Your best - or worst - Christmas memory?

[jo10000]

Mine was the same Christmas. Finally had a little girl (adopted) after years of trying for a child but mum, who was hosting, was sick in bed all day. (Many people in family sick before, during or after that Christmas!) It snowed, but that meant family might not come to Christmas evening party and when they did one had had a car accident in the snow. What do you have fond, or not so fond, memories of?

Crying eye's out here, gem how wonderful of your family to rally round. There are some nasty fuckers out there but there is always Ying Yang balance some where. Christmas always started well in our house it was after a.boozy late dinner that things started to kick off. But best feelings were the grotto of sparkle mum created,that cosy feeling, real fire, the anticipation and really staring at the clear sky believing I could see the sleigh. I must say in a household full of love for me but simultaneously a battlefield between them, that belief in magic and father Christmas really helped me get through.

Worst: The year my mother died just a couple of weeks before Christmas. We had been estranged for several years - her new boyfriend didn't like me, and he made her choose, me or him. She chose him. It broke my heart because we had been so close when I was younger. When I found out she'd died, I also found out that not only was he married but had two other women on the go as well as mum. He'd left her high and dry after she'd had a stroke because she was 'no longer any use to him' (his parting shot, according to my brother).

She made Christmas so magical when I was a child that the season is and always will be bound up with bittersweet memories of her. That first Christmas was awful - every year since we fell out had been hard, but knowing there was no chance of a reconciliation was almost too much to cope with. I had to, though, for DD who was 7 at the time. I'd also got married just a week before she died so it should've been a joyous time.

Christmas is still tinged with sadness but I make sure we keep lots of her traditions going. Keeping Christmas like she did keeps her alive in some small way. DD doesn't remember her - she was two when we stopped talking, and she's 20 now, so I like to keep her memory alive for her granddaughter, too.

Best: The year DH proposed on Christmas Eve. We'd known each other for five days We were listening to carols and drinking Baileys and he said, come and have a look at this under the tree. When I did, he got down on one knee and presented me with the ring and popped the question. It was one of the happiest moments of my life - roaring fire, twinkling tree (and diamond!) and the best man in the world asking me to marry him

Oh, and the year when I was five that I was so excited that I might be getting a Girl's World for Christmas I couldn't sleep for shaking and crying, so mum had to get into bed with me

Gemdrop what a beautiful photo

worst was when my lovely brother in law turned up at my mils house off his head on cocaine. we didn't stay long enough for it to ruin our day but it wasn't nice at the time.

otherwise, all my xmases are equally pleasant 😊

Childhood Christmases when I believed in Father Christmas were the best. There were a few when I was 18-25 where my mother threw a tantrum and sulked. But the worst was when my husband and I had decided to split but have Christmas together for the kids' sake before he moved out.

I'm very sorry for those who've suffered losses.

Some lovely kindnesses on here too.

Great thread.

We had our worst Christmas last year. FIL was diagnosed with cancer last October and given six months to live. He was admitted to hospital at the beginning of December but treatment failed, he was discharged on the 23rd December as a very poorly man. I cooked for the whole family on Christmas Day which was highly stressful for me, I was running on empty after spending nearly a month hospital visiting and dealing with our 3 children, going through the motions trying to create a happy Christmas for everyone including FIL.
After caring for him for a week at home he died on New Year's Eve.
That memory of Christmas kind of takes over in my head, almost erasing all the good ones I've had as it was such an intense period in our lives.

So sorry Train, hope you're all healing from the trauma of that time and that this year will be a lovely Christmas, even though you will still miss him and remember last year.

Both best and worst for the same reason. It was very funny, but also awful. I set fire to my great, great aunt...

I was a little merry utterly pissed and had been put in charge of lighting the pudding. I managed to gesticulate wildly while holding a jug of burning brandy. All went over my very elderly aunt.

I'm so so sorry to those of you who have lost loved ones so close to Christmas, especially those of you who have lost children, you have my deepest sympathy

She wasn't harmed. I promise I wouldn't have found it funny if she had been.

This thread has had me bawling.

Best was 2010. Just out of an EA relationship and spent a wonderful Christmas with my family. I had been so miserable for years and suddenly everything was in HD.

Worst was last year. Lost my mum at the end of Nov and my cat on 22nd December. Made better by my DD (2) though.

Looking forward to this Christmas when DD will get it more

I was eight years old and my dad had left home - just disappeared. My mum tracked him down a few weeks before Christmas and he promised to be home on Christmas Eve. She told me and I was so excited. We sat there waiting and it got later and later and he never came. I remember us both cuddled up together crying.

Worst was when my gran died and also when toddler ds was in hospital very poorly and I was stuck at home with flu and a chest infection and newborn dd.

Best has been the ones with our kids really . I like quiet relaxed christmasses I'm not really into getting all dressed up and stressing over the meal etc I just like to chill with the family.

Sending an awful lot of love and best wishes to everyone who has been through such heartbreaking experiences at Christmas time.

My worst are nothing in comparison really: Last Christmas was a difficult one. I was on Section 2 at the time, in a very very bad place with eating but in a general mental health ward. I spent the first couple of hours of Christmas Day crying my eyes out in panic trying to drink a cup of juice, in order to raise my blood sugar so they would cancel the ambulance they had called. Had to be supervised as I put make-up on that morning (glass containers etc). Had a lovely hour's visit from my dad and step-mum in the afternoon, and spent most of the day colouring and watching the other staff/patients eating Christmas dinner. I was allowed a 5-minute escorted walk to the Reception area to get a drink from the vending machine in the evening.

My worst was the year my mum died, understandably. That said, my dad, twin brother and I celebrated at home, just the three of us - a quiet Christmas but we did everything 'right' still, and I hold it very close to me still.

My best is probably my mum's last Christmas, purely because, despite it being so painful, it was the most recent with my wonderful mum and the memories are most vivid. I had many happy Christmases as a child though, so they sort of all combine into one lovely joy for Christmas!

My favourite Christmas memory as a child is the year 4 of my cousins came to ours for lunch. There was 12 of us sat around a wallpaper table. We all played out on the street before and after lunch. We had the best day, We performed a very well rehersed steps routine (we'd beem practicing since august). 😂

As a parent dds first Christmas is right up there, she was just over 6 months old and was on the move, So she could crawl after all the noisy moving toys.

The christmas after my nana had died was probably the worst christmas, not for any reason apart from the fact she wasn't there. We used to alternate xmas day aswell between my mums and DH grans and that year we were at DH grans and to be honest I just wanted to be with my mum and dad. I felt so much happier when we got back to my mums on Xmas night. (She only lives around the corner from me) 💓

gem what a great story and a lovely picture of your mum, what a great family you have
I've so many fond memories of Christmas as a child.
My worst Christmas was 2014, my dad died suddenly 1 week before Christmas day, I put a brave face on for the dcs but inside I was broken

for all those who have had losses at Christmas.

My worst was the year DF took a job in the US. My DM didn't want to go and it flared up all her MH issues. I spent the day with my at the time bf and it was miserable. His family argued a lot and I just found it full on and no one seemed to give a shit that I had had a tough couple of months.

Best ones were when we went to my gran's as a little girl. Felt properly loved and safe.

First year with DD1 and baby DD2 was lovely too.

It always shocks me what shitty parents people are unlucky enough to have. It makes me so sad kids have to go through this stuff.
to those with losses especially children.
There are some lovely lovely people out there too. It's been lovely to read

quim that must have been so hard to deal with sad but what a brilliant proposal.. I lost dm suddenly beginning of December, she had some gifts for me in the back of the car, amazing how many people go around Xmas

for all the awful memories shared on here.

Worst for me was spent with Mil and her then partner. I had been seriously ill then had an op - I had begged to be out in time for Christmas. I came home on 23rd Dec. On 24th, MILs partner got drunk and caused a row. He smashed something so DH went to see if she was ok which became his cue to attack DH. MIL tried to stop them and ended up getting hurt as did I when I got in the way. It was awful. MIL made him leave but he came back a few hours later and she let him
In.
The atmosphere that Christmas was awful - MIL was trying to be bright and breezy, her partner said a very false sorry, DH was very very quiet and I was in pain. We ended up leaving mid afternoon to travel 5 hours to my parents.

Best - there are a few. As a child, there was a Christmas where we had presents then went to visit family. When we got back, a Wendy house had magically appeared in our garden. Me and dsis were awed at the magic!
As an adult I have 2 - the year me and DH for married (a few days before christmas). We didn't do anything special, it was just a lovely year - and the Christmas we spent in Reykjavik. We went to get away after a very rough few months health / family / stress wise but I was perfect. Lots of food, drink, fresh cold air, snow and beautifully decorated things to see.

My worst as a child was when my brother and I got vouchers from an uncle; brother got £30 Dixons voucher, I got £7 WH Smith voucher. I think that was the first time I ever felt like I wasn't a good enough person compared to others.

Best as a child was actually Christmas Eve when I was about 7 or 8 and my mum put on the Christmas carols cd all day and we made paper chains and did craft things. Then had a buffet dinner and all watched mr bean.

Too many bad adult ones to mention tbh, and no amazing ones yet.

Oh goodness, I've been reading through the Christmas topic for the past half hour or so getting the warm fuzzies and feeling Christmassy and excited for it to come.
Then I open this thread and it's making me cry. There's some really sad stories here.
All my childhood Christmases were brilliant, and those who had crap ones with parents who fucked off/were told as Mum had gone off there would be no presents if they didn't do them as there's no Santa...
In the words of Kevin Mcallister Home Alone - "you can mess with a lot of things, but you can't mess with a kid at Christmas!"

I've been balling my eyes out at these. Christmas is such an emotional time.
So sorry to all of you who've experienced such sad losses but thank you so much for sharing xxx

The christmas after my dad died. It was me my mum, stepdad and half sister. I was 18 at the time and i remember barricading myself in my room and refusing to come out. My mum left my presents outside my door and I remember sitting alone on my bed crying when I opened them. I refused to go down for dinner and spent the whole day in bed. Only the year after it occurred to me how hurt they all must of been that I just didn't want my to be near them. Especially my hs who was only little at the time and came up frequently to ask me to go downstairs only to be told to go away. I feel awful every time I think of it. I know she probably doesn't even remember it now but I still don't forgive myself for it.