It was Christmas Eve. I was 7 years old. I was decorating the tree......waiting for Dad to come home from work. A couple hours went by - Dad wasn't home. So Mum called the office, no answer.
Christmas Day came and went, and still nothing. So the police began a search. Four or five days went by. Neither one of us could eat or sleep.
It was snowing outside. The house was freezing, so I went to try to light up the fire.
That's when I noticed the smell.
The firemen came and broke through the chimney top, expecting them to pull out a dead cat or a bird.
And instead they pulled out my father.
He was dressed in a Santa Claus suit. He'd been climbing down the chimney......his arms loaded with presents. He was gonna surprise us.
He slipped and broke his neck. He died instantly.
And that's how I found out there was no Santa Claus.
OP, not sure if this is an obvious question or not because my family don't have turkey at Christmas but why did your mum keep turkey blood in the fridge?
OP, not sure if this is an obvious question or not because my family don't have turkey at Christmas but why did your mum keep turkey blood in the fridge?
She didn't lol. My mum always puts the turkey on a plate in the fridge to defrost. You usually get blood as the bird thaws out.
She didn't lol. My mum always puts the turkey on a plate in the fridge to defrost. You usually get blood as the bird thaws out.
Tell her she should always store raw meat on the bottom shelf, so the blood doesn't contaminate other foodstuffs. However, I suspect she knows that now
2007. It was the first Christmas since my dad died. I remember me and my mum just sat at home on our own and although Christmas dinner got cooked it didn't get eaten. What really upset us though was that not a single member of our family even so much as sent a text or gave a quick telephone call to see if we were okay. My sister lives in the next village, two miles away and we didn't hear a thing from her or her family, then after New Year she was busy telling us how on Boxing Day they'd had loads of people over from her husband's side of the family and a big get together. Made me and my mum feel even worse about how we had just sat at home feeling like crap and not single person in our family could be bothered about it. It still upsets me now, especially when it gets to this time of year.
She didn't lol. My mum always puts the turkey on a plate in the fridge to defrost. You usually get blood as the bird thaws out.
OHH! Right lol, I didn't think of that as I tend to leave meat out overnight on the kitchen table or next to the sink No doubt your Mum has found something else to leave the bird now.
2007. It still upsets me now, especially when it gets to this time of year.
That is cold, I'm not surprised that you still feel a certain way about it, but surprised that at Christmas your sister didn't come round/contact you or your Mum (and vice versa).
We just ended up having beans on toast, because my dad spilt turkey blood over everything in the fridge! All the food had to be thrown away in the end - cakes, chocolate, the lot!
My mum also burnt the turkey as it happened
Mine was my second Christmas with my ex husband..I was 20 years old had just moved 200 miles away from my family and he was NOT on the works rota to go into work that day..he said at 8am he needed to call into work and he didnt come home till 10pm that night!!..I was on my own all day,we had not had our telephone connected yet so I walked into the town centre to phone my family and pretended everything was OK..went back home and ate Christmas dinner on my own and watched TV and cried..I didnt recieve a present or card from him or anything..he came home and went straight to bed almost...2 months later I found out he was having an ffair with someone he worked with and I hit him hard and divorced him..he was an arrogant arse who I should never have married..
22 years later I have a lovely husband of 18 years and 3 lovely children and Christmas is always special..my dad died in August this year and it will be our first Christmas without him but my mum will have all of us there to help support her..we will all feel it though
Tell her she should always store raw meat on the bottom shelf, so the blood doesn't contaminate other foodstuffs. However, I suspect she knows that now
She did put the plate on the lower shelf It was my clumsy dad messing about
OHH! Right lol, I didn't think of that as I tend to leave meat out overnight on the kitchen table or next to the sink No doubt your Mum has found something else to leave the bird now.
In the 17 years of being with Hubby, the worst Christmas was when our Daughter was born and she was only a month old and we rushed her to casualty as she had trouble breathing. She had a cold and we were worried. I still remember a man rushing into casualty with a little girl across his arms and was desperate for help. The little girl died a short time later, which was so upsetting Very first Christmas Day was very quiet as Hubby and Daughter both ill with flu and were in bed. I had the baby-blues pretty bad, so spent most of the day crying on phone to sister-in law and step-daughter.
Mine was last year when a week before christmas my ****** brother banned me and my Mam from seeing my precious lovely 3 year old Niece because we refused to turn my other brother away from our houses when we were looking after my Niece. Horrible brother had fell out with nice brother a few months before and was using my niece to get at him (i.e refusing to let him see her).
1986 was a bad christmas for me. i'd come out of care about 18mths earlier and there was no follow on care so i just sofa surfed for months. over the christmas period i was house sharing and everyone went home and they thought i was going home too but i was too ashamed to say i had nowhere to go.
cried my heart out when the last person left and i was in the house all on my own. just shows you it's young people aswell as the old who can be alone at christmas.
i still dont like christmas there's just the 3 of us and i feel like everyone else's house is full of families having a whale of a time.
Well, no-one's ever died around Christmas so it's not been so bad.
We all got a horrible vomiting bug one year and couldn't move or eat or anything. It was OK though because we were pretty happy in life, our only problem was the vomiting and pain. And that went away.
When I was twelve we had a shit Christmas because I was deeply depressed, cutting myself really badly and just deep in the emo shit. My mum and dad were both stressed out their minds with trying to keep me alive, and were naturally feeling pretty bleak themselves. This wasn't a picnic for the wee brother either. Even the cats were despondent. We didn't go out, we didn't speak much and I was having a bad mindset day so I was feeling really precarious and teary. Things were really rough day to day, but on a day where happiness is supposed to be inescapable, in a day catered to provide good cheer, it was really shit to find out that tinsel can't cure suicidal depression and all the stress surrounding it. I cried all Christmas night. Bit pathetic really but we just weren't feeling it, didn't seem like there was anything we could do about it.
The last few Christmases have been lovely though, even though we've been a little skint for one or two. It's much more important to be happy. Even vomit-filled or near-penniless Christmases are better than lonely, sad or grief-filled ones.
Nearly every year for decades someone would be ill at Christmas, or my mother would start an argument with me over nothing and spoil the day for me anyways, no one else seemed to bother about it.
About 12 years ago I took over "doing" Christmas in our house, I'd the turkey in the oven when mother decided I had the temperature up too high so she turned the oven down - only she actually turned it off (just the light was on), I noticed the kitchen seemed overly cold and checked in case there'd been a powercut, and discovered what she'd done, and turned the oven back on. You'd have to offer me a lot of money to persuade me that was an accident - I'm convinced she did it deliberately so the turkey would either be raw, or undercooked enough to cause everyone to get food poisoning.
Last year my godmother/aunt died on the week before Christmas, the next day my Da started to slip away (having been ill for the previous 12 years), so Christmas was a quiet affair, Da passed away after New Year. This Christmas is likely to be pretty blah, by brother has decided to go to his in-laws for Christmas, so it'll just be me and mother at home.
I don't think I've had a bad one compared to the stories here. But I have been in one which was probrably the worst for my then girlfriend. We had only been going out for a month and decided to spend christmas with her and her family. Her parents got there and a massive arguement started between them and her, I just kept quiet in the corner. Her sister then came in and things got worse, she ended up running out and getting into a car crash. Upon this news her mother collapsed from shock and died a few hours later in hospital. Her dad then went off on a drinking binge and went missing, so we spent hours looking for him. The next day her cat died too.
After years ago mine was, my nan who was disabled had fallen over and died struggling to reach for the phone for help, her heart gave out and was found the following morning (xmas morning) ever since then xmas has become dead to me.
What was worse is that we was able to anything till after xmas it finally took place afew days after my birthday so i always take the week off work to see family members.
Nearly every year for decades someone would be ill at Christmas, or my mother would start an argument with me over nothing and spoil the day for me anyways, no one else seemed to bother about it.
About 12 years ago I took over "doing" Christmas in our house, I'd the turkey in the oven when mother decided I had the temperature up too high so she turned the oven down - only she actually turned it off (just the light was on), I noticed the kitchen seemed overly cold and checked in case there'd been a powercut, and discovered what she'd done, and turned the oven back on. You'd have to offer me a lot of money to persuade me that was an accident - I'm convinced she did it deliberately so the turkey would either be raw, or undercooked enough to cause everyone to get food poisoning.
That's a terrible thing to do, had she a grudge against you or the rest of the family? Sounds a bit twisted to me really. What happened with the turkey in the end? Did you get to have Christmas dinner?
My mum died in the November when I was in what is now called Year 5 at primary school. She died suddenly and unexpectedly, so we had no long 'easing in' period and by xmas were still pole-axed by it.
I put up the tree, as I had the year before. But it was all horrible. She used to love making me do glittery pictures to put in the hallway. Never did them again - couldn't face it.
And my dad - who was actually an excellent cook - couldn;t face making xmas dinner so he took us to a pub.
I was a similar age when my dad died suddenly on 15th December, I knew something was wrong when mum turned up late for my school nativity and I was ushered out. It was 2 days before his birthday too. I recall the sympathy cards mixed in with the Christmas cards, it was very surreal. My mum tried to keep things as normal as possible and took me to the pantomime as had been planned a few days later, I have always hated pantomimes since!
(((2shy2007))) I know it was a long time ago but that's really sad.
As an adult I haven't had any really bad Christmases (touch wood) apart from one year we all had flu and were sick all day, another year we had a power cut which started on Christmas Eve and lasted 24 hours! But compared to bereavments it's just something you have to put up with and make the best of the situation.
This thread just shows the huge pressure that we have to make 25th so special. I've had loads of awful times, once in hospital after being beaten by my ex and other years bearing the scars, then recently I lost my second pregnancy at the same time the cat died and I was threatened with redundancy. Bits of my life have felt like an episode of Eastenders!
Each day should be a good day, I just thank heavens I'm alive.
2002: My father just treated Christmas like it was a normal day by tidying up the house all the time. He also stopped me from watching Billy Elliott on New Years Day because of the bad language.
2003: My Grandfather (on my father's side) had died 3 weeks before Christmas and my Grandmother (on my mother's side) was taken ill a few weeks later so wasn't a good Christmas for me that year .
2004: My Grandmother on my fathers side of the family came down and ruined Christmas by accusing me of being a couch potato when I was watching Morcambe and Wise on Boxing Day.
2005: Had a really bad sore throat for most of the Christmas I couldn't hardly speak.
2006: My father had to work so I couldn't go and see family in Devon and missed my last chance to see my Grandmother who died the following April.
2007: Lost my job in Motorworld due to cutbacks and was also ill at Christmas.
2009: The stupid snow ruined my plans to go away for Christmas.
As you can tell I haven't really had a good Christmas in years (apart from 2008 which was unforgetable) and after last years disasterous Christmas. I hope to make this year a good one wihoutany fears as I am going on my first solo holiday.
Comments
I found dead Gremlin once.
OK!!:mad: NOW I FEEL A RIGHT MAHOOOOSIVEE!! FOOOOL!!!:D:o
i wrote back to that post by ALT-F4 seriously!!!:o:p
Awww don't feel bad, I nearly fell for it too until I saw the other posts
She didn't lol. My mum always puts the turkey on a plate in the fridge to defrost. You usually get blood as the bird thaws out.
Tell her she should always store raw meat on the bottom shelf, so the blood doesn't contaminate other foodstuffs. However, I suspect she knows that now
Mine was my second Christmas with my ex husband..I was 20 years old had just moved 200 miles away from my family and he was NOT on the works rota to go into work that day..he said at 8am he needed to call into work and he didnt come home till 10pm that night!!..I was on my own all day,we had not had our telephone connected yet so I walked into the town centre to phone my family and pretended everything was OK..went back home and ate Christmas dinner on my own and watched TV and cried..I didnt recieve a present or card from him or anything..he came home and went straight to bed almost...2 months later I found out he was having an ffair with someone he worked with and I hit him hard and divorced him..he was an arrogant arse who I should never have married..
22 years later I have a lovely husband of 18 years and 3 lovely children and Christmas is always special..my dad died in August this year and it will be our first Christmas without him but my mum will have all of us there to help support her..we will all feel it though
She did put the plate on the lower shelf
Well they do recommend the fridge for defrosting
it was barren of anything worthwhile
A year later we still can't see her
cried my heart out when the last person left and i was in the house all on my own. just shows you it's young people aswell as the old who can be alone at christmas.
i still dont like christmas there's just the 3 of us and i feel like everyone else's house is full of families having a whale of a time.
We all got a horrible vomiting bug one year and couldn't move or eat or anything. It was OK though because we were pretty happy in life, our only problem was the vomiting and pain. And that went away.
When I was twelve we had a shit Christmas because I was deeply depressed, cutting myself really badly and just deep in the emo shit. My mum and dad were both stressed out their minds with trying to keep me alive, and were naturally feeling pretty bleak themselves. This wasn't a picnic for the wee brother either. Even the cats were despondent. We didn't go out, we didn't speak much and I was having a bad mindset day so I was feeling really precarious and teary. Things were really rough day to day, but on a day where happiness is supposed to be inescapable, in a day catered to provide good cheer, it was really shit to find out that tinsel can't cure suicidal depression and all the stress surrounding it. I cried all Christmas night. Bit pathetic really but we just weren't feeling it, didn't seem like there was anything we could do about it.
The last few Christmases have been lovely though, even though we've been a little skint for one or two. It's much more important to be happy. Even vomit-filled or near-penniless Christmases are better than lonely, sad or grief-filled ones.
I'm off to look at some kittens.
Nearly every year for decades someone would be ill at Christmas, or my mother would start an argument with me over nothing and spoil the day for me anyways, no one else seemed to bother about it.
About 12 years ago I took over "doing" Christmas in our house, I'd the turkey in the oven when mother decided I had the temperature up too high so she turned the oven down - only she actually turned it off (just the light was on), I noticed the kitchen seemed overly cold and checked in case there'd been a powercut, and discovered what she'd done, and turned the oven back on. You'd have to offer me a lot of money to persuade me that was an accident - I'm convinced she did it deliberately so the turkey would either be raw, or undercooked enough to cause everyone to get food poisoning.
Last year my godmother/aunt died on the week before Christmas, the next day my Da started to slip away (having been ill for the previous 12 years), so Christmas was a quiet affair, Da passed away after New Year. This Christmas is likely to be pretty blah, by brother has decided to go to his in-laws for Christmas, so it'll just be me and mother at home.
Merry Christmas!
What was worse is that we was able to anything till after xmas it finally took place afew days after my birthday so i always take the week off work to see family members.
That's a terrible thing to do, had she a grudge against you or the rest of the family? Sounds a bit twisted to me really. What happened with the turkey in the end? Did you get to have Christmas dinner?
Big row followed by someone going out and digging a hole in the garden......
Hopefully in the dark.
I can imagine twitching curtains from the neighbours:D
I was a similar age when my dad died suddenly on 15th December, I knew something was wrong when mum turned up late for my school nativity and I was ushered out. It was 2 days before his birthday too. I recall the sympathy cards mixed in with the Christmas cards, it was very surreal. My mum tried to keep things as normal as possible and took me to the pantomime as had been planned a few days later, I have always hated pantomimes since!
(((2shy2007))) I know it was a long time ago but that's really sad.
As an adult I haven't had any really bad Christmases (touch wood) apart from one year we all had flu and were sick all day, another year we had a power cut which started on Christmas Eve and lasted 24 hours! But compared to bereavments it's just something you have to put up with and make the best of the situation.
Each day should be a good day, I just thank heavens I'm alive.
2002: My father just treated Christmas like it was a normal day by tidying up the house all the time. He also stopped me from watching Billy Elliott on New Years Day because of the bad language.
2003: My Grandfather (on my father's side) had died 3 weeks before Christmas and my Grandmother (on my mother's side) was taken ill a few weeks later so wasn't a good Christmas for me that year
2004: My Grandmother on my fathers side of the family came down and ruined Christmas by accusing me of being a couch potato when I was watching Morcambe and Wise on Boxing Day.
2005: Had a really bad sore throat for most of the Christmas I couldn't hardly speak.
2006: My father had to work so I couldn't go and see family in Devon and missed my last chance to see my Grandmother who died the following April.
2007: Lost my job in Motorworld due to cutbacks and was also ill at Christmas.
2009: The stupid snow ruined my plans to go away for Christmas.
As you can tell I haven't really had a good Christmas in years (apart from 2008 which was unforgetable) and after last years disasterous Christmas. I hope to make this year a good one wihoutany fears as I am going on my first solo holiday.