Tales of family Christmas from hell?

[HTH1]

Following on from the guests from hell thread, please tell me about your worst family Christmas from hell. Hopefully that will make me happier about it just being a v small Christmas this year (all family away or dead) and would love to hear your experiences

My very elderly (15) dog was at the vets and due home on 27th. She took a turn for the worse and we were called in to have her put down at midnight on Christmas Eve. I know the exact time bcs the vets is next to a Catholic Church and as it happened the carolling started.

I was pregnant so no drink and we’d decided to spend it just me and DH.

We went for a walk on Christmas morning to see loads of dog walkers which was obv a huge downer but then we also saw an ambulance taking a body out of the river near our house. Obviously a worse Christmas for that person’s family but all in all it wasn’t a good one...

When I was 12, my mother and my sisters had been invited to my aunts for Christmas. One of my sisters lived with my dad (150 miles away) as she was horrific and had been expelled from two local schools.

I flatly refused to go to Christmas with her (she was seriously abusive to me) so I was left at home on my own with nothing to eat - not even chicken nuggets and chips to put in the oven.

I saw an ill hedgehog in the garden so found a cardboard box, and got some hay from the garage (we had rabbits) and some dog food and a bowl of water and took it inside to look after it. It died after a couple of hours. That was my Christmas Day.

My parents live 6 hrs away so my dad booked me and my brother, and our families into a lovely cottage close to them. It was likely to be my mums last Christmas as she had dementia.

We all arrived on Xmas eve morning, saw my parents and settled into the gorgeous cottage. My brother and dh took my dad out for a drink whilst I sat with mum. Dad hadn't been out in his own in over a year as he couldn't leave Mum alone. They were out a couple of hours. On their home my dad had a 'turn' took him to a&e, he'd had a heart attack, had to stay in hospital for two weeks, had a pacemaker fitted and scheduled for heart surgery, I stayed with mum and the kids had to come to me on Xmas morning in their pjs. Had to rota looking after mum, the dog ate my brothers Xmas dinner ( at least it wasn't mine) as he was helping mum in the loo. Mum had no idea wtf was going on.

It's a standing joke now that my db and dh tried to see off dad at Xmas.

Unfortunately it was my Mums last Xmas with us

Ex H finished work a few days before Christmas and from that moment was drunk for days. His sister was staying and he was so obnoxious to her that she left in a taxi to go to another family members at midnight on Christmas Eve. I didn't blame her and said so and he pushed me down a flight of stairs my leg was cut and bruised. He continued this behaviour culminating in me calling the police on Boxing Day as he'd locked himself in the bedroom with ds and wouldn't let me get to him. A different Christmas he was again drunk from the moment he finished work until he went back - we'd split by then though but he was supposed to see the kids on Boxing Day. He turned up pissed out of his mind and proceeded to light the BBQ in the garden insisting he was going to do a Boxing Day BBQ. He was all over the place and in a total state so I put a stop to it at which he berated me calling a fat, stupid cunt over and over in front of my children. I again had to call the police to have him removed. He ruined every Christmas that we were together and I am so grateful I am no longer with him.

2 in a row really, DD 8 months had a febrile convulsion and we spent Christmas Day in A&E, ILS with us.
The following year DD2 born on the 15th.
I ended up sick with mastitis and in bed Christmas Day while DD1 cracked her head open and needed stitches, then MIL threatened to leave that day and drive 8 hours home with FIL because DH didn’t spend enough time sitting and talking to them. All the while he was responsible for feeding everyone, looking after DD1, trying to help me with DD2 as I felt so crap.
We chose to have ILS stay as I don’t get on with my M.

DD’s we about 3 and 5 and dh (now ex) and I both came down with flu, we could hardly move so had to get my mum over to help wrap the last few presents, she also cooked Christmas dinner and put all the kids toys together whilst I led on the sofa watching and dh stayed in bed. It’s was a pretty rubbish Christmas.

Also had a Christmas 2 years later where I had extreme tooth ache, my step dad gave me a strong pain killer to take (possibly tramadol) to get me through the day, I can’t remember any of that day because the pain killer almost knocked me out. I did manage to cook dinner but can’t remember doing so.

Christmas from hell was a 11 years ago I was heavily pregnant with my son, had been very ill throughout the pregnancy nearly lost my son multiple times throughout etc. Had been looking forward to a family Christmas seeing my extended family. Instead my sons dad and I were going through a really rough patch. I found out he was messaging someone else (we had been together 5 years by this point) he stayed out all night Christmas Eve so I woke up alone Christmas Day. Finally returned in the morning, we had a shit sandwich for lunch then on the evening went to my parents for 2 hours. I literally wanted to cry all night but put on a brave face in front of my family. I ended it 2 weeks later just after new year and have never been happier

The Christmas my father died. The santa tipping his hat at the hearse will always stick in my mind.

Probably the year dhs gran asked if he boyfriend could come for Xmas day. They were both in their 90s and didn't live together but used to visit each other's houses and had been together before and split but had been back together for about six months. His family had other plans which didn't include him.
I said yes of course I'd not met him before but hated the idea of an elderly man in his own at Christmas. Granny warned us he might need a lie down at some point, not a problem I said.
He started dropping off on the sofa in the afternoon so my mum said "joe go upstairs and have a lie down on my bed if you like?" (She was staying with us)
Anyway long story short he nicked my (dead) grandmas wedding and engagement rings that my mum wears from the bedside table.

Not terrible compared to some of these but I remember the Xmas with poorly 1 year old twins going through a clingy phase and screaming unless they were allowed in the kitchen to hang off my legs whilst I cooked. Nobody else really bothered trying to entertain them while me and DH were cooking for about 12.

I can still see DHs auntie sitting at the table with a face on as she likes to eat lunch at 1pm and by this time it was about 1.15 🤷🏼‍♀️.

No idea why we were hosting that year.

My mother is the queen of ruined Christmas but the one where I had a two week old baby, had travelled over 500 miles to get to her house and she told me I could leave if I didn't stop taking antidepressants because PND is all just for attention is up there with her best.

My first christmas with my dp, and we wanted to impress!

We had my new MIL and FIL there (he had dementia) and my granny and parents. All started beautifully, until the oven fan broke down and the turkey was still raw after seven hours! It was my first ever year making christmas dinner, in my efforts to keep the party spirit going we decided to keep the drinks flowing! So after a few hours, the food was still uncooked and I noticed my granny swaying she was 96, I walked in the dining room to my pet rabbit running up and down the christmas table (My FIL had got him out of his hutch) my granny had passed out in the chair, my mother in law had 'lost' my FIL and was out in the road looking for him, my mother was laughing rather hysterically about this being a christmas she will never forget, and my father complained endlessly that his legs were giving way from starvation!

So we served half cooked potatoes, and mircowaved turkey, everyone was too drunk to notice, meanwhile my MIL was LAYING on the kitchen floor wailing that she could no longer cope with FIL and we had to step over her in order to serve the dinner - by this point it was dark and a good time to distract everyone with fireworks!

BIG MISTAKE

So we lit the fireworks, and one went into the bin section of the hotel next door, and promptly set fire due to the boxes and packaging. We then had to call out the fire service, and the hotel manager and explain that the hotel was on fire at the back.
At this point I really WAS having a breakdown, FIL was dancing on the table, I had lost my rabbit, my granny thought she was in the war again due to the fireworks - Dad was eating crisps for christmas lunch, and I was very stressed and very drunk. Dad said he was going to stop at the chinese on the way home on his way out as a thank for my efforts, and honestly i vowed I would never ever host christmas ever again!

It just happened to be my granny and FIL last christmas, I hope they will forgive me

We had winter vomiting virus one year. Took it in turns to hold the baby whilst the other person threw up. My parents kindly delivered a dinner to the doorstep on Xmas day evening (the original social distancing!). We didn’t eat it or anything else for 3 days. We finally emerged to see the family on New Years Day. That was the Xmas that never was!!

Yes and the worst one was when my MIL collapsed at christmas lunch at my SIL house (terminally ill) with cancer and died that evening, when the ambulance man arrived BIL said she could have at least waited until we had actually eaten, as he had been in the kitchen since 7am!
MIL said as she was being wheeled out that he had never been able to cook anyway and SIL could do with cleaning the bathroom abit more before guests arrive in future!!!!!! I kid you not! A legend to the end!

@CandyLeBonBon - I'm so sorry for your loss.

Mine is nowhere near as heart-breaking as some PPs.
I was invited to then DP's house for Christmas dinner. Everything was microwaved and plated up the night before so everyone's plate was re-microwaved and served meaning some people were eating and others still waiting. It was rank, by far the worst meal I have ever eaten, everything was mush. 'FIL' didn't like to sit at the table so had a tray on his lap and watched TV ignoring everyone else.
Once the table was cleared away we all sat down, not to play games or chat or watch a film, no we sat and watched the newly installed CCTV of the driveway and road to make sure the neighbours (who they had a long running feud with) didn't pull any stunts on Christmas day.

@sanityisamyth That made me so sad for you. I just wanted to give your 12 year old self a big hug xx

14 years old with brother 18 months younger !
Left at home on our own Xmas day while my dad who we lived with decided to go work with his girlfriend 😟
No special dinner no different to any day it was the worst !
I feel a bit strange heading into Xmas every year I think it’s left a lasting effect on me !
I do make sure my kids have the best xmas’s !! They older now but still make it special x

My gran died just before Christmas, funeral happened before Christmas.
(I was youngish)

My Cousin decided this was the time to come out to our "conservative" family

Christmas was amusing when as a child you could see the split down the middle

[quote Graciebobcat]@sanityisamyth That made me so sad for you. I just wanted to give your 12 year old self a big hug xx[/quote]
Thanks. I've never once had a "good" Christmas but that one topped the lot I think. They got progressively worse as my sister's behaviour deteriorated.
Advent calendars were banned as she ate the chocolate out of all of them and really upset my then 4 year old sister.
The tree was banned as she set fire to it one year.
Stockings were banned as she put knickers covered in faeces in them so we got filthy fingers when we tried to take the presents out.

thank you @PrincessNutNutRoast

The one where my sisters bf proposed Christmas morning. We all had to sit there and pretend to be happy because we all knew he was a massive emotionally abusive arsehole but she just couldn't see it yet.

She broke it off after 6 months thankfully but now every Christmas morning she is reminded of how happy she felt that day.

I have told this one many times before and although it was not as bad as other peoples it always stayed with me.

I had 3 small kids, middle child around 3 and youngest a new baby, went round to my parents on Christmas Day , stayed for lunch (as was planned).

My dad has a short temper, always has, as kids we were living in fear of him kicking off. He was never violent, just very shouty.

Anyway, middle son was playing up a bit as he wanted to play with his toys and not sit at the table. He was eating but was complaining abit, moaning and saying he didnt want his dinner, nothing bad, no tantrum just complaining.

My dad ROARED at him, absolutely screamed in his face. My poor son was so upset and sobbed in my arms, my dad just stomped round the house ranting about the kids.

We left soon after, i was so angry but didnt say anything as it would have set him off more. I swore in the car never again, i would never subject my young kids to that again.

And over 20 years later we have always stayed at home, never ever went back to my parents. They moved to the same town as me about 8 years ago, i think they hoped we would be having Christmas Dinner all together again. No way. Feels awkward saying no but i just dont want to do it. My dad is not good with stress.

Luckily my brother is divorced so goes round to our parents on the day and has dinner with them. Bless him, taking one for the team.

When I was 17 my mum forgot to buy me Xmas presents. Well I got a hair slide with a bow (had short hair).

My brother was having his first Xmas away from home and she had been too busy buying for him.

Not in the same league but when the DC were much younger, they both woke up on Christmas morning and were sick (DS on the landing carpet en route to the bathroom) and were ill with the bug for the next few days.