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Needs starting.
Let's just say I'm not planning on going to bed for a while yet to avoid starting one.
Just. Stop. ****ing. Overcomplicating. Everything.
The wife's brother and his missus have played a blinder this year, cutting off the whole family cos the pair of them decided they're anti vaxxers about 3 months ago.
Means I dont need to pretend I like his bairns! 😅
We've already had a December full of it on my finances side due to the fact that her mum is essentially a psychopath.....just 2 days to survive until we can **** off in the motorhome for a week.
The wife’s brother and his missus have played a blinder this year, cutting off the whole family cos the pair of them decided they’re anti vaxxers about 3 months ago.
Means I dont need to pretend I like his bairns! 😅
Sounds like everyone's winner here!
Just. Stop. ****. Overcomplicating. Everything.
My wife massively over complicates Christmas with way too many gifts, decorations, tradition’s and meals. She then spends most of Christmas complaining about the amount of wrapping, decorating and cooking required to fulfill these traditions.
She is currently decorating the table to make it look fit for a state banquet whilst complaining about how many presents need to come down from the loft.
Don’t get me started on her lazy, self pitying, daily Mail reading racist and never stop talking mum who is also here for a week.
I would love to just take my dog for a nice walk for the day and have a pub meal. Hopefully when the kids grow up and leave home things will get easier
FrankSinatra got a big xmas family bingo score there…
Someone else’s Mum
Dog
Pub
Daily Mail
Racist
Over the top hospitality
Endless festivity related jobs
Lazy
Good luck dude 🤞
None of that shite here, Inlaws all dead (i know) just a group of grown up people all on the same page.
We always have the MIL on Xmas eve but her and Mrs talk insane dribble about people. She always has to narrate what’s happening on the TV. She’s great though to be fair and after 8 hours of drinking before she arrived I didn’t care.
I would love to just take my dog for a nice walk for the day and have a pub meal. Hopefully when the kids grow up and leave home things will get easier
It doesn’t. And they come back. And your wife will still buy too many presents and moan. And curiously go south when it comes to actually wrapping said presents.
Someone else’s Mum
Dog
Pub
Daily Mail
Racist
Over the top hospitality
Endless festivity related jobs
Lazy
****ing hell, against these criteria I can only score my aunt 4/8 or my late FiL the same rating. I’m comparatively lucky.
All our family are quite sane & rational. Politics isn’t all aligned, but it’s never argued about.
I’ll miss it all this year as we are now in Covid isolation, happily all fit & well.
Only ever invite Aunt Bessy and no-one else ever.
Sure doesn't want presents or an appropriate card.
Doesn't care what you watch on tv.
Has no views on politics.
You can cook her from frozen with no need for a patio.
cutting off the whole family cos the pair of them decided they’re anti vaxxers about 3 months ago.
Our family anti-vaxxer (wife’s sister) has thankfully stayed at home in Spain this year. My wife has finally given up trying to tolerate her.
Last year, when our daughter was in ITU after tearing her liver in a bike crash, she was asking for a copy of the consultants notes so she could review them and “give her professional opinion” (she’s a beautician, but this seems to have involved into ‘holistic therapist’ in the last few years). When my wife told her she that we weren’t going to let her give advice to the liver consultant she put in a complaint with my father in law, and is still waiting for an apology from my wife.
This year, behind our backs, she contacted our daughter and son to tell them not to get vaccinated because of some load of old bollocks she’d watched on YouTube and is too unhinged to see that it’s shite. That was the final straw. My wife has stopped speaking to her, and I don’t blame her!
So we’re at the in-laws (wonderful people) with my other sister-in-law, her fella and their three nice kids. It’s great 😀
Sounds like a result in the end thegreatape but 'kin 'ell. 🤦♂️ The level of narcissism to think you can/should behave like that is just staggering.
Have your (her) wacky beliefs if you must but don't try and pretend you have some special insight that must be shared. Jeez.
Nae family meetups for us this year as our boy is properly sick with lurgy. Think we might go for a festive PCR test later!
Actually managed to avoid a WhatsApp-based argument with my mother, mainly due to my GF telling me not to answer the last message she sent to the family group. All entered around pet passports and how Europe is full of fleas and rabies.
In comparison, the mild discussion I had with MiL about not turning computers off, was a walk in the park.
As above Mrs 100th spent Friday and all day yesterday stressing about table etc. My family don't really do Christmas now because my mum pretty much had a bit of a breakdown one year and locked herself in the sitting room.
Anyway mad SiL who was going to invite a bloke she's seen twice and is black and a MiL who is slightly right of Genghis khan.
Stuff it I'm going for a ride with the dogs I'll be back at 11 to see what state we're all in (taken the beef out the fridge so I've started)
You’ve all missed the get out of jail card this year. Use a red biro to add an extra line & hey presto, it’s quarantine time!
Wow, I don’t even get on the scoreboard here.
My family don’t celebrate Christmas (JW)
My inlaws do, we go to theirs, but they are actually nice.
Different opinions are welcomed, regardless of the subject matter.
None of us go over the top with presents, nobody drinks too much, it’s just nice.
I wouldn’t put up with half the shit i read up there ^^ absolutely no way.
Apart from the inlaws (who are both nice) franksinatra sounds like a mirror image of every run up to christmas I've had for years. We spent most of yesterday getting ready for today and countless bits and Bob's over the past week that along with having 4 kids the amount she has bought this year just mind boggling, we set a limit but she's blown that this year as a couple were after big things so didn't look like they had much to open. Even having the kids and love seeing their happy faces on christmas morning I've hated Christmas for years.
Sounds like a result in the end thegreatape but ‘kin ‘ell. 🤦♂️ The level of narcissism to think you can/should behave like that is just staggering.
It’s unreal. The wean actually phoned me from hospital begging me to get her aunt to stop calling her as she was too tired/distressed/in pain to deal with her. Everyone else respected our request to message but not phone her, so she could reply when she felt up to it, but not her aunt, oh no, she has to be the centre of everything.
she’s fit though, isn’t she ;o)
Physically, yes reasonably, mentally, no, and it only takes half an hour for the latter to utterly override the former.
Why do you all put up with this shite? Sack 'em off.
I'd be down at the pub with Frank. Life is too short to spend it in the company of assholes. (Er, sorry Frank...)
Just me, the Mrs and the dog. That’s it. Don’t need the stress and it’s meant to be a day you celebrate the company of those you love. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see my aged parents but I’ll do that later in the week. And it means I get ALL the pigs in blankets to myself.
So we’re at the in-laws (wonderful people) with my other sister-in-law, her fella and their three nice kids. It’s great 😀
Pretty much this, in laws and gran in law coming for dinner, awesome people, love em to bits. And none of us drink any more, so no sitting festering for hours, happy days.
I love cooking for everyone too, canny beat it.
Ours was yesterday.
Call Mother Lunge.
We’re doing LFT’s before we come to see you, will let you know if any problems.
Oh, I wouldn’t bother.
Well, I wouldn’t want to give Covid to you.
We’re not bothering. If they’re positive we can’t see anyone so we’d rather not know.
Aaaahhhh!!!!!
Wife's on a 12 hour shift so we did presents very early!
My mother, or more likely dickhead stepfather chose not to invite us over for Xmas dinner which suits me as he's a racist knob, so my two boys and I will pop over later to say hi then head back home to eat nothing but pigs in blankets and pizza as that's what they want to do 😁
The dog will get a walk then it's a TV day with feet up and a beer 🍺
Off to see the powerkite twins and not have a conversation with them. You would think at 21 they would have evolved from kevin and Perry monosyllabic answers, but no.
Such a magical time of year.
Just the two of us. We sacked off most of Christmas years ago, don't even bother with presents. If we want something we buy it when we want it, not for baby Jesus.
We do, however, drink all day, have bucks fizz with scrambled egg and smoked salmon for brekkie and a lavish dinner. Added excitement this year is watching a huge firework go up in a couple of hours.
We are down at the wife’s parents, her sister has just gone to “have it out “ with her mother - will Christmas be cancelled? Hope not as I’m hungry and there’s no kitchen where we’re staying.
Just finishing our first bottle of Prosecco. Dog had a big walk and a bath, now asleep. Decent breakfast a few nice gifts, I think I'll have a little nap before we go to the MIL's for lunch. Nice.
Can you give us a running commentary kilo?
Laughing / crying with you about the beautician-liver consultant 😂
Narcissism is an excellent reason to permanently detach and liberate yourself from those particular accidents of birth.
First Christmas with just the two of us...no parents left, one sister in California, the other lives close enough that we could see her, but choose not to 😁
About to have champagne and eggs royale, then roast mallard this Eve.
I remember those awful days just waiting for the arguments to break out....
Me, the missus and the dog in the caravan at Pembrey Country Park, absolute bliss. Had a nice walk on the beach yesterday, just had a walk through the forest, followed by scrambled eggs on toast with salami. Off to Burry Port later for a stroll around the harbour/seafront. Home made lasagne later, with cheese and crackers and plenty of wine this evening. Merry Christmas everyone xx
About to have champagne and eggs royale, then roast mallard this Eve.
Oh god this sounds good!
Weirdly enough, for something titled 'The annual family argument thread' there is a 50/50 split between people having family arguments and people having what sounds like amazing Christmases. Surely this is progress!
Update. I was up most of the night dealing with work on-call stuff and a mountain rescue callout (I didn't attend but had a bit of coordinating to do from home). Dealt with three old enough to know better but still excitable kids from 7am, walked dog at 8am, started overly elaborate breakfast cooking at 9am.
At 9.05am, MIL come in to kitchen, asks for a glass of wine then present me with an armful of her laundry and asked if I wouldn't mind doing it. She litereally shoved it into my arms with dirty pants on top of the pile. FFS.
Footnote, she arrived on Monday and still hasn't left the house, not even once. She places no value on fresh air. I just can't work that out. I am like a dog, I need two walks a day.
Eek.
At my mum's house with sister and respective families ( 9 of us)
Missus has just done a positive LFT.
This could kick-off big style 🙁
Just my mum in law here for Xmas, and she's lovely tbh, far more likely to argue with my own family but wont see them until new year
The only argument I'm having is with the beers I had after the bottle of wine last night... that I then followed up with the single malt
My youngest was awake & excited at 6:15 this morning 😭😭
And curiously go south when it comes to actually wrapping said presents.
Sounds like 'going south' (ahem) is your Christmas treat? 🤪
One of the nice things here in Germany is that families get together on the 24th.
Turned up at the GF's folks late, timing it so that her nieces had opened their presents and food was ready.
Left a few hours and bottles of red later.
Off to the workshop today.
Houns
Full MemberCan you give us a running commentary
Fortunately peace has broken out, the miracle of Christmas.
To be fair to all the grandmother in law was buried this week so everyone has been on edge since she passed so all it needed was a little spark for a cathartic bust up (RIP Rita, still liked the odd tipple at 100 and got to 101)
Firk me. I’ve a blind mother who insists on ‘helping’ in the kitchen, so far that has cost me 3 teapots and an induction cooktop she smashed ! So far we’ve had 2 testy interactions between my wife the in-laws abs my mother who all insist on cramming in to help ! It’s fuxking brilliant. Then my mum seems to have obtained a medical degree off Facebark. A self proclaimed expert in virology and Covid. My sister then added insult to insult by whatsapping me half pissed eating a curry 😂 She deserves a day off as she runs an ICU but wasn’t quick to put her hand up to host. I’ve been for a run and a bike ride with mrs nzcol and I’m on my second massive g and t !
I'm hiding in the bedroom. Nanny got covid on Thursday and my dad is vulnerable so despite negative LFT we couldn't go see him (planned to be in the park, first time in months). The missus bought loads of presents, spent half the night wrapping them. The kids are now massively over stimulated cranky and fighting constantly over each others toys. Assuming negative LFT we'll be off to my sisters tomorrow, then the kids and missus are going onto the "women should know their place daily mail reading its the immigrants fault" MIL (I've got 4 daughters). Fortunately I've been excused due to some last minute "work" that's come up as men sometimes have to work and that's OK. We don't call her the Wicked Witch of the West for nothing. At least I'll be in the shed with a beer and some bikes.
Just the two of us. We sacked off most of Christmas years ago, don’t even bother with presents. If we want something we buy it when we want it, not for baby Jesus.
Same for me and OH. Quick blast out this morning (brrr), back for coffee and a load of muddy bike stuff in the wash, daal for tea tonight. We 'did' the solstice on the 21st with a pheasant breast kiev, chips n peas and a nice bottle of red 😎
As for spending time with people you can barely tolerate- eff that shizz!
MIL is currently reading all of her emails out loud to everyone. Not telegram type messages from overseas relatives but MSE weekly top tips and offers from M&S
****. M6 here we come. Still, should be quiet at least.
What's everyone's thermostat stats looking like? Couldn't remember if there's usually a seperate thread for this
Anyone 25c+?
Quiet one here, had our Xmas dinner yesterday so we could concentrate on the toddler as he is now aware of Christmas. I've never seen presents opened so quickly. My family tomorrow where I will try not to respond to any eyebrow raising comments on covid etc. It got loud last time and it's just not worth the confrontation.
What’s everyone’s thermostat stats looking like? Couldn’t remember if there’s usually a seperate thread for this
Anyone 25c+?
I wish. I'm sure the MiL lives in an Igloo
What’s everyone’s thermostat stats looking like? Couldn’t remember if there’s usually a seperate thread for this
Anyone 25c+?
Usual 17.5c here. I’d usually whack it up a bit when sitting around but leaving it low just out of stubbornness. A small, petty victory but a victory all the same.
21 degrees and obligatory STW woodburner going here at the moment. And the other half has a blanket. She’s happy though which is the main thing!
I've been informed I have to go to the in-laws tomorrow afternoon.
MIL & AIL compete to see who's vapid conversation can be loudest.
BIL will bicker with everyone, the level of severity depending on how many arsehole tablets he had for lunch.
Mrs_H is on day 2 of a row of night shifts and won't have slept properly & I'll be in a mardy because tomorrow afternoons forecast is good and I won't be out on my bike.
I've had a lovely day. Wife left early for Christmas Dinner with her daughter and grandsons. I took the dog for a long walk by the sea, then had a huge plateful of spaghetti carbonara with a bottle of prosecco, followed by eclairs and coffee with calvados! Now curled up with a good book. Perfect. The dog seems happy, too.
No arguments here, but sister in laws family have been messaging her to say they’ve come down with covid, they visited SIL this last week and now SIL is with us.
Very brisk walk along the sea front this morning, just finished dinner, now on second glass of wine, and dilemma of what book to start in on.
Happy Xmas.
Got to say this thread has been a bit disappointing this year.
Having said that I don't think the dog pisses in MILs garden and we go straight home post from a few years back will ever be topped.
Glad I don't have to suffer any of it though.
Life's too short for that kind of shit.
Was delighted to hear my father in law getting shut down very quickly by my mum and sister when he tried repeating a few very lazy Daily Mail tropes (apparently Boris 'got Brexit done').
He's a nice enough gent, he might just have been bored since he was driving and couldn't have a glass of fizz 😁
Got to say this thread has been a bit disappointing this year.
Having said that I don’t think the dog pisses in MILs garden and we go straight home post from a few years back will ever be topped.
Well said! That post was hilarious and can't remember the author but would love to know whether they're all on speaking terms now.
I tried looking for it earlier but Google-fu failed me before conf-call ended. Please someone find it.
Does anyone else ever wonder if they are the objectionable FIL, BIL etc that gets written up on these threads?
You’re wondering now aren’t you. 😉
Mrs Spekkie and I have had a quiet day at home. Spoke to her daughter in Colorado this afternoon - it was 8am there - without issues and her son in London this eve. Then spoke to my son in the UK after that - we're flying over to visit him and his family in the UK on Monday and having a "proper" Christmas Dinner later this week which I'm really looking forward to . . . .
We've just done a Covid tests each and we're both negative.
I am going to put new discs and pads on my truck to get outside tomorrow. Mtbing Monday 🙂
I tried looking for it earlier but Google-fu failed me before conf-call ended. Please someone find it.
Oldschool was the hero in question.
Well said! That post was hilarious and can’t remember the author but would love to know whether they’re all on speaking terms now.
It was me, and yes. We are on speaking terms now. Think that was the turning point, 😂
Get on great now to be fair.
head back home to eat nothing but pigs in blankets and pizza
That must be a serious numbers of PIBs, into 3 figures almost. 🙂
We had 64 between 8 of us, along with a turkey, 4 trays of stuffing, 5 trays of roast potatoes, roast parsnips and loads of veg.
Getting that cooked in a standard oven plus top oven was a serious feat. First tray of roasties was ready at 11:00
Gnommm
head back home to eat nothing but pigs in blankets and pizza
You can now do both of those simultaneously with a pigs in blankets pizza. We had one from Aldi the other week.
It was ok till the end then my mil called her daughter a miserable git then walked out .
Daughter was on form with jokes that would make jimmy Carr blush.
Alone now with Harry Potter on the tv *happy face*
Oh the dog is here and I'm fine with that
It was me, and yes. We are on speaking terms now. Think that was the turning point, 😂
Get on great now to be fair.
Wow! Pleased that you're on good terms now, a relief all round I should think. Families eh?
Oh and thanks soundninjauk for retrieving the original thread.
You can now do both of those simultaneously with a pigs in blankets pizza. We had one from Aldi the other week.
*checks Aldis opening hours*
Some familiar names in that thread from 8 years ago!😁
Awesome. Thanks @soundninja.
FrankSinatra still living his best times at Christmas after eight years.
You can now do both of those simultaneously with a pigs in blankets pizza. We had one from Aldi the other week.
We had one of these yesterday but with pigs in blankets from Higginsons of Grange butchers and roasted onion - on homemade 72hr fermented sourdough bases and cooked in the Ooni outside. Bloody delicious!
We had one of these yesterday but with pigs in blankets from Higginsons of Grange butchers and roasted onion – on homemade 72hr fermented sourdough bases and cooked in the Ooni outside. Bloody delicious!
Peak STW.....
I try my best! Also peak tastiness so... 🤷🏻♂️ 😁
The bonus was that I was making the pizzas so a pig in blanket or two may have ended up as a topping 😁
I really did eat too many yesterday...
The visit to my mother's didn't go too badly though, stepfather was actually on good form, it was my sister I had to pull up for being racist, thankfully my other sister backed me up and it was nipped in the bud very quickly.