our home rather than going to our daughter and son-in-laws for Christmas Day because of covid. Our daughter is preparing dinner for three of us and she is delivering three Christmas dinners to us at our house about 10 minutes from her home. My husband 74 and I, 72, are having his sister (80) at ours. Thing is, husband and sister walk with a stick and I know I will be up and down most of the day, as the hostess, waiting on my husband and sister as basically I am the fittest.

Judy54 Sun 27-Dec-20 14:10:17

So Carenza123 how did Christmas day and hostessing go for you. I hope it was better than you anticipated and that you had an enjoyable day with your Husband and Sister in Law.

Eloethan Wed 23-Dec-20 14:01:52

I suppose you could try and look at the positives rather than focus on the negatives.

You are having Christmas Dinner cooked for you

You have your full mobility, unlike your husband and his sister.

Doodledog Wed 23-Dec-20 12:32:55

Lucca

Sorry I may have pretty much repeated what you said Doodledog.

Great minds think alike, and all that grin.

kircubbin2000 Tue 22-Dec-20 23:14:23

DiscoDancer1975

Thank you Puzzler61, in which case I’d say to the OP, enjoy, but make sure you don’t anti bac the food by mistake!

That made me laugh. The last time we played tennis one of the girls doused herself with my water bottle and passed it to the others.?

Lucca Tue 22-Dec-20 22:58:24

Sorry I may have pretty much repeated what you said Doodledog.

Lucca Tue 22-Dec-20 22:56:53

OP asked if she was being unreasonable and got a fairly unanimous set of replies none of which was unkind unless you are spectacularly sensitive, in which case why post ?
Getting mildly fed up with the oh don’t say anything remotely negative sermons.

Doodledog Tue 22-Dec-20 22:26:50

Oh come on. When people ask if they are being unreasonable, it has at least crossed their mind that they are.

I still don't know what 'hostessing' is involved in having your own husband and another family member in the house if someone else is doing the cooking. As has been said, it is a case of serving drinks and maybe clearing up, although depending on the layout of the house, even that might be able to be left until the next day.

If there are other factors in play, the OP could have said, but all people have had to go on is what was in the post. Nobody has said anything unkind - maybe a few have been slightly sarcastic, and one or two have done the 'Top Trumps' thing of pointing out how their situation is worse, but otherwise, people have just answered the question asked.

KathrynP Tue 22-Dec-20 22:11:30

Kwest .... we’ll said. It certainly makes me think I would not post as OP on here. The OP in this post is perhaps suffering anxiety and stress looking after her husband. There may be other factors that she has not wished to post and having read the replies to her post I doubt she’ll ever post again. Where did #BeKind go to.

Jaye53 Tue 22-Dec-20 18:21:26

Get one of those hostess trolley thingies good lucksmile

kwest Tue 22-Dec-20 18:10:03

It sounds as if some people are being a bit snippy and unkind here.
A good rule before responding might be
1) Is it kind?
2) Is it necessary?

Tanjamaltija Tue 22-Dec-20 18:02:01

To borrow a question... why is this day different from other days? Answer: because dinner has been cooked by someone else, and this makes up for having two persons, rather than one, using a cane. A person who is opening a can of ravioli, and downing it with a mug of tea, for Christmas... would say you are being unreasonable... and so would most of us here.

Tanjamaltija Tue 22-Dec-20 18:01:30

To borrow a question... why is this day different from other days? Answer: because dinner has been cooked by someone else, and this makes up for having two persons, rather than one, using a cane. A person who is opening a can of ravioli, and downing it with a mug of tea, for Christmas... would say you are being unreasonable... and so would most of us here.

LuckyFour Tue 22-Dec-20 16:44:07

It sounds to me as though you have it easy, it's your daughter who is doing all he hard work, making the meal and delivering it. All you have to do is serve it. You should be thankful that you're fit enough to do it. Stop grumbling, get on with it and enjoy!!!!

25Avalon Tue 22-Dec-20 16:29:34

Carenzal23 stop stressing and chill out. The dinner is ready cooked by your extremely lovely and kind dd. You sound like a worrier and rushing around after your dh and sister will only make you a martyr. STOP! Keep it simple. Don’t do a cooked breakfast - cereal or toast - if they don’t like it they can get their own or go without. If you are having wine get the bottle out and ask dh to open it. Put the glasses out and lay up the table the night before. Put a tin of mince pies out ready for dessert.
Don’t forget to ask for help. They may think you like doing it all. Let them help even if it takes them twice as long as it
would you. All 3 of you need to appreciate how fortunate you are to be together this Christmas and if anything is missing at least it isn’t one of you. Happy Christmas!

Gingerbit Tue 22-Dec-20 16:10:01

You have got to get organised first wether it is two or more people if you are then you will enjoy the day

Granless Tue 22-Dec-20 16:04:37

Hmmm ... now let me think ... are you being unreasonable? Yes. Happy Christmas ?

Greciangirl Tue 22-Dec-20 15:32:59

I would love someone to cook and deliver my Xmas dinner.
My Dd won’t be doing that for me, even though she lives a short ride away.

Consider yourself lucky.

Nanny27 Tue 22-Dec-20 15:13:10

What about packing up the dirty plates after your meal and delivering them back to your daughter. I'm sure she'd be glad to wash up and it would save you from doing it.

MamaCaz Tue 22-Dec-20 14:52:37

I think I'm alone here, because I can understsand why the OP is miffed, knowing that of the three people in her home, she will be the one doing almost everything that does have to be done, however little that is, thanks to her DD.

In reality, I doubt of has much to do with it being Christmas - probably just a build-up of underlying resentment towards two people who would seem to take her for granted. She may be the 'fittest', but that shouldn't mean that they take the p* and spend the day sitting on their @***s!

It might seem very minor in the scheme of things, but even small things can slowly eat away at you.

Blimey, there are loads of threads where people moan like mad about the most trivial of things. Cut her some slack!

petra Tue 22-Dec-20 14:25:47

polnan
What was there to misunderstand? It was a clear as day.

Paperbackwriter Tue 22-Dec-20 14:18:50

Crikey - you don't even have to cook! What's the problem?

Cabbie21 Tue 22-Dec-20 14:07:52

My son-in-law offered to cook and plate up a Christmas meal for us( tomorrow actually) and my response was How lovely!
I do have to drive for ten minutes to fetch it and I will have to reheat it. Am I complaining? No way! I think it is a very kind and thoughtful offer.
OP I hope you are grateful to your daughter and enjoy your meal.

Nannan2 Tue 22-Dec-20 14:04:52

Yes Polnan, but tbf to us all, shes got it made as far as i can see, someone to make/deliver lunch, only probably drinks to make,? Or maybe serve a pud? As you say, maybe shes other problems, but so have many of us got our own health/moblity issues & still soldier on.im just glad im here this xmas!

Nannan2 Tue 22-Dec-20 14:00:47

I also should say that i too have medical issues/disability ive got osteo arthritis in both knees & other joints as well, but im still not resenting xmas! If i need help, i will ask them &see how we get on.Anythings got to be better than how bad it was last year- i was at hosp urgent care xmas early hours then back by ambulance again early boxing day was in bed all week and then as i was getting up& more normal both sons got ill, one more badly as hes got respiratory problem also.so my turn to look after them even more than usual.(now g.p nurse suspects was probably covid before it was a known thing here.) We'd been to italy end of october.

polnan Tue 22-Dec-20 13:53:07

I can`t see that Carenza has responded to any of these,, perhaps some of us have misunderstood her problem(s) and sound a bit harsh?