Which family member causes problems at Xmas?

PhilBill

darkdubh wrote: »

Is the one who had her wedding in Australia or somewhere and fell out with her mother who couldent afford to go?or did someone else post that?

You'd be a shoo in for Sherlock, but we were not looking for past posts. We were talking about Christmas tragedies.

I wonder - if you can not think of someone in your family like that - does that mean YOU might be he/she/it?

But seriously. There is one that I dread meeting. "Grandfather Bernard". And from what I have gathered he is no grandfather but the uncle of a married in uncle on the side of one of the girls I am seeing. But he it one of these entrenched and quite likeable characters. That even in his (very) advanced years still has social control over all around him - including me I have to admit.

I love some of the things he comes out with or adds to social gatherings. Including when he pulls himself CLICKingLY to his feet at parties and sings "Blue Berry Hill" in a vocal that would make the gravel of Gerry Fish sound like a prepubescent girl.

But this guy HATES me. With a serious passion. And my Xmas trial is that for the sake of the girls and the social scenario I can never blow up at him. Just throw my best Passive Agreeive Irony at him (which in fairness has made him splutter once or twice).

The main embarrasment comes from all the people who laugh at his antics for the most part who then - when I am leaving quite happy and unperturbed (but tired perhaps) from the experience - pour apologies on me as I leave. And then I have to convince them somehow that I actually did love every minute of it. Truely.

But every year the same thing. "Same procedure as every year" as that movies the Germans love says

Man I have to record him singing Blueberry hill though. If I do it right its going to be a bigger hit than when Tom Waits did that "Jesus Wine - Never Failed me Yet" thing with the homeless guy.

braddun

if you cant point anyone out


its you

Beat you to it Brad

Oh crap it was me again wasnt it :P

PhilBill

realies wrote: »

To much over indulgence in alcohol makes the demons come out.

(Turns snapback cap backwards) True dat'!!

fleet_admiral

My wifes incredibly socially awkward god father. Took him twenty minutes this morning to decide which cup to use to make coffee because he was afraid someone else wanted the mug. He'd drive you to drink
Hic

PhilBill

fleet_admiral wrote: »

My wifes incredibly socially awkward god father. Took him twenty minutes this morning to decide which cup to use to make coffee because he was afraid someone else wanted the mug. He'd drive you to drink
Hic

You should meet my grandfather! The person that made me socially awkward! Although I absolutely adore him I try and have as few conversations with him as I possibly can.

_Whimsical_

Ah yes there's always one.
I'll just call her a female relation, thankfully in my extended family.

She mentioned to my mum that she was looking forward to a certain book coming out but wouldn't be able to afford it in hardback so would have to wait for paperback. My mum immediately bought the book from the bookdepository online, wrapped it up really nicely and gave it to her after they spent the day with us and we rolled out the red carpet for her and her family. She opened the book on the way home in the car and we got a call when she was an hour into the journey saying "you seem to have wrapped one of your old books and given it to me so I've stopped at a post office and posted it back to you, wouldn't want you being without your book". The phone was hung up them before my mum got one word out..
The book depository always put a bookmark advertising their shop in books bought there, she saw it and presumed that the bookmark signified my mum was reading it before she gave it to her. It definitely put a damper on what was a nice day.
Never a visit passes without some spiteful nastiness aimed at someone where she is concerned.

MadYaker

I have one cousin who is consistently the drunkest at family events. We were all together on xmas eve and we got stuck into the prosecco but he was actually fairly well behaved. That's it really. Today was just my immediate family so fairly chill.

My grannys sister, my great aunt, is the one who causes the issues for my family. My gran can put her in her place sharply enough so she's just offensive enough to add some interest and local colour, but she's not given the opportunity to cause any major problems. Keeps things interesting, with that little frisson of tension. :P

Usually the biggest fight is over who gets to hold the remote control, that kind of power isn't gained, wielded or given up without a battle.

CatFromHue

downonthefarm wrote: »

Ah I love the old racist relations,they have earned the right to say what they want

Ha, I find my relations trying to be PC, having grown up with some very un PC phrases, quite funny!

PhilBill

Candie wrote: »

My grannys sister, my great aunt, is the one who causes the issues for my family. My gran can put her in her place sharply enough so she's just offensive enough to add some interest and local colour, but she's not given the opportunity to cause any major problems. Keeps things interesting, with that little frisson of tension. :P

Usually the biggest fight is over who gets to hold the remote control, that kind of power isn't gained, wielded or given up without a battle.

That UPC remote control can cause families to disown each other!

PhilBill

PhilBill wrote: »

That UPC remote control can cause families to disown each other!

I'm small but tenacious and I have the battle scars.

PhilBill

Candie wrote: »

I'm small but tenacious and I have the battle scars.

My terrier could say the same.

chrissb8

weldoninhio wrote: »

I don't think there's one in my family. However I got out of bed at 10 to give my presents, came back to bed to watch Game of Thrones, went down for dinner, back to my room after 25 minutes, slept til 8:30pm and now in my room drinking wine watching TV.

The most wonderful time of the year my arse.

Sounds like a lack of effort on your part to be honest.

PhilBill

chrissb8 wrote: »

Sounds like a lack of effort on your part to be honest.

I'm assuming by lack of effort you mean the fact that he hasn't finished watching Game of Thrones yet!? I finished the books when I was 15 pal you need to pick the pace up!!! lol

nbar12

so fúcking annoyed, Christmas was going incredibly well, literally in tears with laughter because of my mum but unfortunately she can't keep her mouth shut & involves herself in other people's business. Christmas has been ruined...again


Also, I've found my calling in life, a UN peacekeeper. I did a pretty good job tonight if I do say so myself, things could of gotten extremely messy

John Cherry

nbar12 wrote: »

so fúcking annoyed, Christmas was going incredibly well, literally in tears with laughter because of my mum but unfortunately she can't keep her mouth shut & involves herself in other people's business. Christmas has been ruined...again

Sorry to hear.

PhilBill

I can only say well done to the people who kept their argumentative families in order tonight it takes guts! Merry Christmas too everyone and I hope all had a great day yesterday! I'm off too watch Die Hard!

osarusan

Jaysus, had plenty of Christmases with family, extended family, extended extended family, and never had anything even close to some of the stuff described here.

Only thing I can remember was when my father got drunk and pissed on the football he'd bought my brother and me. And even that was kind of funny in a way.

fryup

Which family member causes problems at Xmas?

the one with the remote in their hand

Close the thread. Winner alright. Winner alright.

Jaseheath she sounds like the She-Devil





Maybe such quarrels are part of the reason for this http://m.rte.ie/news/2014/1226/669020-childline-receives-1-200-calls-on-christmas-day/

Cantremember

fryup wrote: »

Which family member causes problems at Xmas?

the one with the remote in their hand

No. The one who realises that everyone else will try to make an effort to be nice and patient and want "the perfect day" and will exploit that to cause as much misery as possible. It's a golden opportunity to wound for the people with issues. At least it gives some people an equal opportunity to see them for what they are.

Sir Osis of Liver.

OP's 96 year old great-grandmother sound like a bit of a laugh.

Tearin It Up

My sister. But only to me. Turns it around and tries and blame me as if its my fault.

OK. Here's the situation and see if anyone can pick out if its my fault.

We have two artificial Christmas tree's in the attic already. But no way of getting them down. From last year, we some how didn't leave the box of decorations up into the attic. They were in the spare room. I couldn't give a fcuk about a tree, decorate the house without the tree.

According to my sister we have to have a Christmas tree. Off she goes and orders one. According to her we must all live Christmas like your last. It must be the best.

So the Christmas tree arrives broken, and I stated the obvious that we didn't need a third Christmas tree and we would have found someone to get one of our two Christmas trees down from the attic. The day before our Dad was up in the house and he could have done it.

My sister flew off the wall as if it was my fault the Christmas tree was broken and she had to spend money on it.

Off she goes taking back everything she gave me and unfriending me on Facebook. She's 32.

Couple days later. Her bank card falls out of her purse in her bag. I get a nasty message blaming me that I stole it to clear out her bank account to get revenge on her mood. (She probably thinks I skimmed her bank card-karma's a bitch, you blame someone for taking your card, then it gets skimmed... I only wish the bank doesn't give back the money)

She still hasnt apologised and she wont. I refuse to talk to someone like that. No one has to live with her.

I had to put up with a lot of crap from her in my 20s. If a book went missing, it was my fault, if the mail didn't come, it was my fault, I had a cold, couldn't drive her 20 stone fat arse to the gym, it was my fault... I spent two years not talking to her, her mental behaviour was so bad.

Here it is again all starting up again. Not going there, not now, not in 2015. Not giving her any excuse to have a go at me.

So it was a quite Christmas not talking. But the funny thing is she's all smiles to everyone else.

lanos

Tearin It Up wrote: »

My sister. But only to me. Turns it around and tries and blame me as if its my fault.

OK. Here's the situation and see if anyone can pick out if its my fault.

We have two artificial Christmas tree's in the attic already. But no way of getting them down. From last year, we some how didn't leave the box of decorations up into the attic. They were in the spare room. I couldn't give a fcuk about a tree, decorate the house without the tree.

According to my sister we have to have a Christmas tree. Off she goes and orders one. According to her we must all live Christmas like your last. It must be the best.

So the Christmas tree arrives broken, and I stated the obvious that we didn't need a third Christmas tree and we would have found someone to get one of our two Christmas trees down from the attic. The day before our Dad was up in the house and he could have done it.

My sister flew off the wall as if it was my fault the Christmas tree was broken and she had to spend money on it.

Off she goes taking back everything she gave me and unfriending me on Facebook. She's 32.

Couple days later. Her bank card falls out of her purse in her bag. I get a nasty message blaming me that I stole it to clear out her bank account to get revenge on her mood. (She probably thinks I skimmed her bank card-karma's a bitch, you blame someone for taking your card, then it gets skimmed... I only wish the bank doesn't give back the money)

She still hasnt apologised and she wont. I refuse to talk to someone like that. No one has to live with her.

I had to put up with a lot of crap from her in my 20s. If a book went missing, it was my fault, if the mail didn't come, it was my fault, I had a cold, couldn't drive her 20 stone fat arse to the gym, it was my fault... I spent two years not talking to her, her mental behaviour was so bad.

Here it is again all starting up again. Not going there, not now, not in 2015. Not giving her any excuse to have a go at me.

So it was a quite Christmas not talking. But the funny thing is she's all smiles to everyone else.

she does sound crazy
Is she really 20 stone ?
why did you not go up to the attic
are you overweight too or just lazy

JaseBelleVie

matrim wrote: »

I agree that she sounds like a complete cow who looks to ruin events but if she specifically doesn't like presents for herself or for the kids why would you still get them for the kids and give them on christmas day? surely this isn't the first christmas where this has happened if the kids are 5 and 3

Believe it or not, this was the first time that she erupted on Christmas over it. She's not consistent with her outbursts. They just happen at the most inopportune moments.

Tearin It Up

lanos wrote: »

she does sound crazy
Is she really 20 stone ?
why did you not go up to the attic
are you overweight too or just lazy

She is crazy.
Yes, she's 20 stone.
I can't climb the ladder.
I'm neither overweight or lazy.

Tail Docker

My lot all land down to ours every Christmas/St Stevens - a row broke out a few years back between a couple of them, just verbal shyte, and I unceremoniously booted the ones involved, adults and all, out the door. Cue a bit of silence/huffy/moaning, but they got over it and now when everyone's together here, they mind their manners.

I used to try and play the peacemaker, but it doesn't work, some people will, if allowed, start the verbal sniping - nipping it in the bud with extreme predjudice, just the once, appears to work. Play nice, or fcuk off. Basically.