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'Poppers-in' - do you mind???

(124 Posts)
boheminan Sun 28-Dec-25 11:46:58

This time of the year is busy, fitting in friends and family I want/need to see over the holiday but there's a sticking point I really don't know how to overcome without offending.

It's deeply ingrained in me that I can't cope with people calling on me unannounced but I have a couple of friends who do this and I confess I don't open the door to them. I've let friends know I don't like poppers-in but some seem to ignore this and as they're at ease with the calling in at any time, just ignore my request, call anyway and when I don't answer the door later send tart little emails about how they are offended/disappointed I ('yet again') wasn't in when they randomly called.

Am I the only one who hates even friends 'popping in' randomly?

Poppyred Wed 31-Dec-25 19:47:24

I hate it! By appointment only or anytime after 1pm here.

Cossy Wed 31-Dec-25 20:58:09

I HATE poppers in! Just a quick phone call or text to say “I’d like to pop in, is it OK” works for me!

If you turn up unannounced I’m likely not to answer the door grin

Cossy Wed 31-Dec-25 20:59:28

GoodAfternoonTea

No, I don't answer the door. I lie on my lounge carpet for five minutes and then get up and go about my business. They can't see me there and after five minutes they should have given up trying.

Hahaha That really made me laugh

CariadAgain Thu 01-Jan-26 08:31:01

All this pretending not to be in has definitely got me wondering now re the number of people that were apparently out back in my days of political canvassing on the doorstep. Though my own very first experience was my colleague saying "This one won't want to know" before we went ringing one doorbell and the guy concerned promptly invited us both in for a glass of sherry (we didn't accept)....

Wyllow3 Thu 01-Jan-26 08:44:45

My neighbourhood is the sort where if you bump into neighbours and have the time you have a friendly chat, but no popping in. When the day comes I am housebound and need company, I am going to hie me to a McCarthy and Stone block of flats where there are "people around" if you choose.

dogsmother Thu 01-Jan-26 10:11:54

I grew up with it, and welcome it now. If it’s in convenient I have no qualms about saying so. Therefore don’t actually see a problem, friends are always welcome and it’s that simple.

Oldmumnewgran Sat 03-Jan-26 18:53:57

I think popping in went out of fashion years ago.

Von58 Wed 07-Jan-26 23:09:06

I love "poppers in" , always welcome here if I like them smile

CariadAgain Thu 08-Jan-26 15:59:32

Yep.....another popper-in this morning.....and just "take me as you find me" time again....

Norah Fri 09-Jan-26 15:12:10

Oldmumnewgran

I think popping in went out of fashion years ago.

If it was fashionable, I don't believe people like invaders currently.

Bellasnana Fri 09-Jan-26 15:15:34

The only people who pop in these days are DD3 and her twin boys. I love it and only wish I had more poppers-in.

paddyann54 Fri 09-Jan-26 20:48:14

We,ve always loved folk popping in,it’s great when it’s people who live faraway and they turn up on a morning and stay for lunch and dinner We have/had many friends like that sadly lost several in the past two years and miss the door opening and the shout of “did you not hear my car ? Why,s the kettle not on yet”
My son and his family pop in sometimes daily with his wee one and come most Sundays for their early dinner .
Its how I was raised and it makes our day to see them people ,who mean the most to us

Franbern Sun 11-Jan-26 08:30:44

When my children were young, it was very normal both to 'pop-in' and have 'poppers=in'. Long before mobile phones, and with small children, being able to go out often depended on them.

As a foster parent back then, I got quite friendly with some of the social workers, and at least one of them would use me to pop-into when she was particularly exasperated. Sit-down and cup of coffee and a rant, and she was able to continue her workload.

Indeed the key to our kitchen door got lost soon after we moved into the house and did not get replaced. So kitchen door left unlocked and friends knew this and occasionally I would return from shopping to find a friend or two in my kitchen with a mug of coffee. (This was in East London back in the 1970's).

These days the only person who ever pops in to me is my local living daughter, who has the keys.

Belardo Mon 19-Jan-26 02:46:14

I think that people who feel they can just drop in unannounced and expect to be entertained are thoughtless and rude, especially in this day and age, where communication is so simple.

GoodAfternoonTea Mon 19-Jan-26 09:21:12

At uni I lived in a Catholic hall of residence. There was a very nice young nun who was doing a higher degree. After we left I did keep in touch at Christmas. One night, about ten years later at 10 p.m. there was a ring on my door bell and low and behold there she stood. She said she was passing and thought she would drop in. It was lovely to see her. She stayed just long enough for a cuppa and then drove off into the night. Never heard from her again. I would say it depends on who it is.

boo12 Sun 01-Mar-26 19:37:34

I hate it won’t answer the door - I’m autistic as well

Flippinheck Mon 02-Mar-26 08:43:36

Members of my immediate family are welcome at any time but even they wouldn’t arrive without first texting or phoning.
Anyone else? No!
IMHO turning up unannounced is both rude and arrogant.

GillyMo Tue 10-Mar-26 06:52:45

I love a 'popper-in'. I like the spontaneity but expect people to find me ad they find me. There will be instances where I'm muddy from digging the garden or when I simply don't have any cake to feed them!

I, however, would never turn up unannounced. I would always send a text first (and wait for a reply).

seasider Tue 10-Mar-26 07:35:26

Children , grandchildren , family and close friends who know I don’t live in a palace are welcome anytime . If it’s people I don’t know well I would like a bit of notice to have a quick tidy up. If I lived in a beautiful house that didn’t need lots of work I wouldn’t mind at all . I can always provide tea, coffee and biscuits (or alcoholgrin)

mae13 Tue 10-Mar-26 08:08:48

Calendargirl

No, we don’t have ‘poppers in’, thank goodness.

Probably only DS might do it, that’s ok.

I wouldn’t dream of ‘popping in’ to anyone myself.

When I was young, various relatives came by on a Sunday, unannounced, (no phone back then) and expected to be asked to stay for tea. Mum would be making (tinned) salmon sandwiches, tinned peaches and evaporated milk plus bread and butter. And lots of tea.

It was the done thing back then, but not now, not in our house anyway.

Tinned peaches and evaporated milk - a nostalgic taste of a less complicated world. I've just back about 60 years!

MissChateline Tue 10-Mar-26 08:21:30

Poppers in are always welcome. I love the spontaneous company and chat. I only wish I had more people popping in.

Cabbie21 Tue 10-Mar-26 09:09:55

The only people who pop in are my immediate neighbours, only they don’t expect to actually come in. It’s usually to tell me they are expecting workmen , or are going on holiday, just a friendly informative chat on the doorstep.
However just after my husband died, people turned up without warning and expected to come in. On one occasion I was about to go out and said so, though I felt rather rude. Others stayed over an hour, or two, which was a bit much. But after those early days, nobody drops in. Nobody apart from family and one very close friend who always text a few minutes before to check if it is ok.

keepingquiet Tue 10-Mar-26 09:14:49

Oh how I long for someone to 'pop-in' as OP puts it.

I rarely get visitors these days, but I do 'pop-in' on others although I do ring them to say I'm coming and they always seem pleased to see me.

OP must have some sort of personal magnetism and a very welcome home to have such a steady stream of regular visitors...