Q
Dear Auntie Pearl, I’m already getting nervous with the gedagtes of Christmas and Nuwejaar being around the corner.
Elke jaar kom my hele bleddiefamily en pak af by my − and they don’t bring a lot!
They will bring like a 2 litre Coke and a pak Simba chips and expect me to cater for them.
Now I do have a good job, but, jinne, daai’s mos inconsiderate.
How can I make it clear that more is expected of them this year without offending them?
Boeta J.
A
Yoh Boeta J, sounds like you have some sponges in your family − and sponges need to stay in the bathroom!
It’s time to rek your bek, Boeta, and the earlier the better.
Send out a message to the family saying you want to discuss the menu for the festive time, and allocate a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner) or certain items (like a potato salad, pudding, cooldrinks) to every family.
Another option you can give them, is to work out the menu for the period of time they visit, and work out what it will cost per person, and tell them to deposit the money before they come, so that you can go shop and cater for them, with their own money.
Nothing is going to happen if you stay quiet because they have been abusing your kindness.
So speak out now and rather avoid a moerse fight when you lose your cool on Christmas.
They cannot expect you to cater for them just because you have a kwaai job with a decent salary.
You mos also have a lifestyle to maintain.
And they should help with cleaning and tidying up nuh, your house is mos not a holiday resort.
They will keep treating you like this until you show them otherwise.