Christmas is a troublesome time of year. Sure, it can be great, and it is a holiday which can bring out the best in some people. However, there are some for whom the Christmas period means nothing but misery and disappointment.
One person wanted to find out what had ruined people's Christmas this year, by taking to Reddit to ask, "What ruined Christmas this year?"
Please find below a series of some of the most tragic stories that people had to share.
"My cat died on Christmas eve suddenly I had him for almost 15 years. It was sudden. But I still feel responsible. I love you neo no one's gonna see this cause in late to post a reply but I just wanna keep saying it until it feels real." — stylistbyday
Our pets become such a massive part of our lives and losing one unexpectedly can be heartbreaking. Hopefully, they will be able to take solace in the fact that they gave their pet 15 years of love.
"My sister getting extremely drunk and telling us she wants to do heroin in a 'controlled environment' to try and help our uncle, who abandoned his child for drugs, come back into reality.
"She isn't going to 'become a junkie' she just 'wants to know what it’s like' so she can try to help him. It's been an emotional couple hours trying to get the fact that this WOULDN'T WORK through her thick skull." — PurplePal4
There are many ways you can help out loved ones who are struggling with addiction, but this is not one of them.
"My cousins got a mini bounce house and it popped with like 10 kids inside all under 8. The amount of crying broke my eardrums" — Clovis7
The sound of one child crying can be enough, let alone 10 kids all crying in unison!
"My mother in law tried to feed my eldest child mango, which she's been allergic to for the past 11 years. My eldest said 'what are you doing??!! Grandma I'm allergic!' Grandma said 'it'll be okay, it's Christmas.' Um, no. Food allergies don’t take Christmas off you idiot." — emlovescoffee
What on Earth could possess someone to do something like this? There were a lot of people sharing their own horror stories about relatives not believing them about being allergic to certain foods, and just thinking they were being picky eaters.
"My dad called my girlfriend a beaner when we went over to visit, she's Honduran. Kinda had to leave after that one, especially when he refused to apologize because 'that's what they're called'." — JustAnArsonist
I think it's perfectly understandable that you left after this, it is completely unacceptable. Hopefully, your dad will come to understand how awful a thing that is to say to someone!
"My dad and his siblings fighting over my recently passed grandmother's house." — DannyMorrow29
It is horrible when family members end up fighting over a relative's possessions. This person went on to explain that their grandmother's attorney couldn't get in touch with them for a few days, and when they did, it turned out that the house was left to the person who had posted this.
They are still trying to figure out how to proceed without harming the family dynamic.
"Me. Was invited to a lovely dinner by my boss with his extended family. Everything went amazingly well, even though I was nervous. I didn't drink anything due to medications, yet still managed to vomit profusely all over his car when he was giving me a ride home." — KyooTeaPie
In a later edit to the post, they explained that they think it was just motion sickness which had caused them to be sick. Their boss had invited them round due to the fact that this person was to be spending Christmas alone, and their boss didn't want them to be alone on Christmas day.
I think that this is a lovely gesture on behalf of your boss, and I'm sure they'll understand that you didn't vomit in their car intentionally!
"Well, no one showed up. That kinda killed the spirit." — OmniNullus
They explained in another post hat they had invited their whole family round; however, due to the amount of arguments certain family members won't show up if others are going to be there, and ultimately no one showed up.
"My fiance canceled the wedding". — enternameher3
I cannot imagine how hard this must have been for this person. Sudden breakups can really blindside a person. However, perhaps it is better that it happened now than realizing after you are already married?
"Finding out one of my cousins is in really poor health; I hadn't seen him in a few months, but since then, he's gotten a hernia in his groin that's grown to the size of a soccer ball, and though he's only 27 or 28, he's gotten so sick, he looks and sounds like he's 45. This is in the span of a few months. He refuses to get medical attention for it, and I think he's killing himself by not doing so." — abbyabsinthe
If he remains in this way without getting treatment, then he could be putting his life at risk. It can be difficult, but one person who they are close to within the family will really need to sit them down and explain to them that they need to go and see a doctor.
"My cousin stole my $250 and once she got caught said: 'But I need it and OP (Me) is too spoiled anyways.' She then proceeded to get half of it after crying a fit and refused to give it back until she got some and after all that I still don’t know why her parents don’t punish her since they're actually half-decent." — joey_kbt
I also cannot understand why they would not punish their child for this kind of behavior. Without being disciplined for something like this, you cannot expect them to change.
"I got my boyfriend a model kit. He called it cheap and said it probably wasn't even worth his time to assemble and then told me later on not to let it discourage me from buying things." — easilybored1
I think it sounds like you may need to be getting yourself a new boyfriend for Christmas. This guy sounds like a really selfish piece of work!
"My niece and nephew’s uncle on the other side of the family. His car was found randomly abandoned on the side of the road this morning, phone inside, vomit in the car, back tire shredded. The whole family had to go out looking for him. He also didn’t bother to get his own children any presents because 'they were stolen out of his car'." — starryknight2010
They went on to write that their uncle was fine, just an "asshat," which is an understatement by the sounds of things!
"A few months ago I decided to cut off my toxic drug-addicted mother. Of course, being the holidays, my grandmother and a few cousins decided I needed to get into the Christmas spirit and forgive my mother because 'its Christmas!' And my sisters miss me. I don't know what my sisters have to do with me cutting off my mom, my sisters are adults. We live 1500 miles away from each other, of course, they miss me. I'm not forgiving someone who isn't sorry. I'm not allowing toxic people back into my life just because it's the holidays." — astasodope
Just because it is Christmas, that does not mean you have to put yourself in an emotionally unsafe environment. There is so much truth to be read in the line, "I'm not forgiving someone who isn't sorry."
"For the first time in my life, nothing. I didn't spend a second with the family that rejected me when I came out. I didn't sit while my grandparents gaslit everyone. I didn't listen to people screaming at the other with awkward tension as one spouse fought with the other over something like glue. They rejected me last year after I came out and I did Christmas alone in my own apartment.
"This year I spent it with my wonderful partner's family. Loving and caring people. All accepting of me and let me feel like I had a family. There was a single awkward moment that passed in a minutes time. That was it. No tears. No throwing things. No sobbing. No 'just kill yourself or stop complaining'. I got a Christmas for the first time in my life at 30. It was wonderful." — Cozy_Owee
I thought that this one would help to show that there are still some people who enjoyed their Christmas this year. Hopefully, this person will never have to endure another dinner during which they are stigmatized against for the rest of their life.
"I caught some sort of stomach bug at 5:00 this morning, threw up eight times since and couldn't go to my dad's for Christmas (split parents) or my grandparents' house for dinner. I've been more excited for Christmas this year than any other and now I have to spend it in bed. Woohoo." — colllllllin
Being sick on Christmas is one hell of a bummer! I'd hate to have to spend the day that it is acceptable to eat and drink as much as you want, lying in bed feeling sorry for yourself!
"Raw sewage spewed out of my toilet and flooded my bedroom and bathroom. Now its 4 am and everything smells like sh*t." — Stegnar109
They said that, thankfully, not much got damaged, except for some new clothes that they had gotten for Christmas and a bath mat.
"I got broken up with, on Christmas. Also, I found out he was cheating on me for the last few months with his 'best female friend'. We were together for 2.5 years." -Aprich99
"My mind-f***ing abusive father. The good news is that he's just been fired from his role. Adios." -Budhungerz
"My mom had Flu B, my cousin had Flu A, and I had a cold and sinus infection." -tanyayyy
"Had to give a dead cat back to his owner on Christmas eve." -ginger_dreads
"The fact that it doesn't feel the same anymore, is it because I am getting older?" -saithesti
"My boyfriend checked himself into a psychiatric center on the 23rd. I spent my Christmas alone in my apartment, crying for most of the day. I went to the center to drop off a Christmas card for him and he got mad at me for it. It was a huge slap in the face and it hurt. Still does." -dillybeans_please
"Getting an email from my uni saying they might be closing down by end of next semester. That happened on Christmas day." -M3ptt
"Everyone there were either >40 or <5 and I just sat in the corner with a book. Later my dad was mad at me for not joining in with the kids." -Alol_X
"My sister in law announced her pregnancy. She’s always a very cruel person and the entire family can’t stand her. She looked me dead in the eye and said 'I’ll have the first grandkid. His parents will always love the first grandkid more. You’ll just get leftover love and affection'." -Scienceisforloverss
"My dog brutally murdered my other dog while we were gone to see a movie. They were best friends for 3 years. None of it makes sense." -nordmead86
"My brother got hit by a car on the 14th December and still lies in artificial coma in the hospital." — SnaskesChoice
A lot of people took to commenting on this post, explaining that they should go and read their brother stories or simply talk to him about their day. Keeping contact can help both parties through these difficult moments.
"My sister couldn't come home. She moved to another country and couldn't make it back for Christmas. I didn't think I would mind that much. I'm so lonely without her though. We had so many Christmas traditions and I didn't have anyone to laugh with me about everything during dinner.
"I'm thankful that she's still alive and physically here on earth, but it was just more lonely that I expected to not have her around. It wasn't a bad Christmas, it just didn't really feel like Christmas." — ogflavorcheezits
"My uncle grabbing my ass and my whole family laughing about it." — ugga_bogga_boi
It is hard to imagine why this person's family would laugh at something like this, grabbing someone in such a manner is completely unacceptable!
Hopefully, the rest of you had a good Christmas, it can be a difficult time of year for some, but there are people out there who love you!
