Holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration and good cheer, but for these Redditors, they were absolute nightmares. From near-fatal mishaps to bizarre family feuds, these stories prove why the holidays can be such a terrifying time.
1. Suffering From Exhaust-ion
My grandparents were unexpectedly involved in a collision with a transport truck while doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. Miraculously, they survived, but were admitted to the ICU. Consequently, on Christmas morning, after a quick gift opening, my family and I had to drive over to the city hospital where they were admitted, a two-hour drive away. We stayed in a hotel for the following three days until another relative was able to take over. But that was just the start of our nightmare.
At the hotel, we had to deal with an unusually hot room on the ground floor, forcing us to turn the air conditioning on. One night, a diesel truck parked right next to our AC unit and idled its engine. Unfortunately, the exhaust fumes were drawn into our room while we were asleep. Luckily, my dad woke up just in time to realize I wasn't breathing due to the fumes and was able to save me.
2. Mom Was The Real Life Saver
Back when I was just a kid, I received a pack of LifeSavers candy for Christmas. My Santa sack was filled to the brim with sweet treats. Having a special love for mint at the time, I was enjoying the LifeSavers in my room while unpacking my holiday loot. I got a little too excited and ended up swallowing one of the candy rings whole. It got stuck right in my throat, and my only lifeline was the tiny hole in the middle of the mint.
I kept attempting to swallow, but the pain was excruciating, and I couldn't call out for help. For some reason, I couldn't open the door, and it felt like the mint was continually twisting, causing my airway to steadily close up. I wasn't able to cough or do anything. The room started to darken when all of a sudden, my mom burst through the door, wondering why I hadn't returned downstairs.
Without skipping a beat, she slammed her fist into my back, forcing the LifeSaver from my throat and back into my mouth. I fell on the floor, gasping for air—but Mom still wasn't finished. She took a quick snapshot, expressed her relief that I was okay, and then proceeded downstairs to regale the family with my near-death-by-mint ordeal. Now, every Christmas my mom gifts me a pack of LifeSavers, always quick to advise, "Try not to choke this year".
3. The Bearer Of Bad News
When I got home for Christmas, I unintentionally ruined my parents' holiday mood. My dad had just read about a car crash in the newspaper and expressed concern over the increasing number of young adults getting hurt in accidents.
By profession, my dad used to coach sports in high school before retiring. Without thinking, I casually brought up that one of his ex-students, a young man of 24, had tragically perished in an accident last month, assuming he already knew. He wasn't.
4. The More The Un-Merrier
We've taken on the task of hosting Thanksgiving this year, with my wife cooking away since yesterday. However, our plans took a hit this morning when my sister-in-law rang. Her daughter, our niece, is under the weather and they had to cancel. Later on, she reconsidered, thinking her daughter was just "slightly sick" and that they might make it after all.
We tried to explain that there's no such thing as "a little bit sick"—you're either infectious or you're not. This didn't go down well. She hit back, suggesting we didn't want to see her. This resulted in a heated exchange between her and my wife.
On top of that, about thirty minutes ago, we found out my father-in-law won't be joining us. This is largely down to a disagreement with his girlfriend who didn't turn up at his place last night. This leaves us with just my wife's other sister and her boyfriend as dinner guests, who earlier had a less-than-sterling Thanksgiving event and are in a hurry to leave.
So we're most likely looking at a quick dine-and-dash affair. It's a shame considering the feast we have: A full-blown turkey, potatoes, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, a couple of pies, a banana cream dessert and an array of drinks. All this for just the four of us!
5. Creepy Crawly Christmas
When I was a little kid, my home was in Iowa. Each year, we'd venture out to chop down a Christmas tree. We set one up one year, and after a couple of days, we started noticing mysterious brown specks scattered on our floor. Despite my mom's effort to consistently sweep them, they just kept showing up. That's when we unraveled a shocking truth.
A friend of my mom paid us a visit and identified those brown specks as baby spiders. The tree we had chosen was hosting a spider's nest, but thankfully, those spiders weren't going to make it post hatching. We immediately discarded our spider-ridden tree and gave the house a thorough clean.
From that incident forward, our go-to has been an artificial Christmas tree.
6. Kelly’s Christmas Was Crushed
Back in high school, my older sister, Kelly, admittedly had a bit of an elitist streak. In the year she was 16, and I was 13, she made quite the fuss about never getting a satisfactory Christmas present. Our mom wasn't exactly rolling in cash, and Kelly, despite being the eldest of six in a not-so-wealthy household, seemed to overlook this fact.
Mom somehow persuaded herself that maybe Kelly had a point and decided that this Christmas would be unforgettable for her. They went shopping, and Kelly identified about seven items she'd love for Christmas, stating that any of these would indeed make her day.
To really stun Kelly, Mom decided to buy all seven gifts. And then, she unintentionally gave it away, mentioning to Kelly that she'd sure be delighted since she was receiving all she had wished for. On the night before Christmas, while wrapping the presents, Mom realized I only had one gift.
She thought it would be fair enough if I got one of Kelly's gifts, so she designated one to me. Christmas morning arrived, and as Kelly was unwrapping her gifts, I was on my second one. I opened a board game, which set Kelly into a frenzy.
She had expected to receive all of the gifts, and seeing one of them being opened by someone else was more disappointment than she could handle. It triggered a monumental meltdown. I attempted to hand her the board game that had sparked the drama—I never wanted it, to begin with—but it seemed the harm was beyond repair.
7. Mother Doesn’t Know Best
My mom had a bit of an emotional episode on Christmas. Why, you ask? Well, my sisters decided to turn in early on Christmas Eve instead of staying up until the stroke of midnight to kick-off the holiday. Her reaction was unbelievable. Instead of coming down for breakfast and the exciting gift exchanges this morning, she chose to stay away. We spent the morning receiving text messages from her saying that she felt unloved and uncared for. Nothing like a guilt-trip to start off the day!
8. If Only We Could Choose Our Family
I've put up with my dad's actions and forgiven him on countless occasions. For the sake of my sanity, I eventually decided to break ties with him, a decision my twin sister is fully aware of. We were brought up by our grandparents because he didn't want to handle the responsibility.
He occasionally visited us, and sometimes we'd stay with him. However, when our grandparents passed on too soon, he didn't step up to help or comfort us, leading to my sister and I being separated at the age of 12.
As we grew older, he tried to reestablish connection, and I accepted his past mistakes. Yet, he would guilt-trip me about being adopted by my grandparents and would hurl insults at our mostly absent mother, not extending the same judgment to himself.
He'd say I was brainwashed because I didn't align with his conspiracy theories. He's incredibly manipulative. Then came the last straw. He dismissively texted me, "Well, I wish you the best in life," again, a hurtful pattern we’d discussed before. He was basically implying that he was finished with me.
After the third time he pulled this stunt, I had had enough. It was audacious of him to threaten to leave me yet again, after all the opportunities for redemption I had given him.
I couldn't endure the emotional turmoil he was causing me, so I texted back, "thanks, you too" and then blocked him. This brings us to this Christmas. I drove two hours to visit my sister.
I brought her and her husband their favorite Chinese food and presents. When I arrived, she revealed an unpleasant surprise—our Dad was there. Despite knowing our troubled relationship, she hadn't even warned me in advance.
So, I handed over the food, gifts, and promptly drove the two-hour journey back home, largely spent crying from anger and sadness. The only reason my sister maintains ties with him is she finds herself needing money, which he willingly provides. Even though he treats her with the same disrespect and manipulation, she hasn't quite cut him off officially.
9. Not A Moment To Breathe
I ended up spending the night at my boyfriend's, who still lives with his parents. Around 2 AM, I woke up feeling extremely unwell, so much so that I had to wake up my boyfriend to tell him I urgently needed to return home, a 30-minute drive away. Surprisingly, as soon as he woke up, he felt sick too. His parents also woke up at this point, feeling the same sickness. We then discovered that the vent for the wood stove had slipped, causing the house to fill with carbon monoxide. Imagine how disastrous our Christmas morning could have been.
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10. Ashes To Ashes
My dad, who had battled alcoholism for many years, sadly passed on just before Thanksgiving, at the close of November. A whole month saw us setting aside all our Christmas savings into a fund designed to cover his cremation costs.
Without the needed $2,000, his body would've been handed over to local authorities, being cremated alongside several other unidentified bodies. Thankfully, we managed to pool together the necessary amount and his cremation was paid for in time. Our entire Christmas budget went towards these costs, with his ashes resting peacefully under our Christmas tree.
11. Back On The Chain Gang
During my second year of university, my friend and her boyfriend offered me a lift towards home. They were visiting her parents in Seattle and I was hitching a ride until Pendleton, OR, where my parents were to pick me up. It was quite a trip from Utah to Washington, and I was definitely playing the role of the extra person along for the ride.
Our journey took on a daunting turn through Idaho's infamous sections known for their high winds and icy patches. As we reached La Grande, we were informed that the pass was shut down. Stranded at a gas station in the town, it struck me that I had relatives living there. Using my cell phone, I managed to get their number from my dad.
Despite already hosting a group of stranded students, my aunt and uncle were generous enough to arrange for us car chains, courtesy of my uncle’s position as the manager at the local Walmart. My friend and her boyfriend, however, were enthusiastic about heading out as soon as possible. We were confident about having the chains, not foreseeing the ordeal that waited for us.
As soon as the pass was opened, we eager beavers scaled up the mountain, with my friend's boyfriend only pausing to install the chains after we were overtaken by semis going at 50 mph on the snowy road. We would later realize that we had actually driven through the infamous "Deadman's Pass". Despite all of us having knowledge of how to fit the chains, our shared oversight led to us struggle when the time came.
After a somewhat chaotic 45 minutes involving multiple attempts and nearly getting caught in the snow, we finally managed to affix the chains, albeit loosely. My friend's boyfriend, in a blip of poor judgement, decided to drive at 30 mph, which caused the chains to dig into the wheel wells. Exhausted and worn out, we finally reached Pendleton at 4 am.
I wish I could say that was the end of our ordeal...but it wasn't. The ride back was a breeze until we reached the Utah border. Our trip was interrupted when, in the final stretch, my friend let out a horrified gasp followed by a jarring BANG! A large concrete block was sprawled across our lane, and due to the poor visibility and curve ahead, we didn’t see it until it was too late.
Identifying the resulting mess, we noticed several cars lined up ahead with flashing hazard lights. Turns out, they too, had tire mishaps avoiding the concrete. Unlike them, we also managed to damage our car's undercarriage which was now scraping the road.
A call to state patrol assured us that help would be arriving soon, but with no word 40 minutes later, we decided to trudge slowly along the shoulder. After a painstaking three miles, we arrived at a small town called Snowville and spent the night with my friend’s sister. The following day my friend’s boyfriend dealt with the tow company and repercussions with his dad, who was not reachable in China. On reaching my apartment and sharing the escapade with my mother, she made it clear that my winter driving expedition was to be never repeated—instead, I could either fly or stay back on campus.
12. Pulling Double Duty
My sister-in-law lost her cool today after seeing we'd also made mac and cheese. Seems like she spent all night making the same dish, and took ours as some kind of personal affront? We mentioned her reaction was a bit over the top, which only seemed to make her more upset, especially since her kids were present. So, we decided to head out.
We left behind all the food we'd prepared and brought. She's had a history of dealing with anger issues, but this incident was the final straw.
13. Thanks, Grandma
My pup, who unfortunately has quite a few health troubles, was given five holiday cookies by my dear grandmother. Thank goodness, he's alright, but what happened afterward was really scary. Not only was there a tremendous mess all over the house due to him getting sick, but we also ended up with a big vet bill.
14. The Black Sheep Of The Family
My family accused me of being inconsiderate because I had a migraine that supposedly "spoiled the celebration". The presents I got were socks, underwear, some pillows, and a random selection of chocolate that my mom and sister said they "shared the expense of due to a budget crunch". Meanwhile, my sister opened presents to find Bluetooth headphones, a speaker, and an additional clip-on speaker, all gifts that my mom got just for her.
But the real spoiler was the migraine, they always dampen any day.
15. Go For Broke
My brother was showing off tricks on his rollerblades, a gift he got for Christmas when he cracked the code to doing a grind. He wanted me to watch, but something else grabbed my attention, and I missed seeing the stunt.
When he tried to repeat the trick for me, he ended up breaking his arm. The rest of that day, plus another, were spent in the hospital. My family placed the blame on me.
16. Merry Mono Christmas
Back in the early days of December, I suffered a severe bout of mono, courtesy of my ex-girlfriend. She kissed me while she was still contagious, leaving me clueless about my impending illness. Recovery required a ton of different medicines, and unfortunately, my body reacted poorly to one of them, causing an unwelcome rash. It started on my arms, then my legs, but then it got so much worse.
It quickly spread like wildfire, covering even the most embarrassing parts of my body. My hands, feet, eyelids, and lips, nowhere was spared. The rash started as red spots that gradually increased in density, leaving only tiny white specks visible in the sea of red irritation. By Christmas, nearly 95% of my body was engulfed in this painful, uncomfortable rash.
Every position was painful—standing hurt my feet, sitting was torture for my rear, and laying down brought discomfort everywhere. People avoided me because they assumed I had a highly contagious disease. The reality was that the mono was only spread through saliva and the rash was a side effect of the medication I was taking. Still, it made for the loneliest holiday season I've experienced and threw a wrench in my exam schedule.
Once the rash finally disappeared, my buddies came by and brought along tons of drinks—but I was still on the mend and couldn't indulge. Worse still, the mono lingered, remaining contagious for six more months, so I couldn't even share a kiss without potentially spreading the illness.
17. Holiday Heartache
My beloved grandma left us around 2 AM on Christmas day. She had been in the hospital for about three months battling a broken hip, enduring numerous surgeries. It was simply her time to go. My mom was there when she took her last breath and thankfully, her departure was as tranquill as we could have wished for. My mom arrived home about an hour later, and I consoled her with a heartfelt hug as she shed tears of sorrow.
The house was silent, with the rest of the family oblivious to our loss. Exhausted and grieving, my mom and I sought refuge in sleep. Next morning, I woke up to the sounds of my younger brother downstairs. Nine or ten years old at the time, he was effervescent with Christmas morning excitement, completely unaware of the sorrowful news. His joy intensified when my mom descended the stairs, a signal that it was finally time to unwrap his presents.
Seeing the happiness on his face, my mom knew she had to break the heartbreaking news. She gently explained that Grandma had left us the previous night. Watching the joy drain from his face, replaced by utter devastation, was the most heart-wrenching sight I have ever witnessed. The memory of it still brings tears to my eyes.
18. In A Jam
When I was a 15-year-old, my family and I embarked on a long road trip, covering hundreds of miles to spend the holidays with some relatives. On our way there, in a bizarre twist, I managed to get my elbow stuck in a tiny compartment—the part where you'd usually find the airbag on the passenger side in today's cars. My elbow was wedged in there pretty tightly and it was impossible for us to pull it out on our own. Hence, we had to make a pit stop at the nearest hospital's emergency room. A very frightened nurse there had to apply a lubricant to my arm to finally free it.
19. Grin And Bear It
Well, my Thanksgiving isn't completely spoiled, but my pumpkin pie probably is. Can you imagine? I goofed up pretty big time—instead of flour, I accidentally used pancake mix to prepare the crust. Seriously, who does that? To be fair to myself, the two containers are identical if you don't pay close attention to the labels.
As of now, everyone's just being nice and not commenting much about the unusually chewy texture of the crust.
20. The Dog Did It
A few days before Christmas, we decided to go out for dinner. When we got back home, something was off. As I opened the front door, I noticed a small puddle of water. I shrugged it off, thinking it might just be melted snow, and proceeded to open the inner door. That's when I heard an unusual sound.
Upon entering, I was met with a surprising sight: water cascading down the walls and about a half-inch of water covering our flooring. Racing around the house, I tried to identify where the water was coming from. Finally, we discovered the source in our upstairs bathroom and quickly turned the pipe off. Our dachshund, in his mischievous curiosity, had knocked over the trash can, which incidentally cut off the hose supplying water to our toilet.
We estimated the water had been spraying for about half an hour before we returned. Fortunately, the damage was minimal as most of the water seeped through linoleum areas of the house. However, it was far from an amusing experience, especially having to clean up the waterlogged house just days before the holiday.
21. One Messed-Up Christmas
Our Christmas turned out rather chaotic. We had plans to have dinner at my aunt's house and so, we all drove separately. Besides my mom, the rest of us were already indoors. My mom parked her car across the street and started walking towards the house when the trouble began.
A driver came racing down the street and almost hit my mom. Obviously upset, she yelled at him and kicked his car as he zoomed past. What happened next was terrifying. He didn't ignore it. Instead, he abruptly stopped, chased my mom down and pushed her to the ground.
My 75-year-old mom has a blood-thinning condition, so the small cut on her head bled profusely. The sight of this set my dad and wife running out of the house, shouting at the man. Trying to gather evidence, my dad got right in front of the guy's car to capture his license plate.
However, the man jumped back into his car and sped away, causing my dad to roll over the car's hood before crashing onto the ground. Despite being in his 70s, he was miraculously unharmed. Of course, this led to several paramedics and law enforcement officers arriving.
My mom ended up needing a few staples on her head, but considering the gravity of the situation, we all counted ourselves lucky. Not wanting to let this spoil our Christmas, we carried on and my mom made it back just in time for a marvelous dinner.
The whole episode really rattled me. I saw my dad being hit and thrown into the air, but couldn't see what happened next due to parked cars blocking my view. There was a moment when the dreadful thought of losing my dad crossed my mind while I stood helplessly with my two-year-old. Fortunately, he was alright.
Since this took place opposite a popular surf venue, there were numerous surveillance cameras around. Thankfully, the suspect's car was caught on camera, providing the authorities with crucial evidence for the investigation.
22. Merry Christmas, Let’s Break Up
Several years back, I went on a long trip for the holidays with my fiancée and her two children. The one had started calling me "daddy" as she'd never really known her biological father. We visited my grandparents, where my parents joined us, and we spent a couple of nights together.
After saying goodbye to my folks, we journeyed to her parents' home. However, upon arriving, things took a drastic turn for the worse. Unexpectedly, her mood changed drastically—she was either snapping at me or shutting me out completely. After two grueling days, I managed to pull her aside to ask what was wrong.
To my shock, she confessed that she no longer had feelings for me and wanted to end our relationship. The following day was a silent, agonizing 12-hour drive back to her house, despite my numerous attempts to initiate conversation. On getting back to her place, I was met with more silence and indifference. Feeling defeated and helpless, I took refuge in a separate room and booked a ticket back to my parents' house, having nowhere else to go.
The remainder of my vacation was spent nursing my emotional injuries and feeling resentment towards the world.
23. Relax, It’s All Under Control
One Christmas Eve, I was bedridden due to intense cramps. Wanting to ensure I didn't miss out on our festive celebrations, my mom handed me some of her potent muscle relaxants. I attempted to help bring in the presents, but they proved too much, and I toppled over in the snow. This led to a comical dance of me rolling around, squishing the gifts I was supposed to be conveying.
Once indoors, I had a few glasses of wine and decided to engage in a conversation marathon, choosing the most unsuitable subjects with every family member available. My uncle finally discerned something was amiss with me and reined in my mouth-gone-wild. The rest of the evening consisted of people keeping a watchful eye on me.
24. Go With The Flow
Around the age of 8, my mom came home with our new Christmas tree. She left me and my sister at the house while she went to fetch the holiday ornaments. Just before leaving, she gently reminded me, "Sweetie, I'm off to get the decorations, please play nice with your sister". After she left, I decided to go to the bathroom and that's when I hatched what seemed like an incredibly ingenious idea.
There was a box of peculiar white objects on the toilet. I had no idea what they were, but they had strings, so I figured they could be tree decorations. Full of excitement and curiosity, I took every single one from the box and used them to adorn our Christmas tree. It would be an understatement to say that my mom was taken aback when she returned home.
Freepik, cookie_studio
25. Holiday Heist
When we weren't home, somebody burglarized our house and swiped everything. They took all our stuff—gifts, chairs, televisions, jewelry—even our precious family mementos. Suddenly, we had no place to lounge, no gifts, even our Christmas tree was gone. At that time, I was just a 10-year-old kid, and the whole thing deeply upset me. For some time following this, I truly detested Christmas.
26. Left Gutted For Christmas
On a Christmas Eve from my childhood, my father was away on a work trip, leaving just my mom, my siblings and myself at home. I had a half-dollar coin from my uncle that I was playing with when my mom needed to change my diaper. As she lifted my legs, the coin slipped, moving towards my mouth, and I attempted to swallow it, causing it to become lodged.
My older brother, around 7 or 8 then, was on the phone with emergency services while my mom performed the Heimlich maneuver on me. Thankfully, I spit out the coin, and my dinner as well! After the scare, mom tucked us into bed. However, the night's events were far from done.
Not long after we'd settled, mom went to bed too. She woke up later to what sounded like thunder but saw nothing unusual outside and returned to sleep. About an hour later, she woke up again, but this time, there were flames tearing through the window above her bed. The smoke alarms were silent. She quickly woke us up, wrapped me in a blanket, and we rushed out the door. We lived in a duplex back then, so she also alerted the other residents.
We all found safety at a friend's house down the street. Once there, we called for help and waited for the firefighters to arrive. They needed mom's car keys to move the vehicle away from the burning house. Mom informed them about our pet dog still in the house, and thankfully, they were able to get him out safely.
Eventually, the fire was put out, but our home was severely damaged. All we had left were our clothes, the stuffed bears the firemen gave us, and a small amount of money since it was the weekend and the banks were closed. Dad returned, and life resumed slowly—my siblings went back to school on Monday, and I went to the babysitter's. But when mom came to pick me up, she received a surprise—an envelope marked "Merry Christmas", containing ten new $100 bills. This money helped us secure a hotel and all the necessities until we could visit the bank and sort out our situation.
Flickr, Los Angeles Fire Department
27. Your House, My Rules
My mom's fiery temper manages to spoil pretty much everything. One time, during the holiday season, we were casually discussing plans for the next year's Christmas. The problem arose when my mom insisted that my girlfriend and I can't share a room. Now, bearing in mind I'm in my late 20s, I found this rule quite nonsensical. I mean, my parents aren't exactly the religious type, at least they didn't seem so when I was growing up.
Things escalated quickly—all I did was question the logic behind her no-room-sharing rule, and the next thing I know, my mom's yelling at me, calling me the root cause of all the problems in the world and blaming me for people losing their faith in God. She even began packing to cut our holiday short. Even though dad managed to convince her to stay, she gave all of us a massive silent treatment over something that was honestly insignificant.
Oh, and a funny titbit: next year's Christmas is planned at MY place. Meaning, she doesn't approve of me and my girlfriend sharing a bed under my own roof!
28. Dine And Dash
My family has this rather annoying routine of eating quickly and then rushing back home. This happens pretty much every holiday and it's been a thing for as many years as I can remember. This past Christmas, I really asked them not to, explaining that it makes me feel like nothing more than a prep cook. They said okay.
And yet, my spouse and I ended up spending the whole day cooking... only for them to arrive, eat, and then be out the door within sixty minutes. It really stings.
29. The Sound Of Silence
It's the festive season and there's this strange, humming sound that seems to resonate throughout my home. It doesn’t seem to originate from any of our gadgets, but given we live in a joined row of houses, noise travels easily from one to another.
The sound is akin to a rumbling fan. If I were to guess, I'd say it's on E-note. But here's the kicker. No one else in my house seems to hear it. I can't hear it when I plug my ears, which confirms it's not in my head. I don’t have earplugs, and yes, I'm somewhat afraid this might become a permanent soundtrack in our home.
This peculiar sound emerged at midday on Christmas. The house we live in is a 1950s creation, constructed with bricks and cinder blocks over a minimal foundation on clay soil. The inner walls consist of cinder block, with cement flooring on the ground level and wooden flooring upstairs.
In the UK, old standalone houses generally do not have HVAC systems. Air conditioning is virtually unheard of, particularly in winter. Most have bathroom fans, yet I can't hear this noise outside and it's continuous, unlike a fan.
We just crack open a window if need be. Neither our boiler nor the hot water circulation system, which we use for heating, run overnight. Even when they do, their noise is barely detectable. Our CO monitors are functioning properly and indicate normal levels.
Our most recent boiler service and gas intake check were eight months ago. The noise doesn’t seem to be electric or coming from within our home. But due to the terraced design, the noise could be from any loft space or upper floor in the neighbouring 5-8 buildings.
It's not the hum of a fridge compressor. It's more constant. But it's similar—just deeper and louder. It's not like the noise of a major highway, as we only notice the sound of the roads here when they go quiet.
Our windows and doors are relatively new. I do suffer from tinnitus, but this sound is significantly lower in pitch and when I stick my fingers in my ears, the absence of this noise is actually comforting at 3 am. A sound-detecting app confirmed the noise isn't from my imagination. It's not a hallucination, it's real. So, what could it possibly be?
30. I Took A Bite Out Of Christmas
When I was just a kid of nine, I bolted into my parents' room, all eager to unwrap my Christmas gifts. What happened next was a bummer. I caught my foot on a rug and ended up smashing my teeth against the bedpost in their room. What a bloody mess it was. One tooth went missing, plus my adult incisor got cracked. The worst part? I was stuck in the hospital for a six-hour wait, just for a specialist to show up. So much for opening presents. Instead, my Christmas dinner was served in a straw! Believe it or not, that bedpost still stands in their room, bearing three unmistakable imprints of my teeth.
31. He Got His Rocks Off
Back when I was a kid, we had a family tradition of placing all our Christmas presents under the tree at the start of December. On one particular Christmas, my brother put a small gift box under the tree that had my name on it. I spent the whole December eagerly awaiting to open this mystery box, convincing myself that it had to be something truly awesome. I even gave it a little shake here and there and the jingling sound from inside made me believe it was compact and precious.
Christmas morning finally arrived and I made a beeline for that exact gift. I tore off the wrapping paper with excitement, popped off the lid, and guess what—it was packed with rocks. My brother found this absolutely hilarious and couldn't stop chuckling. My parents, however, were not amused at all. They were so agitated at him that he ended up having to go out and buy me a gigantic bag of candies to make up for his prank.
32. A Nightmare For Christmas
When I was just a little kid of 7, my dad gifted me The Nightmare Before Christmas board game as my grand Christmas present. Usually, he only gifted things he would personally enjoy, and he was visibly thrilled about this present, anticipating a chance to play it together. But for me, the game was a mystery and its appearance gave me a bit of a fright. I broke the news to him—I didn't want to play.
That's when things got so much worse. He was significantly upset, mainly due to the expensive price-tag of the game, and so he insisted I play. But things took a turn for the worse from there. He decided to demonstrate how outstanding it was by playing the accompanying VHS. The first flicker of lightning, however, terrified me and I ended up fleeing to the bathroom. It was there I spent the rest of the Christmas day in tears, dreading the thought of playing that intimidating game. Meanwhile, my dad would tease and ridicule me, raising his voice through the door.
33. The Invisible Child
I returned home from the services, filled with excitement to be reunited with my family. To my dismay, it felt as though they had overlooked me. It's not that gifts were essential or even desired, but the seeming lack of thought that something as basic as a card could mean to me, stung. It was hard to sit there for an hour, observing them share presents among themselves, when I had brought presents for each of them too. It just felt upsetting.
34. Christmas Fighting For Her Life
My 28-year-old partner has been unfortunately placed, in a serious condition, in the ICU on Christmas. She's now in a medically induced coma, on both a ventilator and dialysis. She's battling two types of malaria, a quite uncommon scenario. Initially, she did a phenomenal job fighting it off, which meant her symptoms only began showing the full extent of the infection later on.
There are, however, a few points of hope. Her lungs remain resilient, needing very little additional help for breathing. Her heart also continues to be sturdy. Early indications suggest that the treatments given are succeeding in lowering the infection and inflammation. But, she's in dire health. In essence, she's putting up a strong fight for survival.
We find ourselves in the UK at the moment. Her family has flown over from the US to provide support, an absolutely heartwarming gesture. It's been a while since our families spent time together—they do adore each other. Four months ago, I landed a position at UNICEF and we had just started setting up our life in Ghana.
The possibility of returning now seems slim. I'll probably need to step down from my position unless I can arrange to fully work remotely. We've already paid for a year's housing and recently purchased a car that's currently with a mechanic.
Oh, we thoroughly enjoyed our little setup and were thrilled about future travel around Ghana. But all that becomes insignificant right now. My primary focus is my partner pulling through. The fact that I can't be by her side during this period just tugs heavy on my heart. Christmas wasn't really celebrated from our end.
My mom prepared a delicious Christmas meal, and my cherished grandmother joined us. We managed to laugh without shedding tears, initially at least. In the end, there was no exchange of gifts. Now that I come to think of it, I didn't even wrap any.
Despite having everyone around, there wasn't a single Christmas song played. It felt as if it just didn't happen. We all remain anxious and are doing our best to stay strong for her sake.
35. A Lonely Christmas
I'm part of the fire department team and this year, my work schedule put me on duty during Christmas. We had planned a big family dinner at the station, where all the team members bring their loved ones. This would be my son's very first Christmas, and since I wasn't able to take the day off, my wife was planning to join the celebration with him. This small consoling thought made things look a bit brighter. But then, everything fell apart.
My wife had dressed up and prepared our son when she realized her car keys were missing. She spent three long hours searching but to no avail. So there she was, recently having lost her father, stuck at home with our one-year-old, without a way to get out and with no familiar faces in our neighborhood.
Now, imagine me at the fire station, feeling helpless and unable to fix things for them. I saw my colleagues welcoming their children and families, and there I was—alone, longing for my family to be by my side.
36. Soup’s On!
Once upon a time, my relatives and I were getting ready for Christmas dinner. My dear 85-year-old grandmother, who was displaying early signs of forgetfulness, demanded to sit in my usual spot. Opting to avoid drama, I simply shifted to an empty chair beside my sister. As we dug into our soup, my sister, who had witnessed my interaction with our grandma, quipped with a smile, "It's not often I get to share a meal beside you, makes me happy".
Her funny remark caught me off guard. Bad timing though, as I was mid-sip into my soup. I was left with two options—swallow quickly or use my soup to give my family an unexpected bath! I went with the first option. What I didn't realize was that swallowing incorrectly can cause terrible chest pain. It was so severe, everything turned black. The following thing I remember was wakening to frantic voices and the sensation of my nose submerged in soup.
In all the chaos, my mom was attempting to perform the Heimlich maneuver, my wife was sobbing, my sister asked whether she should dial 9-1-1, while the rest looked on in shock. Except, of course, my grandmother who continued to enjoy her soup, completely unaware of the drama unfolding around her.
37. Sister Scrooge
After pulling multiple overnighters to prepare for finals, I landed straight back home to my retail job. Here, I worked several late nights before catching a terrible flu on Christmas Eve. I gritted through 24 hours of constant nausea, spending most of the day in bed, on the floor, or over the shower drain–but that wasn't even the worst part.
Simultaneously, my older sister, not the nicest, griped about how I didn't earn a festive dinner or gifts. She picked fights with me throughout the day, even though I was too sick to eat anything, let alone stand on my feet.
38. No More Night Driving
Returning from California, I spent a couple of days pre-Christmas immersing myself in a baking frenzy for my loved ones. On the night before Christmas, I drove out to fetch a Japanese friend, studying music recording, who I'd met online. We were traveling on a quiet, barrier-free four-lane road when disaster struck.
Suddenly, I found myself in an ambulance. A drunk driver, traveling at a frightening speed of 85 mph, had crashed into my vehicle head-on and tragically perished at the scene. I was fortunate to survive, but with considerable injuries: a badly broken hip and elbow, eight fractured ribs, a punctured and collapsed lung, severe damage to my knee cap, and significant tongue injuries leaving me unable to eat for a month.
Following a two-week hospital stay and another week in rehabilitation, recovery took longer than expected—a grueling five months just to regain sufficient strength to return to California. My memory of that particular Christmas is patchy, and to this day, night-time driving during the holiday season unnerves me.
39. Putting The “Ex” In X-Mas
My spouse of seven years took my car without permission during Christmas. The motive behind her actions? It really beats all—she wanted to vacation with another man. I was completely clueless about it until she brought it up in a breakup text. But sadly, that wasn't the end of it. She also discarded my mom's precious wedding ring and later, found herself pregnant. You could say, overall, she's quite an exceptional person.
40. Me-Ow
The family feline certainly threw a wrench in our holiday plans—or more accurately, we messed up hers. You see, my sister and I chose a TV as my parents' Christmas gift. With a giant package under the Christmas tree sparking their curiosity, they kept asking us what it was. I had to think on my feet to keep them guessing.
To throw them off, I fibbed and said it was a cat tree that needed assembling. Boy, did that plan backfire in an unexpected way. I'm convinced our cat somehow grasped what I said. It might sound bonkers, but she looked on intently as my folks unwrapped their present, and seemed so disappointed upon discovering it was a TV, not a cat tree.
To add salt to the wound, she glared at us with what I can only describe as 'cat contempt' as we fixed up the TV. She stayed in a huffy mood for the rest of the day.
41. A Dog-Eat-Dog World
My sister brought over her rescue dog who ended up trying to pick a fight with my English Setter in my own home. Sure, they're dogs, and things can get a little messy sometimes. But the problem was, she wouldn't confine him to a separate room, claiming he was only playing.
As I was trying to enforce the "my house, my rules" policy, her dog made another go at mine. That was pretty much the end of our get-together. My sister got upset, ended up crying and left the house. I made it clear to her that she didn't need to leave, but under no circumstances was her dog allowed to roam freely inside my house anymore. And most definitely, he's not invited back.
She just couldn't grasp the fact that I wasn't going to let my dog feel threatened in his own space, and that her dog, with his aggressive behavior, could potentially bite one of us.
42. Cut Loose On Christmas
My aunt and her boyfriend came to live with us after she was released from behind bars. She was in a fragile emotional state. They had a disagreement and he departed. Then, something else triggered her and she exploded on my mom, threatening to harm her while we were asleep. My father had to gather up all the silverware, spoons included, and hide them in their room. The authorities had to be called. Despite my aunt's pleas to stay, my mom decided she had had enough.
43. Yuletide Tragedy
A few years back, my mom's soon-to-be husband was on his way to spend Christmas Eve with us by driving through the snow. We had seen a report about a road accident on TV, but didn't really give it much thought. However, they never arrived. Later, we learned the shocking truth. We got a phone call two hours later.
His son and daughter, aged 26 and 18 respectively, had also been in the car with him, with the son behind the wheel. They were hit by an elderly couple driving on the wrong side of the road. Tragically, the daughter and father didn't survive, though the son managed to. That resulted in a pretty rough Christmas for us.
44. Midnight Miracles
When I was just a little kid of four on the evening of Christmas Eve, my tiny sister, who was barely a month old, found it hard to catch her breath and had to be rushed to the hospital. By this time, my parents hadn't had a chance to wrap any of the presents. So, my loving aunt and uncle came to our rescue, taking up the task of wrapping all the gifts, late into the night. The next morning brought some relief when my sister's condition had improved enough for my dad to be able to join us kids in opening the presents, while my mom stayed back at the hospital.
45. Daddy Issues
Last Christmas was pretty tough for me and my little sister. Our parents had split up the previous year, and we ended up spending the holiday with our dad and his new girlfriend's family. Because dad wanted us to save room for Christmas dinner, he asked us not to eat anything for much of the day, despite the delicious food being prepared right in front of us—talk about a test of patience!
To top it all off, we felt out of place; we hardly knew dad's girlfriend's family since they hadn't been a couple for long. It felt as if my sister and I were left alone on the sidelines. There we were, planted on the sofa, while dad, his girlfriend, and her family laughed and chatted away.
All we were given to eat before the big meal was some crackers with jam, and despite being family, dad barely took the time to interact with us. Honestly, it was the most challenging Christmas I've ever experienced.
46. In-Law Trouble
This morning, following the tradition of unwrapping gifts at my family's house, we headed over to my in-laws'. There, I lent a helping hand in the kitchen to my mother-in-law. However, the idea of journeying down to grandma's house, where everyone was congregating, filled me with dread. All of a sudden, I found I had no desire to join.
I despise Christmas. Religion doesn't resonate with me. But it wasn't just that. Reflecting on our morning gift exchange, I realized the apparent discrepancy—my wife received around 700 dollars in gift cards, while I was left empty-handed. It can be disheartening, to say the least.
So, I decided to head back home. My wife was upset, understandably. But frankly, I'm out of concerns.
47. The Bar Was Low, But He Managed To Fail Anyway
Despite being seven months pregnant, I single-handedly arranged everything for Christmas day. I filled every stocking, got and wrapped all the gifts, and prepared three festive meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sadly, I didn't receive a single gift from my husband. Not a card, or even a bit of candy. Meanwhile, his stocking was filled with his favorite treats from me. As everyone opened their gifts, I simply observed with nothing of my own. It was only much later when he casually asked, "Don't you have anything to unwrap"?
You see, three months prior, I'd purchased a coffee cup for myself, anticipating that he wouldn't bother to get me anything. I also got a bag and tissue paper for it, and asked him to place it under the tree. However, he managed to misplace the cup.
When I brought it up after dinner, he merely said he didn't know where it was. So, that was it. Rather ironically, a very Merry Christmas for me.
48. A Near Miss
It was the night before Christmas, and I was cruising along a winding road at a speed of 50 mph. Suddenly, an inebriated driver came hurtling around the corner at the same speed, but he was on my side of the road. I just barely managed to swerve onto the narrow shoulder of the road, wide enough for just my car. I narrowly avoided the reckless driver, slipping perfectly between his SUV and the guardrail. Once I got home, I shared with my mom how I had narrowly escaped a serious accident. We hugged each other and shed a few tears as the shock of the incident was incredibly overwhelming. Thank God, that's the most terrifying thing that's happened to me on Christmas.
Freepik, valuavitaly
49. Big Brother To The Rescue
When I was about 10 years old, my mom postponed her usual monthly habit, causing her to vanish for four days right before Christmas. By that time, I'd already figured out the truth about Santa and was working hard to comfort my younger brothers. I reassured them, certain that our mom wouldn’t skip Christmas.
However, two days before the holiday, she was still absent. This left me facing a significant dilemma. I couldn't locate where she’d stashed the Christmas gifts.
I guessed that she hadn't bought any, so I pulled together all the money I could to pick up a few things for my brothers from the dollar store. Christmas Eve arrived, and so did my mom. She unloaded the gifts then instantly fell asleep on the sofa. The next day, my brothers woke to find our mom "napping" and their presents under the tree.
They soon realized that I wasn’t opening any gifts. My second-youngest brother inquired, "Where are your presents"? I responded with, "I guess I've been too naughty this year to receive any". He countered with, "Maybe you'll get twice as many for your birthday", which happened to be the same day. But this never came to pass.
50. That M&Ms Feeling
When I was around 10, my grandmother came over to our house for a couple of months to help out my parents. My brother, who was seven at the time, and I had to share the couch in the living room. It was around Christmas Eve, and since we were young, we didn't get to stay up. My grandma had bought us some Christmas M&M's, so he and I started telling each other stupid jokes and laughing.
We were both lying down, eating the M&M’s, and laughing. One lodged up my throat, and I couldn't breathe. My brother, thinking it was a joke, just laughed some more. When I started turning purple he yelled, "DAD, MOM”!!! My dad came and did the Heimlich on me and out popped the M&M. I then got a 15-minute lecture on my stupid actions.
51. To The Land Of Ice And Snow
I'd just returned to the US from Iraq and had been in Georgia for a few weeks prior to heading back to my home in Iowa for Christmas. My flight touched down at Moline airport that afternoon. My body was still adjusting to the 20-degree temperature, quite a drastic shift from the heat of Iraq. As I was driven home by my mom, I couldn't help but notice the thick blanket of snow that covered Iowa.
Then, something strange occurred.
Starting from an unnaturally warm evening, the temperature shot up significantly. By 8 PM, it had exceeded 40℉. By 10 PM, we'd hit 50℉. Come midnight, and it was a balmy 60℉. Surely enough, the snow began to thaw rapidly. However, the weather had more unexpected surprises in store.
In no time, the temperature plummeted back down to the original cold we'd welcomed on my arrival. Surprisingly, the eastern half of Iowa seemed to prefer a coat of ice over its previous snow-covered state.
Then, sleet began to fall, adding to the icy landscape formed by the melting snow, followed by a fresh fall of snow. I made a silent vow then and there—I'd never plan a flight back to Iowa near Christmas ever again.
52. Turning It Around
My folks and I recently set off for a vacation. Given the rough couple of years we'd been through—losing grandma, my three surgeries, and my deteriorating health—we were all hoping for a much-needed escape. But, our trip got off to a rocky start. The hotel we'd booked was a complete let down.
Our rooms were musty, grimy, and just overall unclean. There was no food to be had at their restaurant and the bathrooms were badly maintained. As if that wasn't enough, the ear-splitting noise from some construction happening on our floor was relentless.
We tried finding alternate accommodations close by, but with Christmas around the corner, every place was packed. Luckily, we didn't settle and managed to snag a spot at a hotel in a nearby city. It's a tad more pricey, but every penny is well spent here.
We're staying in a beautiful suite that offers a striking view of distant hills from our own balcony. The cuisine here is delightful. We've even managed to step out and explore a little, visiting a scenic lake in the vicinity. We even attended a touching Christmas mass at a local church. Despite the initial letdown with our first hotel, our trip seems to be making a recovery.
53. Family Secret
Almost had my Christmas spoiled when I found out there's talk of my mom revealing her pregnancy with her new boyfriend's child—not a great idea, if you ask me.
Here's why I'm not thrilled: About a month back, in the middle of the night, my sister gives me a ring, totally in meltdown mode. She was too scared or upset to say anything. Come to find out, Mom's boyfriend had picked a heavy fight with her—things even got physical when my brother tried to step in.
In a nutshell, the authorities were called before I got there, and the boyfriend was detained just as I was pulling in. He's behind bars now. I did know that Mom had been sending him letters and they were considering reuniting.
What I didn't see coming was the pregnancy. She hasn't broken the news to me directly, but our cousin did spill the beans.
54. The Hero Dad We Need, Not The One We Want
Christmas opened my eyes to the fact that one of my kids has some pretty spoiled behavior. He had something to moan about for every single gift he unwrapped—while he was still unwrapping them, mind you. I gave him some opportunities to reel in his negative reactions, but he didn't manage it. So, I figured out the right answer. I made him box up all his gifts, and then we drove them to our local Toys for Tots donation center.
I insisted he lug the bag inside himself. Maybe it sounds harsh to you, but when someone's made the effort to think of you, then grumbles in response, it doesn't sit well with me. Some kids have nothing. They don't even have parents, clean clothes, or a warm home, and this one's upset that he didn't get the exact Transformer he wanted.
I'd rather give to kids who take a moment to appreciate these things. I'm hoping this taught him a valuable lesson today.
55. Christmas Was In The Bag
When I was younger, my immediate family and I relocated to Georgia while our relatives stayed behind in Nebraska. As a result, we used to pack up our car to make the grueling 17-hour drive, purportedly full of 'holiday spirit'. Once, we crammed two adults and three kids into a Jeep bursting with luggage strapped to the roof. As everyone but me and the driver drifted to sleep, I stayed up watching our surroundings change.
Before long, I spotted our luggage raining down from our car. Although bizarre, I assumed it must be Santa dropping off gifts early. We kept pressing forward until the inevitable gas stop, at which point my parents realized our belongings were missing. For reasons I still can't comprehend, they chose to turn around in search of the missing bags, questioning folks at every rest stop along the way.
Fortunately, a kindly trucker led us to our stray luggage on Christmas Eve morning. It was lying on a frozen piece of ice in a ditch by the roadside. We hastily secured it to the Jeep again, and finally made it to Nebraska around eight in the morning. My parents then spent the following hours drying out our newly rescued possessions.
56. The Gift That Kept On Giving
During a memorable Christmas, we were hit with a nasty bout of what we recall as the 'stomach flu'. This brought on an awful combo of non-stop barfing and diarrhea, lasting for a dreadful 36 hours. First to catch it was our 1-year-old, right after our company's holiday party. Needless to say, we were wiped out when all this started.
Once our toddler bounced back, my wife fell sick. Her usually rosy complexion had turned so pallid that a hospital visit seemed necessary. Given this, we dialed up my parents to look after our little one, while I cared for my wife.
Just as they arrived about an hour later, I was also in the throes of throwing up in the restroom—talk about perfect timing. Thankfully, around this time, my wife began to tolerate food again. Yet, our troubles weren't over.
Next, both my parents and my wife's friend succumbed to the illness. Her friend even accidentally spread it to an entire church bench. My mother-in-law, poor thing, spent all of Christmas alternating between our couch and the toilet.
To top it all off, my sister-in-law and her new live-in boyfriend weren't spared either. With only one washroom in their fresh apartment, he ended up tossing his cookies in the trash can while simultaneously soiling his trousers when she was preoccupied in the loo.
57. A Holiday Horror Movie Classic
One Christmas Eve, my brother, dad and I decided to make a trip to the grocery store to buy a turkey for the Christmas day feast. We smoothly cruised in my dad's brand new Lexus that he had recently purchased. On our way back home, a deer suddenly jumped out from a ditch and unfortunately, collided right into the middle of our windshield.
No one was injured, but we found ourselves dealing with an agitated and struggling deer lodged in our windshield. The poor creature kept injuring itself each time it tried to wriggle free. With no options left, we found ourselves helplessly waiting for the deer to calm down. After a while, it eventually did, and my dad and brother managed to dislodge it from the windshield.
The inside of the car appeared like a crime scene straight out of a horror film. Blood smeared everywhere, from the dashboard to every tiny nook and corner of the car. Unavoidably, we too were splashed with blood. When we finally showed up at home covered in blood, my mom was understandably less than thrilled about our bloody adventure.
58. Don’t Stay Together For The Kid
During Christmas, my husband stumbled upon the savings I had stashed away under hush-hush conditions, intending to leave him. This incident followed an unnecessary outburst he had simply because I wasn't able to immediately clean our son's face. As usual, he was set on turning an otherwise joyous Christmas day into a recurring episode of our daily distress.
Upon discovering the funds, he stirred up a heated argument, accusing me of intending to separate him from his son. It's quite ironic considering that he hardly spends an hour a day with our child, despite both of us being home-based workers. My husband spends the majority of his day sleeping, ignoring our son whenever he's awake.
He got overly aggressive and flung the watch I gifted him at a wall, demeaning it as "cheap rubbish". Yet, it was anything but cheap. After he damaged it, I repaired it as best as I could and have planned to pawn it, hoping to recover some of my expenses.
His only contribution to our household is paying a major share of the rent. The rest, from our child's clothing to his toys, cooking, cleaning and even waking up early mornings to take care of our son—it's always me. Still, he doesn't hesitate to show such disrespectful behavior, even on a day like Christmas. This isn’t acceptable, and I won’t be sticking around for much longer.
59. Bad Boy
On Christmas morning at 6 am, my dog ended up having an upset stomach at my girlfriend's parents' house. In an effort to not stir her parents, my girlfriend and I tried quietly tidying up the mess. Unfortunately, we weren't as silent or quick as we hoped.
They woke up, and while we were still dealing with the first mess, my dog had accidents in four other spots around their house.
Just when we thought we were finally going to catch a break, my dog bumped into the Christmas tree and sent it toppling over. Needless to say, it's been quite a hectic day.
60. Playing Favorites
My kids surprised me this Christmas by saying they didn't like my presents...but they didn't stop there. They even confessed to being embarrassed by me and eagerly looked forward to their father's visit. This hit me hard, mainly because I’m scheduled for surgery on Tuesday and won't see them for the next three weeks. Even though they're just kids, their words deeply affected me.
I had done my best to fulfill their Amazon wish lists. But, their dad excitedly revealed that their grandma had gifted them an Oculus Rift and AirPods.
Despite everything, they are usually quite understanding and we co-parent seamlessly with my husband. It didn't seem like their dad told them about the lavish gifts out of malice, but it certainly wasn't the wisest decision. It just felt like a punch in the stomach.
61. The Last Straw
I spent a lot of time preparing all the presents for my husband and son, especially since my son receives a boatload of wrestling figures. My husband wasn't much help with the wrapping because he believes he's not good at it. Additionally, I handled all the kitchen cleaning yesterday.
Twice, I washed up the dishes, prepared our Christmas Eve dinner and also handled all the after-dinner cleaning. I asked my husband to hold the fort by taking care of the vacuuming while I took care of the rest. I ended up getting not so cheerful responses for the rest of the evening, plus the vacuuming wasn't notably good.
Christmas Day came, and I put together our traditional big breakfast. As the food was finishing up, I dealt with most of the dishes to lessen the burden. I then asked him to handle the rest of the dishes. "Can I just enjoy my gifts for a bit"? was his response. I agreed.
Fast forward to hours later as we depart for dinner, leaving behind a full sink. We return earlier than expected, and the dishes are still untouched. When he refused to do the dishes stating that he had work the next day and wanted to relax, I was quite upset. Especially since he has been off work all week and hasn't really done much.
I've decided that we need to have a serious discussion tomorrow.
62. The Dog Ate Our Dinner
My mom had a playful chase around the garden with our exuberant dog for about ten minutes when he swiped the turkey from the kitchen counter. From the window, we saw her finally outsmart the dog and retrieve the majority of it back from him. I'll always remember her next action. She walked inside and rinsed it under the faucet. Dad and I simply refused to have it. We enjoyed stuffing, veggies, and pudding, and our protein was chipolata sausages. In the end, the turkey went to the dog.
63. One Last Time Together
The last time I saw my mom was on Christmas day in 2001. I was just 16 then and had a baby who was barely three months old. My mom didn't seem her best that day. She looked tired and struggled through the morning. My little siblings, grandma, and her ex-husband, and I unwrapped gifts together, but the atmosphere felt tense as mom was clearly exhausted and not her cheerful self. She retired to the upstairs couch soon after the gift exchange. Later, I left to spend some time with my dad's side of the family--little did I know, that would be the final time I would see my mom in person.
Days later, on New Year's Eve, she rang me up and delivered an unexpected pep talk, urging me to become stronger and assert myself more. I didn't think much of her advice then, simply because I was preoccupied with looking after the baby at home and preparing for the New Year. The following day, she tragically ended her own life.
I remember how shocking it was when I stepped into the house after receiving the heart-breaking news. Christmas decorations adorned the place and unopened presents still lay on the floor. Discarded gift wrap, the leftovers of our Christmas turkey, and unwashed dishes remained in sight. And upstairs, on the couch where I last saw her, was where they found her lifeless body.
64. Season Of Sadness
It was the middle of December, and I was only eight years old. I felt sleepy after enjoying our family's favorite meal, homemade chicken chalupas. I went to bed eager for another day of school, just because it meant Christmas was one day closer! As I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt about the avalanche of Pokémon cards and goodies I'd be unwrapping in less than a fortnight.
I'd been asleep for a couple of hours when a sudden commotion woke me up. A firefighter was in my room, lit up by the flashing red and white lights of his truck. I was terrified, thinking our apartment was on fire. He swiftly scooped me up, my teddy bear clutched in my arms, assuring me that everything would be alright.
Outside swarmed unfamiliar faces in uniforms—officers, firefighters, and special investigators, I realize now—my father was in the forces, after all. They marched me to the apartment of my next-door neighbor who was also my best friend. His cheery hello calmed me down a bit, and we dove into playing Super Smash Bros on his N64. Staying up late playing video games on a school night? Count me in.
We must've been at it for about an hour when my friends’ mom walked in, took my buddy away, telling me my mom wanted to see me. I was left alone in the dimly lit room, peering out into the cold, serene Arizona night. In glided my mom, her demeanor quiet and somber.
That was the night I learnt a heart-wrenching truth. My mom sat next to me, her face telling a tale of her sorrow—puffy eyes, reddened nose. She whispered, "Daddy's gone". I didn't say a word or grasp what she was saying. I saw him just a few hours ago. I knew he had a tough job, and despite looking worn out, he had dinner and watched TV with us. He had his usual after-dinner cigar and wine on the porch.
I still remember hugging him goodnight, his promise we'd go rollerblading the next day. However, now he was just…gone? My mom explained, "Daddy was hurting a lot on the inside, and he hurt himself. He passed on an hour ago". Then I noticed the blood on her sleeve—my dad's blood. That night he took his own life, leaving behind an indelible scar. Just the night before we had decorated our Christmas tree together. I haven't been able to celebrate Christmas since then until this year.
Freepik, Drazen Zigic
65. When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go
My partner's mom needed to run around town on Christmas Eve and decided she didn't feel like cooking dinner. So, she proposed that we order a pizza from the local takeaway shop instead of preparing dinner ourselves. We agreed, everything seemed swell. Until...it wasn’t.
Fast forward to Christmas Day: My partner's mom appeared fine, but my partner was in and out of the bathroom the entire day. We laughed it off, thinking it was just a one-off thing. But by mid-day, even I had a sudden 'storm,' forcing me to take several trips to the bathroom too.
Although it certainly was an unpleasant experience, we didn't let it spoil our Christmas celebrations. However, let me tell you, there was no casually strolling to the bathroom; instead, we had to sprint like mad.
66. Hospitals Are Never Fun
Almost a month ago, my dad was admitted to the hospital. We were, for the most part, prepared to spend Christmas without him at home. Last Thursday, he was luckily transferred to an in-home rehabilitation centre. I dropped by to see him on Friday morning and chatted with the person in charge of his care. I felt the rehab center was a good spot for him—it was cozier and closer to home compared to the hospital.
We stopped by again to see him this morning, on Christmas Day. While we could not recreate a festive environment fully, we did the best we could. Not long after we returned home, however, we received a call from a nurse. She informed us that dad was having some trouble breathing and that the on-site doctor had advised to move him back to the hospital.
Since that moment, I've been reaching out to the ER almost every hour hoping for some news about his state. It was only at the fifth attempt that someone replied, only to say they needed to confirm if they could share any information with me, and asked me to call back in an hour.
Since then, I've been unable to get through to them. I’ve decided to visit the ER in person tomorrow, show them my Power of Attorney, and figure out what exactly has happened to my dad.
67. The Missing Grandpa
My grandfather, bless his heart, is an aging and a somewhat headstrong gentleman. At 63, he battles Parkinson's disease, double cataracts, and mobility issues. Despite this, he left us perplexed one Christmas at a movie theater.
He surprisingly didn't seem to understand why we'd be concerned when he abruptly vanished. In fact, when we returned home troubled, he had the nerve to suggest we were at fault. It's true, he exited the movie midway, enjoyed a smoke outdoors, and then strolled home alone without a word to anyone. But the story doesn't stop there.
With a mindset that perceives cell phones as chains, he never carries one, leaving us without a solution to locate him. Can you believe it? We were so desperate; we even recruited the theater staff to help search for him. We were literally a couple of minutes from alerting the local authorities when he finally phoned from home, letting us know where he was.
68. Christmas Was A Smash
My stepmom left my dad in November. Given we didn't get along, I wasn't bothered, but it was heart-wrenching for my dad and little brother. They adored her. Despite the sorrow, we still put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Hoping to lift our spirits, we started decorating.
But then, dad picked up the first bauble; it was one of those colorful glass ones. Instead of hanging it, he threw it against the wall and it shattered. Numb, my brother and I just watched as he flung ornament after ornament—glass, homemade, you name it. Then, he sank onto the sofa, discarding the rest while he cried. We retreated from the room in silence.
Refusing our help, dad left the mess untouched. It remained that way until January when he quietly tidied up while we were visiting our grandparents. Ever since, needless to say, I’ve had a hard time feeling the holiday cheer.
69. A Half-Baked Idea
Growing up, the only thing I wanted more than anything was a Nintendo, just like all my pals. As Christmas neared, all I could talk about was my fantasies of conquering various game levels. Although I had no idea what these levels could possibly be, I had images in my head of my grand game-play plans. On one restless Christmas Eve night, curiosity led me to sneak a peek at the Christmas tree.
Hidden away behind the sofa, I discovered a giant box concealed with a trash bag. My heart was racing, "This has got to be it. I'm going to have my own Nintendo"! Come Christmas morning, all of us gathered around the tree to open our presents. My parents had this tradition of keeping one big surprise gift till the end. My dad came out with a swanky bike for my brother.
All the while anxiously waiting my turn, the chant in my mind was "Please, let it be a Nintendo. Oh please, let it be a Nintendo"!. My mom then passed on to me the massive box I had spotted earlier. In a flurry of excitement, I tore through the packaging and the trash bag, anticipating Mario's inviting face. But I was met with a shocking surprise. The box was plastered with pink all over. I thought to myself, "What on earth is this"?
When I finally unloaded the wrapping, to my utter disbelief, I found an Easy Bake Oven. The distaste on my face coupled with an agonized "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"! still brings a surge of humiliation and makes my family chuckle. At that moment, it was simply heartbreaking. I figure my mom, in her innocent will to encourage my cooking skills, thought this was a fitting gift. But the amazing thing is, for the next couple of months, I had to endure the chatter of my friends boasting about their Nintendo gaming experiences.
70. Oy, Vey!
When my great-grandmother was young, she and her family fled Hungary during the pogroms and sought refuge in Philadelphia. An unexpected twist in the family story was when she was married off to her best friend's father, who happened to be my great-great-grandfather. This situation was hard to handle, especially for their daughter, my great-grandmother. She found the dynamics so unsettling that she decided to leave home, move to New York and adopted a new surname—Fredericks, replacing her old one Friedkin.
She was all alone and only 14 years old. Back then, being Jewish had its own risks, so she decided to marry an Anglican man. She was determined to give her children an all-American upbringing. And so, she picked Baptist as the faith she thought was quintessentially American. Her children, therefore, were raised as Baptists. But she made a peculiar mistake when she named her daughter Sadie.
At the age of 14, Sadie felt her name sounded "too Jewish". So, she modified her name to Sarah and got her brother, my grandfather, to be her confidante in this secret. After Sarah passed on, my grandfather, infamous for his dry wit, decided it was time for a family revelation. It was during a Christmas dinner, he humorously revealed to us all, "Guess what, we're actually Jewish"!
71. Plain Bad Luck
I was originally booked to fly home from my job on the day of Christmas Eve. But the age-old issue of mechanical problems led to an ongoing series of delays that pushed us into the night. By the time it was resolved, the flight crew had reached their allowed work limit, so our flight ended up being canceled.
I had no option but to "sleep" overnight at the airport and catch a flight the next day. Due to a health issue I have, standing for prolonged periods is quite painful for me. But alas, I stood in line for over sixty minutes to have my ticket reissued. Finally, I made my way home on Christmas day, worn out and in significant discomfort.
72. Oh, Brother
During the holiday season, my mom and brother had a bit of a spat about who gets the final serving of red wine. My mom, bless her heart, had been slaving away in the kitchen throughout the day. And what was my brother doing? Just playing video games. The rest of us told him to cut it out. Naturally, he responded with a tantrum, quite unbecoming for a 35-year-old man.
Quite a few of us were on the verge of stepping in. Yet, as always, my mom was the bigger person. She didn't want this minor issue to ruin our holiday festivity, so she just let it go. I genuinely empathize with her and all the stress she endures.
73. Oopsie Daisie
This morning, my mom had an unfortunate slip on some ice while coming to my house for breakfast and present exchange. She brushed it off initially and claimed she was alright, but within a few hours, walking had become a struggle for her.
Turns out, she had broken her foot, and there's a possibility she will need surgery. And just my luck: tomorrow is my birthday, so it appears my birthday celebration will be held in a hotel room.
It's fair to say my Christmas didn't go south, but I feel terrible that my parents' holiday did. As if turning 30 wasn't enough already stirring up emotions, these new circumstances add a whole new level. I'm just grateful that I was right there with her and I managed to shield her head from the hard concrete when she fell.
74. I Was A Mega Blokhead
Christmas finally arrived, and all I wanted was a LEGO City set. However, Santa had different plans and left me a Space Mega Bloks set. I didn't dig Mega Bloks and was definitely not a fan of space-related things. If only my story ended there, but sadly, the disappointment continued.
The packaging was lousy, and each attempt to peel off the tape failed miserably. This left me feeling frustrated. With a bit of determination, I fetched a steak knife from the kitchen to tackle the stubborn tape. Having the coordination skills of a typical 8-year-old, I began slicing through the tape with the blade facing upwards.
As I applied pressure, the thing got stuck, built up tension, and swiftly freed itself. Then, in an unforeseen turn of events, it shot straight up into my left eye.
To make matters worse, my parents didn't believe me at first because there was no visible blood.
Then came my dad's moment of clarity. After taking a closer look, he simply said, "Something’s off here," and promptly drove us to the emergency room. That's how I ended up at the ER, an 8-year-old who not only poked his eye but did so while opening an unwanted Mega Bloks Space set.
75. Ice, Ice, Baby
A few years back, I made the choice to drive from Ohio to Kansas for Christmas, with my two dogs in tow. During a pit stop for some food, I slipped on some black ice and painfully bumped my nose on the car door. The black ice also meant a lengthy traffic jam on the highway, causing us to sit for five hours. Fed up, I veered off onto a county highway, hoping to make better progress on another route.
After driving on the detour for about 15 minutes, I was tailing another car when it abruptly turned around. The reason became quickly apparent. We had reached a icy hilltop brimming with cars stuck on both sides of the road and in the ditch. With no option to stop, it took an hour for me to successfully navigate the treacherous terrain. On the other side, I joined forces with a younger driver. Realizing we couldn't backtrack, we resolved to brave the remaining 20 country miles together.
The conditions were severe. Tow trucks were stranded in ditches and it seemed inevitable we'd be spending the night in our cars. My fuel gauge was flirting with empty and even the dogs, usually full of energy, were eerily quiet in the freezing cold. In desperate need of some traction, we improvised. We removed our car's front license plates and used them, along with our frozen fingers, to shovel a mixture of gravel and ice onto the slick road. Our phones served as our flashlights in the harsh, wintry weather.
After a grueling four-hour struggle, we finally reached the highway and parted ways. Faced with clear roads, I had no choice but to soldier on without rest or risk missing Christmas, which, as it turned out, was my grandpa's last. Arriving at my parents' place, there was no time for a breather. We hopped back in the car and drove another two hours to reach my grandparents, only to leave again three hours later. All in all, I spent 36 solid hours behind the wheel that weekend. Despite a bruised nose and exhaustion, the important thing was—I made it!
Freepik, wayhomestudio
76. A Time To Remember
Three days post-Christmas, my dad had an abrupt, grave heart attack. I frantically performed CPR for a quarter of an hour before the paramedics showed up, only to confirm my worst fear. My dad was dead. That Christmas goes down as my most dreadful experience, something which still clings onto my emotions fervently. As the calendar turned again to this season, I pulled out all stops to make it stellar for my two young kids. However, keeping my feelings in check, while taking on dad’s tradition of fixing the Christmas lights, stirred up daunting memories of that calamitous year. I've always harbored a deep affection for Christmas, but it crushed me knowing this one was going to be challenging for me.
77. Not The Most Magical Day
I’ve been planning a surprise Disney trip since March of this year for my kids. I built it up and got them luggage, and I was so excited to tell them. Their response? “I’m gonna go color”. Then my wife got me incredibly lazy gifts that had no thought put into them.
I’m typically the kind of person who prefers nothing and frankly it would have been better to have received nothing than what I did get. The lack of thought hurt. But I’m the jerk.
78. I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying
My dog Woody who I had for 15 years passed a couple of months ago, and this was my first Christmas without him. I just missed him a lot today. Christmas was his favorite, as he loved to be dressed up in silly Christmas outfits and was a champ at unwrapping presents.
79. A Snap Decision
I had to make an early exit from my parents' Christmas dinner due to my aunt and uncle's unruly dogs. One of them even growled and snapped at my toddler, which was concerning given their previous behavior.
Weeks prior to the dinner, I had inquired about the dogs and was told they wouldn't be present. But, as it turned out, my mother didn't double-check and my aunt and uncle presumed bringing their pets was acceptable. Had I been aware of this, I would have simply chosen to celebrate at home, on our own terms.
Really, the only reason I attended the dinner was my father's terminal illness—it's uncertain which Christmas will be his final one.
80. Sister Acting Up
My elder sister is 25 and is currently expecting her first child, which has made her a bit emotionally sensitive. That's not the real issue though. She's naturally quite domineering and often tells me what I should or shouldn't do, even when our mom doesn't have a problem with my behavior.
I've maintained my cool up until now because it's Christmas, and it's my first day off since I've come home for the holidays. An hour ago, I was just playing with her dog—a pet I've known for four years and had no issues with. Yet, she kept instructing me how I should play with him.
Fed up, I eventually stormed out and called her intolerable. Her reaction surprised me. She's planning to leave home and drive an hour earlier than planned, departing tomorrow instead of sticking around for a few more days. My mom now fears she won't see the newborn much and is implying that I'm to blame.
I'm completely tired of always walking on eggshells around her. This issue existed before her pregnancy too, and I've had enough. If my sister wants to act immaturely and use the baby as a bargaining chip, then she's going to have to face the consequences.
81. A Croupy Christmas
Just five days before Christmas, I started to notice a slight sore throat. I didn't worry much about it initially because I used to regularly get strep until I had my tonsils taken out. Over the days leading up to Christmas, I lost my voice and my throat pain worsened, yet I still shrugged it off. However, on Christmas morning, I could barely breathe and eating or drinking anything was excruciating.
At this point, my parents intervened, insisting, "We're taking you to the hospital"—and so, we did. As it turns out, I had contracted the croup virus which was causing my airway to constrict. Unfortunately, the first round of breathing treatments was ineffective. It was only after they introduced steroids did I start to feel a bit of relief. Consequently, I spent my Christmas morning in a hospital bed, inhaling through a steam-filled tube. The doctor gravely told me that had we not sought treatment, I would not have seen the light of the next day. It's terrifying to think how close I came to a life-threatening situation due to my dismissive attitude.
Wikimedia Commons, Flickr: Inauguración de nuevo edificio del Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna
82. Off To Grandma’s House We Go
I was thrilled to unwrap a Sega Genesis for Christmas. I barely got half an hour of game play before it was time to head over to Grandma's. Show me a 10-year-old who'd rather spend the day visiting Grandma than exploring a new video game console—tricky, right? Our day at Grandma's felt long and slow, but finally it was time to head home.
As we left, the snow was falling heavily. We were only about a 20 minute drive from home, so I was looking forward to getting back to my Sega Genesis. But when we were about halfway home, Dad started struggling with the drive. Our recent move to the area hadn't prepared us well for navigating through snow and we ended up stuck at a bottom of a hill.
We had no choice but to trek almost a mile to a house of an acquaintance. They kindly let us spend the night, but I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. All I could think about was my Sega Genesis back home, unattended and unused. It was agony.
83. He Put The “X” In Xmas
My mom sadly passed on in August 2006, and I knew that the upcoming Christmas, her favorite holiday, was going to be rough for everyone. So, I decided to lighten the mood by buying some risqué adult gifts for everyone. I packaged them in all types of boxes, big and small, for a bit of holiday surprise.
On Christmas day, everyone unwrapped their gifts to find "Black Tail" and "Barely Legal". It was slightly awkward at the moment, but now it's remembered as "that year Ryan gifted everyone spicy movies", which is just the kind of levity I had hoped to bring.
84. This Is Not A Game
I had a Christmas visit to my spouse's parents' house on the agenda. It could have been a pleasant experience, but my toddler was completely captivated by the Christmas tree and wanted to play with it. So much of my time was spent trying to stop my child from pulling down all the ornaments. But things got worse.
Instead of finding it enjoyable, my son's great-grandma came into the picture and she was totally out of touch when it came to understanding how to deal with toddlers. The problem started when my boy got some new toy trucks as gifts. And while he was having a great time playing with them, she repeatedly teased him by pretending to snatch away his toys, which made him cry. What a brilliant idea, right?
My son was already frustrated because he couldn't play with the Christmas tree and now when he finally found some fun in his toy trucks, he was threatened by this lady taking them away. There was even a point when she actually took a truck from his hands, leading to tears. What a nerve-wracking situation.
Afterwards, she couldn't grasp why he didn't want to be around her at all. I had to plainly say, "Well, he's now afraid you're going to snatch his toys".
85. A Family Affair
My dad has been showering his girlfriend with luxurious presents left and right, from a Moncler coat to yet another diamond ring, and it doesn't stop there. On the flip side, when it comes to my sister and me, it's clear he didn't put much thought into our gifts. It stings a bit, seeing that he's more interested in lavishing gifts on his model girlfriend than caring for his own daughters.
86. One Moment Can Ruin Everything
Some careless driver backed into my ground floor living room at 10 in the morning on Christmas Day. He then proceeded to crash into my neighbor's kitchen. The authorities finally managed to catch him, and the fire department dropped by to check if my house was still stable.
This led to us needing to leave our home for a bit. We'll have to involve our insurance and look for construction help, but everything's shut down for the moment so it's a real hassle.
87. What In The Ham Happened?
On a Christmas morning when I was about six, my older teen siblings of 16 and 14 and I were tasked with watching the oven, as my parents had to step out. We were baking a ham and didn't want a fire to start. It was my first time baking, and I created an enormous mess.
My big sister ended up having to clean me up, with cookie dough smeared all over my face and even in my hair. She did this while perched on the bathroom counter. Meanwhile, my brother had to take over the baking. After the cleanup, they went off to play Final Fantasy 7 on the PlayStation, leaving me to lounge and watch from the sofa. I dozed off to the smell of warm, spiced cinnamon and nutmeg wafting from the kitchen. This turned out to be a big error.
I'm not sure how long I slept, but I eventually awoke to the sound of shrieking fire alarms, my siblings' anxious voices, and the confusion of trying to work the fire extinguisher. I quickly jumped down from the sofa and attempted to fill my bucket with water from the bathroom sink, but it was out of my reach. Suddenly, amidst a loud hissing sound, my sister scooped me up and dashed outside.
When I asked what was going on, my brother simply stated that we were in deep trouble. This led to me bursting into tears. Our parents returned home shortly after, revealing the extent of the chaos. I was relieved I didn't get into any trouble and super glad our house didn't burn down.
88. Touched By An Angel
On one Christmas morning, my siblings and I were eagerly unwrapping our gifts. Meanwhile, Mom had comfortably settled down on the couch and Dad was documenting the special event with his video camera. A vintage wood-burning stove sitting at the heart of our living room was stoked, adding warmth to our cheer. Still, it was quite hot, and there wasn't anything like a guard rail or barrier to prevent people from accidentally touching it.
In the midst of this cozy scenario, an unfortunate incident took place. My younger sister, who had just started walking yet still needed a bit of support, was toddling around. As we were all engrossed in unwrapping presents, a sudden shriek pierced the air when my sister unknowingly rested her hands on the hot stove. I can't forget the sight of the large blisters that covered her palms as they gradually healed over time.
89. Uh-Oh
So far, everything's been smooth sailing with my Christmas plans. The thing is, my husband casually mentioned, "I really wouldn't want a coat for Christmas". And well... that's exactly what I got him. So, there's that...
90. A No Good, Terrible, Very Bad Day
Both of my parents have passed on already. Although I'm only 41, it's been a few years since I said goodbye to my last surviving parent. My boyfriend isn't really into Christmas, it just doesn't resonate with him. His grandmother who raised him, like a mother to him, also left us a few years ago. Currently, we're living in a fresh location without any friends or family around.
Neither of us has any kids—their absence is due to a complex history that's left me widowed twice over, and he just never had any. My only kin in the world is my sister, but she lives two states away. The only Christmas gift I was expecting, which she had purchased, was unfortunately swiped by plundering porch thieves.
I'd placed an order for Chinese food, but it got canceled just five minutes before it was going to reach me.
91. Going It Alone
This was my first Christmas apart from my family. I did manage to spend a few hours with my kids and some quality time with rest of my family. However, when my kids started to become restless and tearfully asked to go home, I couldn't help but break down. After ensuring they got home safely with their mom, I spent the next hour and a half shedding tears.
Honestly, I was taken aback by how deeply I was hurt today.
92. He Got His Rocks Off
Back in the day, our family would kick off the Christmas season by placing our presents under the tree right at December's start. One year, my brother left a tiny present for me under the tree. I found myself looking forward to unveiling this mystery gift throughout December, thinking it would be something quite special. I even gave it a shake once or twice, and hearing something rattle inside just got me more excited. It sounded little, but it could have been something truly precious.
Finally, Christmas Day dawned. That gift was my first target. With anticipation building up, I eagerly tore through the wrapping paper and peeked inside—only to find a bunch of rocks! I don't think I've ever seen my brother laugh as hysterically as he did in that moment. He got quite a scolding from our parents, and to make up for his prank, he ended up getting me a colossal bag of candy.
93. Time Was Ticking
A few years back, my grandma tied the knot on Thanksgiving. To celebrate, my whole clan journeyed to Arizona. One of the festivities was a family horse ride. During this ride, a tick decided to make a comfy home in my jeans and consequently, into my leg. A close encounter with a peculiar "heart situation" happened on December 23 that led to me bumping my head against a wall and a painting. That night, I ended up with lots of needles around me in the ER.
Everyone was thrown for a loop when it was discovered that the tick gave me Lyme disease. It was completely off our radar since ticks weren't common in our area during the winter.
94. A Holiday Escape Plan
On Christmas Eve, my husband had too much to drink and was acting out in the basement, weeping and shouting. I was upstairs with our children, trying to keep them focused on the festive films we were watching, away from the unsettling sounds coming from downstairs. Our relationship had reached its breaking point, mostly due to his problematic drinking habits. I wanted to leave him, but with children, limited finances, and a family living at a great distance, it felt impossible.
Out of nowhere, we heard a loud thud. He'd tumbled down the stairs and injured his head. I assisted him up two flights of stairs to our room, while our children quietly watched, again witnessing their mother handle their inebriated father. The following morning, he woke up, still somewhat intoxicated, and began to start needless arguments with me. That’s when I truly saw him for what he was, as he picked up the phone and falsely told emergency services that I had thrown a shoe at him.
Despite the fact that he was visibly hurt from his fall, I was terrified because I hadn't thrown anything. When the authorities arrived, they quickly spotted his intoxicated state. They spoke to the children and it was apparent that I was innocent. His excuse for making the false accusation was that I had previously called the authorities on him when he frightened me, so he saw it as a sort of retaliation.
They didn't ask him to leave, so for the sake of my children, I kept my cool, preserving their Christmas cheer while strategizing my exit plan silently. A few months later, I made the move back to my loving friends and family.
95. The Chosen One
Someone dared me to smash a gingerbread house using my head, and everyone doubted I would actually do it. I then headed straight into the corner of it at full force, but it was so hard and stale that it cut my forehead. My mom was panicking and saying I needed to get stitches, but I was too frightened to get them.
While all this was happening, my dad was busy recording everything, and my grandma let out a shriek. So now, I'm strutting around, looking like a less-than-cool version of Harry Potter.
96. Dump The Whole Woman
My girlfriend criticized me because I decided to take a half-day from work on Christmas Eve to go see my family. I woke up to her making sarcastic remarks about the luxury of being able to sleep in, followed by telling me to "dash off to mommy". All this happened without any provocation while I was still laying in bed. Needless to say, it's left a bit of a sour note over the entire holiday season.
97. Meet The Monsters-In-Law
Ah, the in-laws. Everyone's heard horror stories about terrible in-laws, and sadly, I've been living one for 18 years straight. This year, they outdid themselves by reaching an entirely new level of rude. Every restaurant, shop, park, or location we showed them was met with endless complaints. They even managed to spoil my daughter’s 17th birthday.
Not only did they drag her around to places according to their preferences, but they also criticized my daughter incessantly, berating her for her dyed hair and accusing her of being too thin.
Despite her efforts to share her favorite spots and tastes with them, they shot down every destination. According to them, the service was dreadful, the food appalling, the location unpleasant, and they vowed never to return.
What hit me hard was that they also bad-mouthed my wife and me to my daughter, labeling us as failures. They had audacious plans to "save" my daughter by funding her tuition for a college of their preference.
Their visit cast a gloom over the entire holiday season–easily the worst week on record. Oddly enough, their departure on December 26th felt like the most significant gift they could have given us.
98. Spoiled Brat Much?
On Christmas, my daughter surprised me by saying she "had a poor upbringing". We gifted her a car on her 16th birthday, covered numerous summer sports expenses, and footed no less than half her college fees. We also covered the costs of her wedding. It's disheartening to realise that I've brought up such an adult.
99. I Am What I Am
My wife has recently begun breastfeeding our newborn, and with the holiday season upon us, both our mothers are engaged in a lively discussion about everything involving a new baby. Suddenly, my own mom drops a bombshell. She casually mentions that when she was nursing us, my dad had to "assist" with her chest to ensure the milk kept flowing and prevent it from clogging. Yep, you heard that right.
Immediately, I was reeling with embarrassment, wishing for the floor to swallow me whole. My mom never had a censor, nor does she ever hit the brakes on herself. I've often reminded her to be considerate, as not everyone might be comfortable with intensely personal details. But she brushes it off, declaring that she isn't going to change, and if people can't accept her for who she is, it doesn't bother her. While I understand her viewpoint to some extent, there's a limit.
100. Sick Day
As we were heading over to my sister's house, my four-year-old son started complaining of a headache. Once we arrived there, he immediately flopped onto the couch, continuing to grumble about his throbbing head. Then, as soon as I lifted him, he threw up everywhere—on me, on the floor, and even on the dinner table.
Thankfully, the dinner hadn't been served yet, so no one else's Thanksgiving was ruined. But clearly, mine had taken a nosedive. Now, he's back home, racing around like he's full of energy. Toddlers really keep you on your toes!
101. Family Doesn’t Always Make It Better
Just wrapped up a trial stage at a new job, which usually involves traveling. Recently, I had the chance to work from home for two weeks. Yet, my family consistently sought my time and attention.
My ex added to the mix, mainly with her negativity. On Thanksgiving, she complained about the free car I'd given our daughter, mostly about the tires. Despite the fact I'd replaced the tires this summer and cover all costs, she complained about having to walk part of a driveway.
Feeling overwhelmed, I told a fib about work just to get some space. Out driving aimlessly, I suffered a severe panic attack. I think the blend of work and family pressures triggered it. I had to pull over and took about two hours to regain my composure.
It was the worst panic attack I've ever had. I truly believed I would faint, or worse. Thankfully, I recovered and had a wonderful solo day at the zoo, doing what I enjoyed. I lost myself in a book, watched an absorbing documentary about Ralph Lauren, and enjoyed some podcasts on an unfrequented highway. I was finally able to enjoy life. But the peace didn't last.
When I returned home, my mother berated me about not maintaining my yard. In a thoughtless state, I cooked a turkey that had been in the fridge too long, due to a prior out-of-town trip. It tasted awful, and now I suspect I'm unwell.
Here's hoping it's just a 24-hr thing because my daughters are expected tomorrow for a postponed Thanksgiving meal. The key learning from this is that I need better stress management and possibly more vigorous workouts. The terrifying, two-hour panic attack is something I never want to experience again.
As soon as this stomach flu passes, I'll look for effective solutions. Thanksgiving continues, and I know my daughters will bring joy, as they always do.
102. What A Turkey
My brother is spending Thanksgiving with his girlfriend and her family and let me know that he's about to have his first intimate experience. I'm his supportive sibling and, of course, I'm "happy" for him, to put it one way. But, I also had an urge to playfully mess with him a bit.
So, while he was getting laid for the first time, I chose to send him about 100 texts with trivia on US Presidents. The thought of him getting all those notifications and saying, "Just a second, sweetheart, I need to read this fun fact about Zachary Taylor" is making me laugh non-stop.
103. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
During this year's family get-together during the holidays, my mother decided to revisit and discuss my teenage diary out loud. The chapters of the diary contained a soul-crushing phase of my life that was meant to stay private. Back then, I was lost and contemplated harmful ways to escape my reality. To make matters even more distressing, she shared this in a family gathering.
I've since been holed up in my room for a solid two hours, a wave of emotions washing over me. I'm 25 now, but darn, those old feelings from that daunting time have resurfaced and I'm unsure how to process them.
104. Ruined Forever?
My wife and I were invited to dinner at my uncle's house, along with his long-time girlfriend's family.
Honestly, it was a wonderful experience. We had a classic Thanksgiving meal with multiple generations of family. I even made homemade pies that everyone seemed to love. But halfway through, it all seemed to fall apart. Out of nowhere, I found myself overwhelmed and ran out to the porch to shed some tears.
You see, it's been three years since my mom passed on suddenly on Christmas Eve. Being embraced so warmly by this incredible family reminded me of past holidays, when my mom was still here. The remembrance was heart-wrenching.
Ever since then, I've been struggling to lift my spirits. Sure, I managed to put on a brave face and rejoin the dinner where everyone was praising my pies. But, to be honest, I've been feeling down since we left. I really miss the joy that the Holidays used to bring.
105. Not Kidding Around
Last month, my child and I received an invitation to join a friend for Thanksgiving dinner. Being newcomers to town and quite a distance from our relatives, we were thrilled to accept. It relieved me to know that we wouldn't be spending this holiday alone.
Throughout the week, the host and I stayed in touch, even figuring out which dish I'd contribute to the feast. However, this morning, I unexpectedly received a message from her saying she's decided to make the event grown-ups only.
I can fully comprehend her choice, considering my little one would have been the sole child in attendance. I just wish she hadn't left it until Thanksgiving Day itself to inform me. Given more time, I could have possibly arranged an alternative celebration for my kid and I.
106. Home Is Where the Inheritance Is
Want to know what spoiled my Christmas this year? It's simple. I had to witness my dad and his siblings brawl over my recently deceased grandmother's house. I terribly miss my grandma and I can only hope my family finds a way to settle things, especially since it turns out, neither my dad nor his siblings ended up with the house. What she planned next took all of us by surprise.
Just recently, the lawyer rang up with surprising news. Turns out, my grandma unexpectedly decided to leave the house to me. As for her remaining fortunes, these are to be split among me, my brother, and my two cousins. Even though I'm studying law, I'm honestly at a loss about what to do next.
107. Morphin' Time
Back when I was a youngster, we used to go to a local farm for Thanksgiving where they'd prepare our turkey—yep, right on the spot! After cutting off the feet, I had a super creative idea to use them as pretend hands. I tucked them into my sleeves and grabbed on, making it look like I had turned into some kid-sized lizard boy!
One afternoon, my mom was stretched out on the couch catching a quick nap. Quiet as a mouse, I tiptoed up to her and lightly brushed a turkey foot against her cheek. As she started to wake, I yelped out, "I'M CHANGING, I'M CHANGING! IT'S REALLY HURTING!!"! Boy, did she freak out! She started hollering and tried to wiggle away so fast, she ended up tumbling over the back of the couch.
It took a couple of family members to settle her nerves. Oddly enough, they forgot to confiscate my cool new lizard hands.
108. Left Out In The Cold
When I was about 13, like many other teenage girls, I worried about my weight. One dish my family always had for Thanksgiving was candied yams with big marshmallows on top. I opted out of eating the marshmallows. My family's "punishment" was so disturbing I'll never forgive them. They locked me outside on the porch, while I was only in light PJs, standing in the snow.
They enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner in front of me because the table was right in front of the glass porch door. I was very lucky to somehow not get frostbite, but I learned that day that frostnip can be quite painful. The most crushing thing however is that my grandmother was visiting for that holiday, and she sided with my parents and saw no wrong in this.
She even joined in their later berating. This kind of punishment wasn't abnormal but having someone witness and not care was one of the worst experiences of my life. I don't talk to any of them anymore.
109. Caught Red-Handed
My then-boyfriend had let me use his iPad to watch a movie on Netflix. He had his messenger account linked to both his tablet and his phone, and messages kept popping up on it while I was watching without him realizing I could see. I got to watch in real-time as he got his best friend's wife to agree to sleep with him over the coming holiday weekend; with the promise that he'd get rid of me for that weekend so they could get intimate in our bed.
