To ask about your worst Christmas day ever

[sparklybluesky]

Mine was 2010 heading towards divorce. Day spent at In Laws where I had to drive as ex couldn't. Not as though much alcohol was served.
MIL served up a tiny meal, gifts to me were freebies from Avon. Weirdo ex was obsessed with his video camera which he set up to film the day. His Sister arrived with her badly behaved children and the whole thing was recorded on this bloody camera set up in the corner. Ex bought me some yankee candles off of ebay! We divorced shortly after.

@ABCeasyasdohrayme I'm so so sorry for what you went through. That was unforgivable. Your mother was evil. I am glad to hear that you have made a happy life for yourself and wish you and yours all the joy of Christmas 💐💐💐

I found out a few days before Christmas a close relative had cancer and would be their last Christmas. I wanted to make the most of the last Christmas together doing the usual traditions but other family members were too depressed and didn't want to do anything. So by the afternoon my Christmas was over and I was back home alone for the rest of the day. It was truly rubbish.

So many such sad stories - ❤️ to all of you.
We did have one very sad and subdued Christmas, when we knew my father was dying, especially since MiL had died only 6 months previously. But they’d both have hated to think of their deaths clouding subsequent Christmases, so especially since dds were still quite young children, we did try not to let them.

One Christmas Eve was awful. My DM, widowed some 10 years by then, and with early-ish dementia, had decided that she didn’t want to come to us for Christmas after all - she wanted to stay quietly at home. Fair enough - I did the 120 mile round trip anyway, to take her presents and some nice food.

Later, when everyone else was out, she phoned me, absolutely furious - what was she doing all on her own on Christmas Eve? I was a terrible daughter - she was cutting me out of her will, etc. etc.

Nothing I said could convince her that of course she’d been invited - she hadn’t wanted to come. I offered to go and pick her up there and then if she’d changed her mind - no, she didn’t want that either, slammed the phone down on me.
I don’t know when I’ve been so upset.

Phoned her again in the morning with sinking heart - she’d forgotten the whole thing.
Dementia is a bloody bastard of a disease.

@LinzyB 💐💐

Last Christmas I had covid. I had to watch dcs open presents whilst almost dying from the sofa. I cooked a dinner (god knows how) the next thing I remember was DH shaking me saying if I didn’t respond he’d have to phone an ambulance! He thought I’d stopped breathing. I got so scared and genuinely thought I was going to die. Worst Christmas ever :(

I don’t celebrate Xmas. Empty chairs at empty tables. I feel better when it’s over.

So many desperately sad ones here. @ABCeasyasdohrayme Your mother, and her husband are completely evil people.

The year I was 10 days overdue and the size of a house..I'm only 5 foot..I cooked for 8 with no help or support...
Even left me to lift the bloody turkey out of the oven.

My family of origin don’t celebrate Xmas. It was a grim day which I dreaded. One of the worst was after I left home. Alone in a shared house whilst everyone else had gone home to celebrate.
Another was my father being diagnosed with terminal cancer just before. I drove up in the snow to see him (8 hour journey). Sat up with him during the night several nights. Drove home to my own family . On Xmas day, very upset member of the family as I hadn’t had time to get him the presents he wanted.

These are so sad
sometimes I get annoyed with my DP for being grinchy about Christmas because of his useless family and sad/horrible memories and this thread has reminded me that the whole season is just fucking awful if you have bad associations, especially because of the pressure to be jolly and the idea that everyone else is super happy. Hearts to all of you with terrible and sad memories of Christmas :(
my own worst was when I was splitting from my XH. He didn't come with us to my parents and it was so sad and uncomfortable and awful.

2016 my sister was in a hospice and we were waiting for the call to say she had died. We made Christmas lunch but were so on edge and barely ate. She hung on until 30th Dec but it was an awful day. The previous Christmas 2015 had been our best yet.

2020, never saw death like it. I picked a young nurse up off the floor and put her in the shower. That is what broken looks like.

I'm so sorry to hear this

I am so sorry to hear what some have you have gone through. Some of these are truly horrific.

Did you eat the catfood?

last year, when I was 4 months pregnant. My step grandfather took over the cooking a few years ago and is notoriously stingy with portions, snd not a great cook but I went to keep my nan happy. Anyway, he gave me the tiniest portion of anyone! I was ravenous! I ate 6 pickles trying to fill myself up. And dessert was some fruit thing or stale cake he had baked, again tiny portion. I was so hungry I was almost in tears. And no one bought me a Christmas present! I always buy lovely thoughtful gifts for people and no one could be fucked to get me anything. Even my grandmother who normally gets me perfume got me a shower gel. I vowed never again and i’ve stopped doing presents & i’m making my own christmas dinner this year and will serve myself more than 2 tiny potatoes and half a carrot.

Few years back, 1 week before Christmas my mum had a heart attack. 2 days later, my dad also had a heart attack so they were both in hospital at the same time over Christmas with heart attacks. They were in different hospitals as my dad was more seriously ill so on Christmas Day, I spent morning with mum and then afternoon with dad. It was pretty miserable.

Sorry to hear this @Bagelsandbrie . My own mother was bipolar and alcoholic and Christmas was the worst time. Like you I try very hard to make Christmas lovely.

Womanhood - I put a spoonful in my mouth, immediately realised and spat it out. Not before tasting it though 🤢

My heart goes out to you and your colleagues. My DH died in hospital in 2020, it was brutal for everybody. Too much death