Nightmare before Christmas

The problem with Christmas is that you only have one day to get it right, which means that something invariably goes wrong, as these iVillagers recall in their hilarious memories of past Christmas disasters and avoiding a nightmare before Christmas

The only Christmas disaster I can remember is the time my aunt invited my ex-husband and I for Christmas day.
We arrived and were sitting quite happily after exchanging presents when we saw smoke outside. We went over to the window only to find that the car was on fire!
It certainly provided some entertainment. The whole street was turned out to see the fire brigade and the police. Cost us an absolute fortune to get a taxi home though. She never did invite us back!
cl-no_clouds

One Christmas, my family, all 15 of us, went to my elderly grandparents' house. We were discussing the funny shape of the Christmas tree (which had also only been decorated on the bottom half) and exactly at the point where we were all looking at it and trying to figure out why it was such a funny shape, the tree, almost in slow motion, fell it's full length across the dinner table and into everyone's dinner.
charlie1405

I remember back when my sister and I were kids. Mum had put the tree on a little table, and told us not to play or mess about with it. Needless to say, my younger sister was fiddling with it and I was telling her to leave it alone, until all the noise brought my mum into the room. With this my sister quickly turned around but had a decoration caught on her dress, so the tree started to come down. Mum ran over to catch the tree as my sister turned to see what was happening. The tree then smacked her in the face and gave her a nose bleed!
She has never played under the Christmas tree again and now even her husband has to put the fairy on the top, just in case!
kimbod70

I was about 16 and my boyfriend at the time had invited me for Christmas dinner at his sister's house. On Christmas day we turned up to see this beautifully laid out table, and sat down to the finest food prepared with utmost love and care. Her dad then set about carving the turkey, which was golden brown and mouth-watering to even look at. As he was carving, however, he noticed something inside the turkey - the giblets! She had left the plastic bag inside and it put me right off, but out of politeness I ate it regardless!
zoehutch

I still have painful memories of a family Christmas I single-handedly ruined! I was designated 'Cheese Board Monitor', so on Christmas Eve I spent lots of time (and a small fortune) buying M&S best cheeses. On Christmas morning I packed them into the boot of my car and drove to my mum's. When I arrived there, I proudly showed my sisters the contents of the boot; they both cooed at the wonderful selection, but then asked me where I'd put the wine?
It turned out that I wasn't actually 'Cheese Board Monitor' at all, but 'Wine Monitor'. As it was Christmas morning, and no shops were open, we were forced to have a non-alcoholic Christmas! My mum tried to be nice and said it wouldn't do us any harm not to drink just for one day, but it wasn't quite the same toasting with orange juice. And, what with my sisters seething at me across the table, it wasn't exactly the best atmosphere either!
(We did have lots of cheese, though.)
slaguilera

Christmas 1994 was a disaster for me! Six months previously I'd moved into my house and become friendly with the old lady who lived next door. She had severe arthritis so didn't get out very much.
On Christmas day she invited my ex-partner, my two boys, and me around for 'a few sherries'. After 'a few sherries', she then started filling our glasses with vodka. Little did I know that my ex-partner was also tipping his drink into my glass, and so by the time we left I was completely paralytic.
Dinner was spoilt, as my ex was no cook. He dunked me in a bath of cold water then put me to bed before phoning my family, who was due to visit in the afternoon, to tell them not to come round as I was in bed DRUNK!
Of course this, my dad had to see. He, my uncle, sisters and brother all turned up and took it in turns to knock on the bedroom door, poke their heads round and laugh at me. So that year we celebrated Christmas two days later when I'd sobered up enough; I avoided my neighbour's invites after that!
poppett2004

When I was married we always went to my mother-in-law's in the morning and my parents in the afternoon. This one-year I remember having more to drink than usual and by the time we got round to having the compulsory Christmas group family photo's taken; I was pretty pie-eyed!
I vaguely remember sitting with the relatives of my husband at the time, smiling drunkenly from ear to ear and someone opening the door into the room. Being behind the door I wasn't even in the photo, yet I was still obliviously beaming away for it!
owly_2001

It was our first Christmas in our house on our own as a couple. I had cooked turkey and all the trimmings, got it all plated up and was carrying it through to the table when I dropped it! The carpet had a full Christmas dinner that year!
fiona881

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