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What's your WORST Holiday story?

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Started 3 years ago by Jules
Latest reply from gordy

Jules

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I'm kind of interested in people's most hideous holiday tales....OK, I'll start.

There was the Thanksgiving that my parents were in Hawaii, siblings out of town, (I was in college) and the parental units had called to say they'd be home about 3:00 on Thanksgiving..and would I put the turkey in the oven. Not only did I do that, but I made the entire dinner, pies, mashed potatoes, stuffing gravy, veggies, etc....and no one showed up. Tick tock, tick tock.....just me and the dog, and a veritable feast Martha Stewart would be proud of....no family showed up....and the dog is looking at me as if to say "hey! do you have plans for that turkey, 'cuz I can thing of something to do with it...." At 8:00 PM, the entire family finally showed up, as all of their (separate) planes had been delayed.

Then there was the Christmas Eve where my Dad decided right before 5 PM to run down to Portlock and get some herring....they flipped off the lights just as he walked in the door, and he fell down...they called 911...one by one my entire family ended up at the emergency room at Ballard/Swedish Hospital...once again, I was home alone with a Julia Child-like feast...

So, what's your most loathesome holiday stpru?

Posted 3 years ago #
nannnerrr

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Christmas 1977...newly divorced with 2 year old daughter...had been invited to my parents for dinner. We showed up and my parents FORGOT they invited us (we'd been there the night before and done the whole family thing Christmas Eve but I had nowhere to go on Christmas day so my mom invited me back) and were having friends over and had just finished dinner. Uhhhh...I was so mad and we got back in the car and drove all around looking for a place that was open to have our pitiful Christmas Dinner...ended up at the then AZARS (now Dennys) sitting at the counter having who knows what. I almost forgot about that...painful night...horrible night. Poor us.

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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I doubt this lightweight crowd could handle holiday stories of times I spent with the ex in-laws/Clampetts so I will pass Jules : )

Holidays are an interesting times. They become less and less important to me as I get older and I find I want them simpler and simpler. I don’t care what I eat and half the gifts I have received over the years have ended up sold at garage sales as has most of the crap I bought for myself over the years, including the mountains of holiday decorations. My 17 year old tells me she misses the quiet days we had when it was just the two of us living out of state. What she does love doing here in Seattle is to go downtown and get in the massive crowd at Westlake to watch the star lighting. That costs me two bus tickets and maybe the cost of two coffee beverages. That’s a pretty cheap and easy tradition and I have found I also enjoy it.

We both really do miss the Xmas season in NM with tamales and posole and faralitos and La Posado. Funny how paper bags and candles on adobe walls is so magical. It is never the same when done here. I think that’s why we both like that silly star downtown. The Bon is gone but it is still a very Seattle tradition that I remember from my childhood. It’s simple but really pretty and even a little magical. We enjoy the Xmas Ships for the same reason. My time with the Army Corp. means we can still join the party in the Admin building at The Locks and it is a great simple time that is very Seattle.

Posted 3 years ago #
sunset

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In last few years one by one my family members died and the last few years I've had no one close to me.My closest friends moved out of state. All my Christmas's are downers. I'm trying to work on making it a positive experience but it's hard. I really miss being around family at Christmas. So now instead of buying for my family I have turned that to a needy child program we have at work. I give to homeless . Even doing that doesn't fill the big hole in my heart - but like I said, I'm going to really work on bringing the positive this year. It really sucks being alone.
I just re-read this - how about if this thread was changed to what is your happiest memory of Christmas. Mine - coming home Xmas Eve and there on the porch was a doll I wanted. "Santa" had left a note "The furnace was going so couldn't come down the chimney. Love, Santa." And then my brother coming home from the service. My mom decorated for days and especially proud of our ten foot Xmas tree. Just as he pulled up out front we heard this noise - it was the Xmas tree. It came crashing down on the floor breaking most of the ornaments. My mom first cried & then we all laughed. We realized it wasn't about the tree - it was all about him being home and all the family together. Those are the moments I miss.

Posted 3 years ago #
Kyle

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This doesn't qualify as horrible so much as embarrassing: one year I was making roast beef for Christmas. My inlaws were all seated in the dining room just off the kitchen, waiting for the main dish to be plated and brought out. I stuck the roast with a fork and started to lift it out of the baking pan, but half way between the plate and the counter it slid off and onto the floor, where it rolled around a bit. This would not have been so bad except for two things: we had indoor-outdoor carpeting in our kitchen (long story, former owners), and we also had a Husky. When I picked the roast up from the floor, it was covered in dog hair.

Needless to say, there was nothing to do but wash it off really, really well, and serve it as if nothing had happened. Especially considering that one of my guests was afflicted with severe OCD.

Posted 3 years ago #
BriarRose

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Sunset I like your idea. Holidays are what you make of them and often resources, not just money but family etc., are in limited supply. I recommend the star lighting if you are so inclined. Last year the PA system died mid song and the whole crowd started singing. We usually go down early that day, (day after Thanksgiving) just to walk around, not for shopping. We go after the idiot Black Friday shoppers are gone and usually ride down to Pioneer Square and work our way back uptown just looking at decorations, maybe stop for a piroshky at the Market. Last year there was even a Salvation Army brass band in uniform. We sat and listened for an hour and gave them money.

I remember the years when I was newly married and my ex was in the Navy in California. There were many sailors who lived in the barracks and did not go home for Xmas. We ex was the boss and we had a place off base and held a HUGE party for everyone who wanted to come on Xmas Eve. We would sometimes have as many as 200 in and out over the course of the evening. Of course since most were young the evening was a mass drunken high brouhaha but it was amazingly fun and they fellows loved it. They would all insist on bringing us the most god awful gifts, like fry babies and objects de ‘art’ from TJ but we appreciated every single one even when we left them all behind. The only rule was everyone had to be out by 10 on Christmas Day which we saved for ourselves alone.
After I divorced in NM I dealt with an every other year Xmas with my daughter. Even when alone I would always go down to Old Town where the most spectacular display of faralitos can be found in Albuquerque. (last year there was an article in the Times telling how the farolitos were to light the way for Santa. That’s a one way ticket straight to hell!) Xmas Eve there is usually about 9 degrees but I would walk for miles late into the night. I think one of the nicest things about Xmas in NM is that fact that so much of the traditions are actually community oriented and not just individual family so anyone can join in. Anyone who wants to can join in a La Posada procession and will be welcome at the party. Once I went to the feast at Third Mesa in January where the Kachinas return for the year, ( a sort of Xmas like celebration). It was 15 below when the dancing started at dawn but we were invited into numerous homes for green chile and blue corn and to warm up a bit.

Try organizing a Xmas Ship party somewhere along one of the routes.

Posted 3 years ago #
mc7

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Christmas Eve 1985, I'm 17 and in loooove. We sit in his car to exchange gifts. He gives me a beautiful opal ring with matching earrings- after I gush over them and tell him I love him he says "I love you too. But we need to talk." Who dumps his girlfriend on Christmas Eve? After giving her $236 worth of jewelry? This guy. I wake up Christmas morning completely broken-hearted and come downstairs to discover my recently divorced brother sitting in our parents living room with dried blood all over him. He'd been getting in a bar fight while I was getting dumped. I volunteered to be the one to drive him to the ER where we spent much of the day. He told me "I wish they could stitch your heart up like my head, sis." It was a great day of bonding for us. And I still have the opal jewelry. Keep an eye on the classifieds if you're interested...

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous

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When I was in my mid-twenties and lived in an apartment downtown all alone with my cats. I had a bunch of "friends" but they were all the kind of friends who will go to clubs with you and say you're "best friends" if they think it will make them look good, but won't be there for you if you need them. I had just broken up with someone I was very hung up on but we kept having misunderstandings and I decided to dump him before he dumped me (stupid stupid girl!). I called some "friends" and asked if I could spend Christmas with them because I was estranged from my parents and was very lonely. They said sure, but then first thing Christmas morning called and said they really just felt like being alone and sleeping in so don't come over. I spent the day so sad and lonely I think I just laid on the couch and cried. If I'm ever frustrated with my family or being a parent I think of that day and everything about my life now seems a million time worth it!

That was actually worse than when I was 19 years old and my boyfriend overdosed on heroin on Christmas night. He came through it so I guess that is my second worst Christmas.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bamber

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Oh Sunset! Your post made me tear up! Lets meet for coffee - seriously! You can come to our house for Christmas!!

These are all such terrible stories...but it is somewhat nice to get it off your chest and know that you aren't the only one who has had miserableness during the holidays!

My worst was in my early 20s. My parents had recently divorced (because my dad had an affair...but it was Christmas...and the woman he'd had an affair with had just dumped him...and now he was wishing he had the family back...blah, blah..blah...)

My mom felt bad and invited him to Christmas at the house (my mom is a SAINT! Honestly...!) We waited, and waited and dad never showed. I kept calling his apt - no answer. So I drove over to his apt..only to find him COMPLETELY drunk and miserable. Made him wash up...drink some coffee...get his butt in the car and come to the house. My dad was fairly wealthy back then...and after hearing all these stories of kids getting spoiled after their parents divorced, I had this sick fantasy that I was going to get spoiled that year...LOL! Hardly...the one and only gift my dad bought me was a FUBU t-shirt (that USED to be a brand...don't know if it still is..I think it was worn by hip-hoppers? Mid 90's....anyone...anyone?) I could not have been a worst gift...I was about the furthest thing you could get from a hip-hopper...LOL...and I didn't wear t-shirts..so disappointed!

Dad continued to drink throughout the day. Mom sat comatose on the couch. Brother ate himself into a frenzy (he was about 380 lbs in those days...he turned to food for comfort after the 'rents divorced...)

It could have been worse...but at the time..it was the saddest, most horrible holiday.

Two years later...I was seriously dating my now husband, and we had to start splitting the holidays between parents. At that time - my parents were divorced - his parents were divorced, so we had 4 sets of parents the demanded out time at the holidays. It hit my dad the worst...we invited him over a few days before Christmas to celebrate - we left the house to go do something and came back and he had drunk himself into oblivion at the bar down the street. He came home and was so drunk and crying...it's just not right to see your parents - your dad who is supposed to be the ROCK of the family...so vulnerable...ugh

Fast forward to today - and my dad no longer drinks...my parents are back together (not married...just "together") I have kids...the holidays are much brighter these days!

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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One of my friends in Anchorage started out the holiday season by inviting two couples to dinner for Thanksgiving. He was quite a good cook, and spent days preparing food...ON Thanksgiving day, both couples called about noon to cancel. He took all the food down to the local shelter, and drank all the (extremely expensive) wine himself. (and called me.)

Fast forward to Christmas Eve, same year. He got home from work, opened the door....and had been robbed. Not just burgled- they took EVERYTHING he owned that could be taken out the door, including his Christmas presents AND the tree, leaving only a circle of needles where it had been. They also took his vacumn cleaner, so he couldn't even vacumn them up.

However, he did have a pretty good New Years/birthday as a friend took him to see Carly Simon (who he idolized) . HIS friend was some close personal freind of hers, so he got front row seats, taken backstage, where she sang "Happy Birthday" to him and kissed him.

So, he's not a real holiday fan.

One year my brother went Christmas shopping, and instead of coming home first, he went down to Ray's Boathouse for a few drinks with his pals. You guessed it, his car was broken into, and all of his presents stolen. However, the only place still open to buy anything was that fire and safety place down on Market- so he bought all of us fire extinguishers large and small. Oddly, that turned out to be a pretty good present after all!

Posted 3 years ago #
Kyle

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That was creative thinking on your brother's part. He could have gone to 7-11 and scraped the bottom of the barrel there...

Posted 3 years ago #
joannaL

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Christmas eve when I was 14, I walked across the room to give my mother something, and stepped on one of her knitting needles which had gotten hooked in the carpet and was sticking up at an angle. The needle went the entire way through my foot and was sticking out next to my big toe. And off to the ER we went :).

Posted 3 years ago #
Jules

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Eeeuuuww joann.

I thought the fire extinguishers were the worst present...until we had a car fire 8 months later. And I had a wok catch on fire about a year later.

Actually, my brother, who is not a shopper, has come up with some amazing presents from the most unlikely places. One Christmas Eve he was down at Fishermen's Terminal and he went into the marine supply store there, and bought us all really cool sweaters.

Posted 3 years ago #
shallow.end

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when I was 12, my dad had a heart attack and died while putting out gifts on Christmas Eve.

Posted 3 years ago #
sunset

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shallow.end - how incredibly sad. I'm going to quit reading this thread as it is making me increasingly sad. I wish people would write their happiest moments - holidays are hard enough for some of us and we need a little joy in our lives - I know I do.
Bless yoou, shallow.end

Posted 3 years ago #
motorrad

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Valentines day has always been a bane to me. No matter what, it never turned out well. The ex wife always had expectations so I could never do anything right no matter what I conceived. Whatever I did it wasn't what I should have done. The girlfriend before her, I tried to think of great romantic evenings and even planned ahead. But would always be foiled by something. Minnesota blizzards, ice storms, Car problems that would need immediate attention making me miss pick ups, appointments etc. And I always got last minute bookings for 2-3 day jobs for valentines and the days before, always 12-14 hour days. I offered to pass on the jobs but she was understanding, just hoped for a hassle free V day. So last year as valentine's day was 2 weeks away, I made the mistake of looking at the sky and laughing, knowing that I had no relationship and no prospects. Couldn't get a date with a $1000 bill taped to my speedo. So I laughed and thought that there was no reason or way for the universe-powers that be-whatever, to screw with me. 2 days before V day my motorcycle was stolen.

As for thanksgiving and Christmas, I prefer to not recall the bad ones. Unfortunately they are the most recent. Not as dramatic as some here, just not how I thought I would spend them at this stage of life. Instead, this thread actually caused me to reminisce about my best Christmases from my previous lives.

Posted 3 years ago #
old_lady

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Years ago I was 8 months pregnant and had a stillborn baby on Thanksgiving day. It was a tough holiday season but I tried to get into the spirit anyway. I had heard of, but never seen, the Christmas ships so I took my toddler downtown to the pier where they were supposed to be. There was only one big boat there, brightly lit and blaring canned Christmas music. I just sat there, holding my child, tears streaming down my face while listening to all these songs about a perfect, wonderful newborn. Fortunately, the experience has not ruined the holidays for me. I've had lovely holidays in the many years since then.

Posted 3 years ago #
ballardo

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Gosh, all these sad stories...I have one to lighten things up. Years ago, hubby and I had been slaving away on our first house, a "fixer-upper" in every sense of the word. We were proud of what we had accomplished in 3 months, and told my family we would host Christmas dinner. This happened to be during one of those cold snaps - temps in the teens. We got through with dinner and I was cleaning up in the kitchen while the family relaxed in the living room. Suddenly heard a "pop pop pop" noise....figured it might be one of the little kids stepped on a tree ornament or something. Umm, no, that was the sound of pipes bursting. My folks stood up and said "We'd better be going now" and booked it out of there. An entire roll of duct tape later hubs, brother and I got the water flow temporarily staunched. It's funny now, 20 years later.

Posted 3 years ago #
Catherine

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This could have been bad but wasn't:

Three ER trips in a single Thanksgiving day about 5 years ago. 86 year old is doubled over in pain moaning with pain great grandma was the first, grandma was on the receiving end of an aluminum roasting pan failure and had hot grease and drippings all over her hand and it blistered, and I don't remember who the third patient was. We were in a small town, and asked the ER doc the third time if there was a frequent visitor discount that applied to families. I believe the response was not on a holiday.

Posted 3 years ago #
SunriseSunset

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It was Christmas Eve, 1942, and my mother and father and I lived in Marysville in a house on a bluff overlooking the Sound. I was three years old.

My dad rigged up sleigh bells across the peak of the roof with a string that came down the side of the house and into my folks' bedroom window. After all were snug in our beds my dad pulled on the string and when I heard those sleigh bells I knew, for sure, there was a Santa Claus.

This may not be a Thanksgiving story but it does remind me of the one and only happy holiday of my life. Sad, but true? No, life has been excellent--the holidays have been the exception.

Posted 3 years ago #
Kyle

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I don't mind hearing all the sad stories myself. I think it reminds us of our shared humanity, and that while life can be tough, we are not alone. And that we really need each other. The more people who are comfortable sharing their pain, the healthier we are as a society.

Posted 3 years ago #
DDF

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Maybe we should change the subjuct to "What awful Christmas turned out to be the funniest".

Posted 3 years ago #
gordy

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One year a relative forgot the box of wrapped presents for me in the building elevator. He is known for having an odd sense of humor when it comes to picking gifts. Next day the landlord calls all tenants asking if anyone is missing presents. He'd found a box of unwrapped gifts by the office. It was my gifts. The presents had been so tacky/corny that the thieves had left them.

Posted 3 years ago #