On this week’s So You Think You’re an Adult, one Frenchman’s parents and wife continue to clash over the ‘right’ way to spend Christmas in Ireland.
“My parents came over from France for Christmas this year, for their first 'Irish’ Christmas,” he told Moncrieff.
“I’d warned them that things are different here – lots of neighbours dropping in, a few nights in the pub, long lazy days... however, they hated every second.
“They felt it was rude to spend the day in pyjamas or tracksuits, and they didn’t like how much of it was centred around drink.
“My parents have been cool with my wife ever since... they think she should apologise, and she thinks they should decline an invite next time.
“I never thought the animosity would drag on this long, but we’re due to go to them in June for a holiday and my wife is saying she won’t go.”
'Stereotyping' the French
Broadcaster Declan Buckley said he was going to avoid “stereotyping” the French and focus on the “fundamental point”.
“Guests came to the house, and they were made stay in the house, and they wanted to be shown a little bit of Ireland.
“My point here is that they’re both right, they're both wrong.
“The parents coming over and expecting to be treated nicely on their first trip to Ireland is not a bad or wrong expectation.
“Likewise, it’s not a wrong expectation to be like we’re staying in our pyjamas and drinking Bailey's for breakfast.”
'Quintessential Irish Christmas'
Writer Barbara Scully adamantly disagreed with Declan, saying a “Christmas trip” is different from a regular holiday.
“This is a family visit,” she said. “These aren’t tourists coming and your job isn’t to be a tour guide.
“They came over to experience Christmas in Ireland and what they got was to me a quintessential Irish Christmas experience.”
Barbara said she doesn’t think “anyone has anything to apologise about”.
“I think they had an Irish experience, they didn’t like it, so don’t come again at Christmas,” she said.
“They're entitled to have their own French little Christmas.”
Barbara conceded the French son should have attempted to get his parents to see “the funny side” of an Irish Christmas.
