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Christmas when I was 16 was awful. My Aunt Marilyn (hi, Marilyn!) prepared a huge turkey dinner for everyone for my mother's side of the family at my grandparents' house in Montclair, California, on Christmas Eve. It was a great meal... or so we thought...

We all went home...

And everyone who went there spent the whole next day...



Marilyn left the stuffing in the turkey for TWO HOURS!!!

I don't really have a disliking for turkey now but it's not one of my favorite foods!

for funny holiday stories:


Hilarious!

http://www.amazon.com/Holidays-Ice-Stor ... 0316779237

I try to read it every holiday season.

Bill

Last Christmas - Hands down worst holiday for us ever -

Had an Uncle in St. Louis fairly suddenly pass away a few days before Christmas - most of my siblings were going to support the cousins but just before leaving my sister closest to Mom bows out. So I got the job of driving Mom to St. Louis for the funeral. Drive from Nashville to Louisville to meet sis and pick up Mom. Had a nice drive to St. Louis - found out I'm now the only sibling who's now going. Went to receiving of friends, went to dinner with Mom - nice conversation - good to catch up.

Checked into the suite at the hotel (I'm not sharing a single room with Mom, this way we each get our own space).

About 10:30pm Mom gets sick... uncontrollably sick. Around 11:30pm Mom stabilizes for a bit - get her cleaned up, in bed. Clean bathroom, living room, kitchen, then go to bed. Mom up 3 or 4 times in the night - she's running out of clothes.

In the morning she tells me to go on to the funeral and leave her alone - I get her the usual crackers and 7-Up - but she's still 4 shades of green. Spend the whole drive on the way the funeral home calling wife and siblings in a panic wondering when I take my 70 year old mother to the hospital. The only people we know in St. Louis are my Aunt and Cousins who are understandibly in the deep throws of mourning - can't lean on them at this time.

Attend funeral, explain to cousins and aunts that Mom is sick - feeling pretty odd without Mom at her brother's funeral.

Go back to hotel - Mom not out of bed - still green. She insists on getting cleaned up and heading out. Get car packed, check out of hotel, get Mom in the car - she seems ok - for about 45 minutes... stop car - whew! none of it lands in the car.

Drive 6 hours home - Mom's iron stomach kicks in. We're home free - Right? - NO

Christmas Eve - everyone seems OK -

Christmas Day - Open a couple of presents - then I've got it... spent all Christmas day and the next two days coughing my guts up. As soon as I get well, each one of the kids get it, then my wife. I can't even remember what we did or what anyone got for Christmas.

Needless to say we don't have any pictures.

The worst and the best at Christmas is seeing and being stuck with family members for days on end.
Robert Earl Keen summed it up in his song "Christmas with the Family":
1."Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk
at our Christmas party.
They were drinkin' champagne punch and ice cold egg nog.
2.Little sister brought her new boyfriend.
He was a Mexican.
We didn't know what to think of him 'til he sang "Feliz Navidad", Feliz Navidad (he sang it real purty, too).
3.Brother Kevin brought his kids with him.
The three from his first wife, Kim, and the two identical twins from his second wife, Mary Nell.
Of course he brought his new wife, Kay.
They talk all about AA- chain smokin' while the stereo plays;
Noel, Noel, the first Noel.
[chorus] Carve the turkey-turn the ball game on. Make margaritas when the egg nog's gone. Send somebody to the Quick-Pac Store. We need some icing and extension cords, a can of bean dip, some diet Sprite, a box of tampons-some Marlboro lights. Halliluah-everybody say cheese. Merry Christmas, to the family.
4.Fran and Rita drove from Harlingen.
I can't remember how I'm kin to them.
When they tried to plug their motor home in, they blew our Christmas lights.
5.Cousin David knew just what went wrong. We all waited out on our front lawn. He threw the breaker and the lights came on and we sang Silent Night O Holy Night.
[chorus] Carve the turkey. Turn the ball game on. Make Bloody Mary's 'cause we all want one. Send somebody to the Stop And Go. We need some celery and a can of fake snow, a can of bean dip, some diet Sprite, a box of Tampons and some Salem Lights. Haliluah-everybody say cheese. Merry Christmas from the family."

This thread reminds me of National Lampoon's Christmas. That is a good film of a holiday going wrong.

I think you mean National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...

I think you mean National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation...

You are most certainly right.