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Ruined Christmases

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C

Cody_D165

Banned
So my family had been planning to surprise our elderly grandparents with a brand new television this year. They've had the same small CRT TV for years and it has seen so much use that the picture is barely even discernible anymore. We ordered a 28" LED TV online a few weeks ago and when it was delivered, the box was kind of beaten up, but not terrible. But in the Christmas rush we never got a chance to make time to take it out of the box and test it.

So naturally, we wrap the thing up and bring it over to the house this morning. My grandparents looked so happy and excited unwrapped the damn thing and we immediately moved to get it set up for them before dinner. Assembled the stand, plugged the thing in... cracked screen. Damaged in shipping. (Fuck Fedex btw.)

It was a giant downer and pretty much ruined the whole Christmas mood for all of us. Had to hook up the CRT once more, and go deal with what is likely to be a massive post-Christmas customer service line to return the damn thing at the local store tomorrow. Hopefully we'll be able to get an exchange and have it set up by the end of the day.

Anyone on GAF have a shitty Christmas-ruining moment before? This sucks.
 
C

C.Dark.DN

Banned
s0Rkzwu.jpg
 
terrisus

terrisus

Member
People complain about Black Friday working in retail, but the biggest thing I'm happy to not have to deal with anymore is working Customer Service the day after Christmas.
 
L

linkandzelda

Member
In 2006 I woke up with a small headache. Over the course of the day it got worse until by the time Doctor Who was on I was in so much pain, I couldn't do anything apart from lay down.

Apart from that though, I haven't had a bad Christmas.
 
I

iidesuyo

Member
I remember there was a shitty home shopping channel in Germany which tried to sell some kind of NES clone. They hyped it so much.

At some point a mom called in and told the moderators "wow this thing is so awesome, my son wants a Playstation 2, but I will get this instead!!"

That christmas was ruined for sure.
 
A

AlexMogil

Member
They don't care, I promise. If anything I bet they are more excited about getting the TV and also have a kinda funny story to tell about Christmas next year. Everything you bring for Christmas might be broken now. :)
 
F

Fudgepuppy

Banned
I had one year when my mom and grandma got super drunk and started fighting. Then my mom would drunken call me until 4am trying to apologize, but every time I answered, she would just stammer and go on weird tangents.

I spent the whole eve playing Tetris with my headphones on, trying to escape the horror.
 
S

StayDead

Member
Two years ago our oven was near the point of breaking and died after new years day, but it meant that that Christmas I couldn't seem to get the Turkey to finish cooking, it was in for an hour more than it should've been and it still wouldn't cook.

Everything else cooked and to be honest that turkey that year was awfully scrawny anyway, but it made me lose my temper with it and I got really angry for some stupid reason. We had the dinner without it and everything was fine, but for a good 10 minutes I was shouting at how stupid the whole situation was and ruined Christmas for myself by being a total dick about it.
 
Z

zeemumu

Member
My parents once sent me on a SAW-inspired scavenger hunt at 6 in the morning in the cold to find a present. At the end it turned out to be a pouch of fake coal. It was a prank and my real present was a PS3 but the day was already ruined for me by that point.
Infinity Patriot said:
Lost my job today due to calling out due to severe depression. Worst Christmas ever.
Click to expand...

They made you work on Christmas? Damn.
 
A

Apt101

Member
When I was 15 my parents split weeks prior to Christmas. Both tried to out-do each other with how awesome their new lives were with their new SO's, and pretty much neglected us kids. I woke up Christmas morning at like 5 AM to my mom dropping off some ugly shirt as she was on her way to a vacation with new step dad. My father, who I was living with, wasn't even home - he was already away with new step mom. He called and said "I think the presents are in my bathroom". There were no presents.

My brother and I exchanged gifts and spent the morning playing basketball. All of our friends came over to cheer us up and we threw a house party with about 30 people. So at least it ended well. But it began shitty.

Edit: and I feel for two contractors I have been working with. Funding on their contracts ran out and they were released the day before Christmas Eve. Both thought they had steady gigs for at least three more months, and one had spent a lot this holiday since his being hired by us was a huge increase in pay for him. I feel super shitty about that.
 
K

Kinsei

Banned
A few years ago I nearly died and was in the hospital over Christmas and New Years. I learned my lesson really quick and now disinfect all of my cuts and scrapes.
 
S

Superflat

Member
C.Dark.DN said:
s0Rkzwu.jpg
Click to expand...

A huge gated driveway has gotta be a pain in the ass for any deliveryman. But that ain't right >:l

I've heard so much mess said about Fedex from customer anecdotes to people who say they work for them that I generally opt for USPS instead given the option.
 
N

not_so_special

Banned
The worst thing that ever happened to me was on Christmas. Oh, God. It was so horrible. It was Christmas Eve. I was 9 years old. Me and Mom were decorating the tree, waiting for Dad to come home from work. A couple hours went by. Dad wasn't home. So Mom 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. Everything was falling apart. 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. And me and Mom were 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.
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
Kinsei said:
A few years ago I nearly died and was in the hospital over Christmas and New Years. I learned my lesson really quick and now disinfect all of my cuts and scrapes.
Click to expand...

Mrs Stinkles has a massive scar on her knee because she too is a goddamned unsanitary retard.
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
not_so_special said:
The worst thing that ever happened to me was on Christmas. Oh, God. It was so horrible. It was Christmas Eve. I was 9 years old. Me and Mom were decorating the tree, waiting for Dad to come home from work. A couple hours went by. Dad wasn't home. So Mom 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. Everything was falling apart. 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. And me and Mom were 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.
Click to expand...

Did you have any exceptionally late night snacks?
 
S

Spiritreaver

Member
The worst Christmas I've ever experienced was back when I was like 13. My mom was really struggling to get bills taken care of and we barely made the cut that month. Suffice to say she didn't have money to get us any gifts we wanted.

She bought me and my sister some small boxed Lego minifigs and candy. We opened them up. Me and my sister kinda understood that things were bad and we tried our best not to act unappreciative, but my mom could tell we were disappointed. She broke down right there in front of us and we cried too.

It was such a surreal day. I always think about it every Christmas and it reminds me how much I owe my mom for being there for us and how I'm glad to have her around.
 
W

Wasp

Member
Megalosaro said:
Certain things I dont order online. Tvs are in of them.
Click to expand...
When I ordered my TV online the delivery guys said that the box was open already because they had to check the screen was okay first, which was good of them. Although they worked for the retailer not a courier company.
 
A

Apt101

Member
^ ^ Haha, never accept a delivery if it's from Fed Ex. You'll learn the hard way. I cancel purchases when I see they're being delivered by Fed Ex and request UPS instead. I was once shaving in my old condo and saw the Fed Ex man pull up. He took two steps toward the yard and winged a package towards the wrong condo. I could hear the iPad inside rattle around from the upstairs window. When I went down to collect it it was busted to shit. Another time I ordered a PS3 controller. My neighbor said the Fed Ex delivery person hurled it overhand into my condo. It cracked the window.

Fed Ex is the absolute worst.
 
S

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
DarthWufei said:
The worst Christmas I've ever experienced was back when I was like 13. My mom was really struggling to get bills taken care of and we barely made the cut that month. Suffice to say she didn't have money to get us any gifts we wanted.

She bought me and my sister some small boxed Lego minifigs and candy. We opened them up. Me and my sister kinda understood that things were bad and we tried our best not to act unappreciative, but my mom could tell we were disappointed. She broke down right there in front of us and we cried too.

It was such a surreal day. I always think about it every Christmas and it reminds me how much I owe my mom for being there for us and how I'm glad to have her around.
Click to expand...


Ugh. This is too close to home. Fuck you Darth Wufei.
 
R

Raistlin

Post Count: 9999
While it being broke sucks, you really failed for not checking it out first.

Me and my siblings got a plasma for my parents last Christmas. I did a break-in and calibration before repackaging it. Besides verifying functionality, I wanted to be able to literally just plug it in on Christmas and have it look as good as it can.
 
styl3s

styl3s

Member
The closest is today and i only jokingly say that because my wonderful mother bought me a 3DS XL without any games and i am out of town without my bank card because like a fool i didn't check before i left so unless i dare tempt fate with the holiday madness that is the next 48 hours of gift card spending and gift returning (because i got BB gift cards) i can't play anything for the next 2 days.

But it's not ruined it's just mildly amusing. I have never been one to care about my present haul (even as a kid i didn't care) and nobody in my family has died, gotten into a horrible accident or a horrible fight during christmas so i guess the TLDR is nope.

EDIT- I think Bestbuys website sells digital 3ds games so maybe i will be able to fire this up today.
 
terrisus

terrisus

Member
styl3s said:
The closest is today and i only jokingly say that because my wonderful mother bought me a 3DS XL without any games and i am out of town without my bank card because like a fool i didn't check before i left so unless i dare tempt fate with the holiday madness that is the next 48 hours of gift card spending and gift returning (because i got BB gift cards) i can't play anything for the next 2 days.

But it's not ruined it's just mildly amusing. I have never been one to care about my present haul (even as a kid i didn't care) and nobody in my family has died, gotten into a horrible accident or a horrible fight during christmas so i guess the TLDR is nope.

EDIT- I think Bestbuys website sells digital 3ds games so maybe i will be able to fire this up today.
Click to expand...

I'm sure you can find someone in the B/S/T thread to sell you some eShop credit for Best Buy gift cards.
 
Mohonky

Mohonky

Member
Just got back from the shops after having to buy a new TV. Father decided of all things he needed to do on xmas day was clean the vacuum cleaner because it was playing up, when he decided to test it he gave it a test run in my sisters room and promptly knocked her not even 1 hr old new tv off the cabinet and smashed the screen.
 
S

Spiritreaver

Member
Stinkles said:
Ugh. This is too close to home. Fuck you Darth Wufei.
Click to expand...
:((( Sorry. It's been on my mind today as I didn't get to go home for Christmas this year. I was talking to my mom on the phone last night and she mentioned being kinda sad about it. :(

I feel like a dick. On the bright side though, we're now making plans to go the US Open again.
 
S

Servbot24

Banned
zeemumu said:
My parents once sent me on a SAW-inspired scavenger hunt at 6 in the morning in the cold to find a present. At the end it turned out to be a pouch of fake coal. It was a prank and my real present was a PS3 but the day was already ruined for me by that
Click to expand...
Seriously? I'd have gone through the trials of hell for a present half as nice as that and it would have been the greatest Christmas of all time.
 
S

Secret Fawful

Member
I went with my wife to her grandparents for a family Christmas. On our way out at the end of the visit, we were handed several presents and told Merry Christmas. Take them to the car- find out they are all for her brother and she didn't get anything. No one in her family even thought of her. Cue a miserable Christmas.
 
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