What was the worst thing to ever to happen to you on Christmas Day?

Cpl Vic Burk — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 18:43:00 -0500

Christmas Day - 2009. I got up at 0530 only to find out we didn't have full power. I went outside and a huge fork from one of our maple trees had come down overnight onto our electrical service entrance ripping the power line from the house easily breaking the PVC pipe going to the power meter. However, we were still getting 90 VAC to the house. One side of the 240v line coming in had been ripped out leaving the other side connected. What choice did we have? We called the power company, and they came and totally disconnected our service! Luckily I had a separate service to my business (in my four car garage converted to and electronics repair shop). We were able to run and extension cord into the house to run our refrigerator and used the shop to cook our Christmas Day meal. At that time we had LP for heat so we still had hot water and heat so we didn't freeze. We talk about this every year as the Christmas that almost wasn't.

Merry Christmas everyone and especially our troops who are away from home this holiday season, some for the first time ever.

Response by CPL Douglas Chrysler made Dec 24 at 2022 6:53 PM

CPL Douglas Chrysler — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 18:53:36 -0500

Thank goodness you had some kind of power.

Response by MSgt Dee Ann P. made Dec 24 at 2022 7:23 PM

MSgt Dee Ann P. — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 19:23:51 -0500

This didn’t happen to me, but it happened to my then-fiancée. We were deployed to Operation Desert Shield. On Christmas Eve I was in the chapel tent watching Quantum Leap. It was around midnight and I left to go to the latrine and then to my tent for the night. The latrines were near the medical ER tent and as I was walking, a bread van from the flight line stopped and a man started yelling my name. It was Steve. He had cut off his left index finger on a table saw that was deployed without the proper safety gear covering the saw. He was making chem gear boxes so people could stow their gear and know where it was without confusion. The board he was cutting bucked and his hand kept going. I rode with him to the hospital in Riyadh. He came back late on Christmas Day and told me they wanted to send him home. But he said NO, he could do his job. We had only been engaged a few days when this happened. When he asked me if I would still marry him, I said “YES! My dad is missing that same finger.” LOL We celebrated 31 years in August. God is good!

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2022 8:01 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 20:01:26 -0500

Engineers up! a MEP 3 and lots of diesel and fast wiring.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2022 8:52 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 20:52:37 -0500

Christmas Eve, 2001.
We landed at Kandahar International Airport and were literally told "no room at the inn", we had to pitch tents and wait until the next day to find a building to move into.
Eventually got a mud hut with a fireplace and cots, in the context of "worst Christmas stories", I consider myself lucky.

Response by Maj Robert Thornton made Dec 24 at 2022 9:03 PM

Maj Robert Thornton — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 21:03:37 -0500

Not really a bad thing but working as an anesthetist, it was fairly common for me to miss a good bit of Christmas Day/evening when I was on-call for the OR on Christmas Day, both in the military and in civilian life!

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Dec 25 at 2022 4:57 AM

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 04:57:13 -0500

Although, At That Time, My Family Was Strung All Over; Jim In Panama, Janet In Texas, Ian In The Merchant Marines, Barb In Oklahoma, Mike At Vandenberg AFB, And Mom In Michigan;
I'd Have To Say, "Just Turning 20 & Being Stationed In South Korea;
Then Hearing Elvis Singing "I'll Be Home For Christmas"....
Yup, That Would Make Christmas Kinda Suck.
Ya, Come To Think About It, THAT Would Probably Do It.... LOL
So So Long Ago ~~ But My Mind Keeps Saying: "It Was Just Yesterday".
~~It Actually Occurred, However, In The Year Of 1964~~

OH, I Almost Forgot ~~ MERRY CHRISTMAS, FOLKS. AND WELCOME TO 2023.~~

It IS Christmas Day;~ 12/25/22 ~ 2:01 AM, ~Vegas Time....
And My Heart Goes Out To All Of You Won't Be Home Today..... Stateside Or Overseas.....
And "YES" I Do Remember Those Days.!

Response by A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney made Dec 25 at 2022 5:24 AM

A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney — Sun, 25 Dec 2022 05:24:10 -0500

VIC..... You DID Realize, It Was Easy To Find The Lost Connection Simply By Locating Both Ends of The Broken Electric Cable, Picking The Up With Both Hands, And Holding Them Together. RIGHT?...
ZZZZT ~ POOF ~~ "From Dust To Dust".
"Well, Since Daddy's Disappeared, Let's Have Lunch"