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Ho ho, ho! Merry Christmas, dear Pandas!
If you celebrate this all-consuming (but cheerful) holiday, you are familiar with how much planning and preparation it entails. Coming up with a fresh new menu, decorating every corner of your house, and buying gifts a month in advance are just a few things we do to make this day extra special for our loved ones.
But as the proverb says, “Man plans and God laughs.” Despite our careful preparations, there’s plenty of room for error. Our Bored Panda team has gathered some of the most unfortunate failures and accidents that happened to people during this holiday season.
From misprinted greeting cards to cracked teeth, it reminds us that our celebrations could get much worse. So gather around and scroll through the list to find some humor and beauty in the disasters people have experienced on this sparkling day.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
White’s Family Christmas Card
RELATED:
#2
You Aren't Welcome Here For Christmas
As we can see from the pictures, during this busy time, the long to-do list lingering in our heads can lead to various mistakes and accidents. One of the most common injuries during the holiday season comes from decorations.
It’s estimated that 18,400 people in the US are hurt by them each year. Surprisingly, 10% of this group are children under four years old. Additionally, middle-aged adults are the most prone to decor-related ER visits, whereas young adults and teenagers are the least likely.
#3
Guess Who Had To Get Special Deodorizing Baths After Getting Skunked On Our Morning Walk Just Before I’m Having 25 People Over For Christmas Eve. The Answer Is Both Of Them
Alicat Wombat 11 months ago
Oh but who are the beautiful bois? Who has the sweetest faces? Who has the wisdom of the ages in their eyes?
#4
Someone Has Been Cutting Our Christmas Lights. Today, We Caught The Culprit
The first day, we suspected it was Jehovah's Witnesses (the only people approaching the house that day). The second day, we thought it might be kids just outside the camera's view. On the third day, we found out who it was. I had no idea rabbits could produce such clean cuts.
#5
Mom's Neighbors Put Up A Million-Watt Crucifix For Christmas
This is not across the street. This is the block over. Best of our picture-taking contest, the power of Christ was too great for our phones to depict this behemoth in all its 20 ft glory.
Tyranamar Seuss 11 months ago
Dear God! This is so mean to the neighbors Baby Jesus is crying right now.
#6
Just Locked Down At The Mall Of America During A Shooting. Merry Christmas Everyone
Amidst the sparkling decor, Christmas trees are the main cause of holiday fires that injure more than 1,600 people and rack up $990 million in damages in the US every year. Almost a third of them are the result of various electrical issues.
Not to mention the fact that about 1,000 people are hurt by their Christmas tree when fixing decorations on the higher branches.
#7
After Working 3 Positions And Managing 20 Employees, Here’s My Work Christmas Gift
#8
I Got Up Christmas Morning To Get Some H2O, Fainted In The Kitchen, And Crashed Down To The Floor. Came To With A Split Lip And Spat Chunks Of Teeth In A Pile
Thank you, dear Santa, for my new Christmas smile!
#9
Merry Christmas, Here’s Your Gift
I sent my sister a stockpot and claimed other home goods for Christmas (she just got an apartment and has nothing for her kitchen).
She came home to find her package looked like it had been run over. The guy at the front desk who took the package in said the delivery driver seemed supremely uninterested in the problematic package. Getting it refunded and a new one sent over, hopefully in better condition and in time for Christmas.
Bonus cat in the pic too. Say hello to Star.
#10
Negative Temperatures In Texas But At Least Our House Stayed Toasty. Merry Christmas
The firefighters told us it was faulty wiring. My husband overheard them talking to each other and they were discussing the duplex. They think it used to be one home they split in two, that they updated the other side but didn’t bring our side up to code. The fire started up in the attic apparently and went down through the furnace. It collapsed the ceiling and put a handful of holes in the roof. Both of the closets got eaten into by flames. Still trying to process it all for sure.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 11 months ago
My dearest friend had a fire on Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. She had family there from out of state and all. They ended up having to go out.
Leigh 11 months ago (edited)
My friend burned to death after she went to bed. Her boyfriend knocked over a candle and left supposedly. Right before she was about to break up with her boyfriend. My friends and I don't think it was an accident but there's no proof. She was the sweetest girl and beautiful. She was part of the siletz nation and was a talented pow wow dancer. Never understood why she was dating that jerk. She was in her 30s and her kid was only 15 and the spitting image of her mom. Poor kids motherless.
Riley Quinn 11 months ago
I'm not sure if I'd be able to process something like this. This was no accident. This was lazy greed on the part of the owner.
Kat-Renee Kittel 11 months ago (edited)
I can relate. Two days after Thanksgiving, a woman set my grandparents house on fire on purpose with all of my stored belongings stored there. My grandparents had passed on, and so had my mother. It was up to me to get the house taken care of and sell the estate. Well the house is a total loss and I'm still grieving. 😥 I had downsized to a smaller home several years ago and all my furniture and items that were too big for my little bungalow we're being stored there until I could get everything sold. It's all gone.
It appears that not everyone is completely safe when visiting Santa at the mall, either. A study revealed that 277 children were injured while whispering their wishes into his ear. This usually happens when kids fall off his lap or run away from him, and cut themselves on other objects around them.
Kids aren’t the exception, as adults also get hurt when they trip over something while taking their little ones to see the big man in red.
#11
Some Jerk Steals Disabled Elderly Woman’s Christmas Decorations
#12
I Bought My Kid A Drone For Christmas, The Wife Doesn't Love It
#13
After Seeing The Picture Of My Nephew In His New Christmas Gift My SO Thinks He “Might Have Ordered The Wrong Size”
Opening presents can also pose risks, especially if we’re dealing with kids and toys with small parts. In 2021, more than 200,000 toy-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms. Unfortunately, a scooter is one of the most unsafe presents you can give to a child, as 400,000 accidents related to it have been reported since 2011. The second and third most dangerous are balls and toy vehicles.
#14
What I Was Greeted By This Morning At Work, The First Day After Christmas Break
#15
I Battled Alcoholism For Years. I Quit Drinking 19 Months Ago. Today I Received This At My In-Laws' Christmas Party
Alicat Wombat 11 months ago
Let me guess, they enjoy their beer? Your sobriety is annoying to them and they are selfish @ssh0les. Recovery is hard. Congratulations on 19 months.
#16
I Guess I’m On The Naughty List
Cooking is a big part of the holiday season, but hot food and sharp knives can make the kitchen a hazardous zone. According to one survey, 49% of people had an accident while preparing a Christmas feast. 1 in 10 spilled hot fat on themselves, and 1 in 5 cut themselves while preparing vegetables. Cooking fires are also three times more likely to happen on Christmas due to food or equipment left unattended.
#17
My One-Hour-Late, Stone-Cold Meal. I'm Working Overtime As A Nurse On Christmas Day
#18
Went To My Neighborhood Mailbox To See All Of Them Busted Wide Open. Was Expecting Some Christmas Stuff
#19
Shop Safely This Christmas, Folks
Public service announcement to be extra careful when purchasing gifts this Christmas time, especially expensive ones. Thought I could trust buying a phone through Amazon directly (not some third party), but I was wrong.
Meticulously swapped and stolen somewhere along the way, then spent a week fighting with customer service in which I was blamed, told I was lying, and threatened to have my account closed before they gave in.
Do not be like me, buy from trusted sources.
To have a safer Christmas, it’s advised that people take extra precautions. Before decorating, make sure to check the fairy lights and other electronics for any signs of damage. If the cables are frayed or look unsafe in any way, it’s best to get rid of them. Also, don’t overload the electrical sockets, and keep flammable things away from lights, candles, or fireplaces.
#21
We Came Home To A Flooded Basement And 3 Deceased Pets. Merry Christmas To Us
Ball python, leopard gecko, and some baby mice.
Jack Smith 11 months ago
oh no! your basement can be repaired, but pets are family. I'm so sorry for your loss
#22
Merry Christmas Everyone
#23
Our Work Christmas Bonus. Can't Wait To Pay My Bills With This
Jack Smith 11 months ago
*eye roll*. the whole "holiday magic" some people are so enthusiastic about is such bull. give me my damn money!
More importantly, don’t rely on unstable chairs or stools when decorating something high; instead, use a sturdy ladder. Furthermore, the longer natural trees are in a house after a holiday, the more likely they are to dry out and cause a fire. So, water it regularly to ensure it doesn’t become parched, or dispose of it within one month of purchase.
Finally, dull knives can be more dangerous than sharp ones because the blunt edge is more likely to slip off food. To be extra safe, keep them sharpened and use a cutting board with a grippy surface.
#24
A Pipe Burst And Flooded My Entire Downstairs, Including All The Christmas Presents We Had
This was after I used my shop-vac to suck up some of the water, it was 3 inches deep. The water literally shot a hole through my wall, the outdoor hose spigot is what burst. It went from -36° to 34° in a single night.
#25
Bought Some Nice Big Christmas Balls
#26
There Was An Attempt To Install A Christmas Tree In My Hometown (Throwback To 2013)
Jack Smith 11 months ago
that has got to be one of the saddest Christmas trees I have ever seen.
#27
My Bed For Christmas (And The Last 3.5 Days Stranded At The Airport)
#28
Pipe Burst On Christmas And Destroyed Our Entire House… Won’t Be Able To Move In For 6-12 Months
The holidays are a time for celebration and quality time with your loved ones. Accidents like those mentioned above and included in this list can spoil the fun when you least expect it. So stay safe, and if you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out our other publications about last year's unfortunate ones here and here.
#29
My Boy Thor Passed On Christmas Day. My Girl Has Been Struggling To Cope Since. She Loves Stuffed Animals So For This Christmas I Ordered Her A Cuddle Clone. I Paid $300 For This
#30
Felt A Shooting Pain Down My Leg After Bending Down To Dry Myself After A Shower
A herniated disc, yeah. Saw a pain specialist recently, and they said it was "impressive".
I threw my back out over Christmas carrying in a bunch of presents while visiting my parents. Felt better after a few days of rest, but it came back in the worst way.
Agfox 11 months ago (edited)
I'm 77 & have 3 of those, one of which is pressing on my spinal cord. After 3 years of little or no pain, I needed to take 30 opioid tablets over 6 months for severe pain earlier this year. I was told I'd need to take opioids for the rest of my life as pain patches do not work for me. Fortunately, I've needed to take only 2 tablets in the past 3 months & am hoping to maintain or improve my present level of health in 2024.
#31
I'm A 24-Year-Old Waitress And Got This Christmas Gift From A Regular 50/60-Year-Old Customer, Who Requests My Section 2x/A Week
He leaves if I’m not working, has asked me out on a date twice, and said the offer is open if my boyfriend and I split. Creepy yet sad.
The card says:
"Nina, there is no better gift than you being you! Beautiful in more ways than I can describe. Merry Christmas. Chris"
#32
I Got An Appendectomy For Christmas
#33
Had A Nice Morning. I Then Broke My Favorite Christmas Bauble. I Made A Brownie Cake To Feel Better. Forgot The Sugar
#34
Trying To Watch My Son’s Christmas Concert
He played on it the whole damn time. Didn’t even get a high score.
#35
Hospital “Leadership” Gave This To Their Nurses For Their Christmas Bonus
#36
Spent Christmas Day Alone In The ER (I’m Fine)
#37
Just In Time For Christmas
#38
Someone Unwrapped My Christmas Present
#39
I Wanted To Stop By Parent's House On Christmas Eve To Check On The Dogs While They Were Out Of Town, And This Happened
Daniel Kim 11 months ago
Whoops. That is "k**b" a good way to start the holidays. I'll see myself out.
#40
My Cousin's House Burned Down Two Days Before Christmas
MontanaMariner 11 months ago
Why you have your furnace inspected, your vents cleaned, and hire licensed electricians. Here in Montana, once it starts getting cold, there's a rise in house fires.
#41
Walked Out To My Car This Morning And It Looked Like This
#42
I Avoided Covid For 3 Years And Then Got This Extra Special Present After Lunch On Christmas Day
#43
Mom Got An Interesting Christmas Decoration This Year
#44
I (A 30-Year-Old Male) Participated In Secret Santa At Work, Asked For Sports Equipment, And Got This Instead
A coworker came up to me after and said, "I thought it was funny".
David Wallin 11 months ago
Just in case people miss, it appears to be a wine bottle holder with a stopper.
#45
I Invited Around 20 People Over For Christmas. Someone Went Into The Garage And Did A Number On My Car With A Pot Or Other Round Object
Maebe Maeve 11 months ago
More like 2 people. Looks like someone was making out on the hood and had either a sharp object in their pocket or were wearing jeans with rivets.
#46
TV Is Completely Broken, And We Won't Get A New One Till After Christmas. Plus, The Boiler Is Broken, And We Don't Have Hot Water
#47
Christmas Socks As A Present. Crock Socks vs. Hand Puppets
#48
I Guess My Drains Froze Up? My House Is Now Full Of Freezing Water. Happy Christmas Eve, Everyone
nomnomborkbork 11 months ago
That's terrible. And plumbers no doubt charge a triple-time fee for Christmas.
#49
Someone Parked Across Our Driveway And We Can't Get The Car Out On Christmas Eve
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Cerridwn d'Wyse 11 months ago
Where is the sense of entitlement for getting a Christmas bonus from? Bonus is supposed to be that about us. And in the United States something people may not know is if it has a value of greater than whatever it is this year, used to actually be $25 I think, taxable. I've worked places where you got nothing. And I've worked places where you got an extra hour of salary so it varied from person to person. I've worked places that provided a simple breakfast or simple lunch. And I've always thought anything they provide it's just that a bonus. Not something I am entitled to
Weasel Wise 11 months ago
That's what I was wondering...why does everyone think they're employer owes them anything more than their contractually obligated paycheck?! Your employer isn't your spouse, they aren't your mommy...and, if you think you deserve more, put on those big girl pants and ask your employer wtf or quit rather than being a pubescent twat and crying over not getting special treatment FROM YOUR EMPLOYER.
Load More Replies...
Amy E 11 months ago
Hope the unappreciated workers realize they can do less for these companies.
Jig Jive 11 months ago
I used to wonder about the frozen pipe thing being from Michigan. We would have -40 degree days (several in a row) and never had a pipe burst. Moved 5 hrs south and opened a wall up to do repairs and found a water pipe on an outside wall with no insulation! We fixed it but the handy man we were working with thought we were crazy to spend the money because “pipes don’t burst from the cold here@. Don’t care!! So much cheaper to fix it before it floods the house!!
Rebecca O’Donnell 11 months ago
Maybe it is a sense of entitlement but when the company you work for makes millions in profit, it is insulting to see that management has such a poor opinion of those whose work earned that company those millions reflected by their very cheap and not well-thought out gifts.
Ralph Watkins 11 months ago
We were living in Hawaii in base housing. Christmas Eve out phone line dies. I called the phone company from a neighbor's & they tell me that with holiday, it may take a few days. Nope. Before 7AM on Christmas day, the phone tech shows up. He gets to checking the phone line. I almost died over what he told me. I asked him if he minded working on Christmas day. "What the f&ck do I care, I'm f&ckin' Buddhist". That was awesome.
Jill Bussey 11 months ago
So today is Christmas 2023. I got away with not getting a Covid infection through the entire pandemic, so I have caught it now. Raging headache, joint ache and just feeling bleurgh.
Paper Moon 11 months ago
You might have had it previously and not known, lots of people were asymptomatic. Get some chicken and rice soup!
Load More Replies...
Julianna Myers 10 months ago
My uncle was in a car crash this Christmas at 3 am. Fell asleep on his way to work. He is still hospitalized and paralyzed chest down. My cousin is 3 years old, loved 2 things. Fishing and going on drives with daddy.. worst Christmas. Prayer needed.
Imjust jim 11 months ago
All these folks hating the country, hating their jobs, but still here and still working - prima donnas - think they're hollywood or R&R celebs - who are also still here and still working.
SlightlyTarnished 11 months ago (edited)
What a bunch of whiners. Most of these posts were just people frustrated and too lame to take care of what needed to be done. As for the Christmas bonus c**p, bonuses are for meeting goals and working above and beyond during a period of time, not just because it's a holiday, grow up.
Kristal 11 months ago
... that's not what double standard means. All of these things are ways to have a bad christmas, some are just less extreme.
Load More Replies...
Cerridwn d'Wyse 11 months ago
Where is the sense of entitlement for getting a Christmas bonus from? Bonus is supposed to be that about us. And in the United States something people may not know is if it has a value of greater than whatever it is this year, used to actually be $25 I think, taxable. I've worked places where you got nothing. And I've worked places where you got an extra hour of salary so it varied from person to person. I've worked places that provided a simple breakfast or simple lunch. And I've always thought anything they provide it's just that a bonus. Not something I am entitled to
Weasel Wise 11 months ago
That's what I was wondering...why does everyone think they're employer owes them anything more than their contractually obligated paycheck?! Your employer isn't your spouse, they aren't your mommy...and, if you think you deserve more, put on those big girl pants and ask your employer wtf or quit rather than being a pubescent twat and crying over not getting special treatment FROM YOUR EMPLOYER.
Load More Replies... Amy E 11 months ago
Hope the unappreciated workers realize they can do less for these companies.
Jig Jive 11 months ago
I used to wonder about the frozen pipe thing being from Michigan. We would have -40 degree days (several in a row) and never had a pipe burst. Moved 5 hrs south and opened a wall up to do repairs and found a water pipe on an outside wall with no insulation! We fixed it but the handy man we were working with thought we were crazy to spend the money because “pipes don’t burst from the cold here@. Don’t care!! So much cheaper to fix it before it floods the house!!
Rebecca O’Donnell 11 months ago
Maybe it is a sense of entitlement but when the company you work for makes millions in profit, it is insulting to see that management has such a poor opinion of those whose work earned that company those millions reflected by their very cheap and not well-thought out gifts.
Ralph Watkins 11 months ago
We were living in Hawaii in base housing. Christmas Eve out phone line dies. I called the phone company from a neighbor's & they tell me that with holiday, it may take a few days. Nope. Before 7AM on Christmas day, the phone tech shows up. He gets to checking the phone line. I almost died over what he told me. I asked him if he minded working on Christmas day. "What the f&ck do I care, I'm f&ckin' Buddhist". That was awesome.
Jill Bussey 11 months ago
So today is Christmas 2023. I got away with not getting a Covid infection through the entire pandemic, so I have caught it now. Raging headache, joint ache and just feeling bleurgh.
Paper Moon 11 months ago
You might have had it previously and not known, lots of people were asymptomatic. Get some chicken and rice soup!
Load More Replies... Julianna Myers 10 months ago
My uncle was in a car crash this Christmas at 3 am. Fell asleep on his way to work. He is still hospitalized and paralyzed chest down. My cousin is 3 years old, loved 2 things. Fishing and going on drives with daddy.. worst Christmas. Prayer needed.
Imjust jim 11 months ago
All these folks hating the country, hating their jobs, but still here and still working - prima donnas - think they're hollywood or R&R celebs - who are also still here and still working.
SlightlyTarnished 11 months ago (edited)
What a bunch of whiners. Most of these posts were just people frustrated and too lame to take care of what needed to be done. As for the Christmas bonus c**p, bonuses are for meeting goals and working above and beyond during a period of time, not just because it's a holiday, grow up.
Kristal 11 months ago
... that's not what double standard means. All of these things are ways to have a bad christmas, some are just less extreme.
Load More Replies... You May Like 40 Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas That You May Need This Holiday Season People Are Cracking Up At These 50 Funny Christmas Cards Folks Created To Congratulate Their Friends And Family To Pass The Time, Here Are 80 Best Christmas Episodes You Can Watch
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