I ruined Christmas...

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I miss ruining other people's Christmas! Even if it wasn't my fault that they failed to schedule a tech to repair the stove that'd been broken for at least a month and were waiting for the day before Xmas eve to do it!

If the heating element goes out in my oven, it's called in THAT DAY. As much cooking as I have to do around here, it's a necessity that I have my oven in working order.

Two Thanksgivings ago our oven decided it wanted to cook very slowly and not warm up as much as it should have. We had just had the element replaced the previous month, so the day after Thanksgiving (I was able to cook the turkey breast, it just took twice as long since it was too big to fit in the toaster oven) Mom called the company we use and they were already booked until the following Tuesday.

Turned out the element in the oven had partially burned out and caused the wiring on one side to burn out. They replaced the element and made the necessary replacement to the wiring and we've been chugging along ever since.

[Deserted]

I've never ruined a Christmas either... and considering my current line of work, it's not likely to happen any time soon, either. (Well... I suppose I could wreck my van on the way to the airport or something...)

I've had MY Christmas ruined, but that was because my ship (go navy) was floating off the coast of Kuwait at the time... fun times indeed.

[RealUnimportant]

Just curious, but why the reduction in service around Christmas? You'd think that a transportation company would increase service at that time - after all, employees don't need to get home to visit family.

Less commuters.

[An Haddock]

I want to go for the hat trick:

You've ruined Christmas!

You've ruined Channukkah!
and the extremely rare: You've ruined Kwanzaa!

[UncleImpy]

Congratulations, I think...

...on being the first posted 'You ruined Christmas!!' thread of the year Oy.

[taxguykarl]

Way to go!!!
I don't get to ruin Christmas as my work is seasonal....Valentine's, birthdays, anniversaries, Easter on the other hand

[NoRedCards]

I ruined Easter once, but not Christmas...If you want the toy to be a surprise, here's a novel concept....don't buy it when the kid is sitting in the cart with you at the register.

[Raveni]

Not to be a spoilsport, but didn't someone post a "ruined Christmas" post in January because the customer couldn't load up on all the clearance stuff they needed for next year?
(Of course, I can't find it now)

[drjonah]

It's been a few years since I ruined someone's Christmas

[Argabarga]

Amazingly, nobody's ever accused me of ruining Christmas.

I've ruined Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines, Graduations, Birthdays, Weddings, but no Christmases.

YET

[taxguykarl]

Hang in there Agra, you still have another month to ruin Christmas.

[jennywren]

Just curious, but why the reduction in service around Christmas?

Because the people who provide the service want to be at home at Christmas?

[prjkt]

Hang in there Agra, you still have another month to ruin Christmas.

I can just picture it.

Family station wagon, all (over)loaded up with luggage, presents and Fido for the annual Christmas cross-country road trip to visit relatives that smell kinda funny, while the family makes a mad dash to the super market for just one thing that always seems to be forgotten.

Only this year that's not all that's forgotten, daddy dearest forgets to read the sign that says "No Standing"

Enter the Grinch himself with his evil tow truck, who'd been waiting, just out of sight, for such an unfortunate soul. With no mercy, compassion or any Christmas spirit to speak of, he dashes in, hooks up station wagon, loaded up as it is, and is off just in time for the family to see their car be towed off, with a look of longing in Fido's eyes as the Grinch turns the corner...*

*Note: previous paragraph is written in the perspective of the family in question. May or may not reflect actual reality.

[wolfie]

Just curious, but last post brought something up - what happens if there's a pet in an illegally parked car? I can't imagine leaving it in the vehicle in the impound yard - does it get turned over to animal control? Also, what's done in cases where there's clearly visible perishable material in the car (e.g. a grocery bag where you can see a carton of ice cream or a package of meat in the top, or a gallon of milk)? Does the illegal parker wind up with a stinky surprise when they pay and collect their car?

[prjkt]

I think from Arga's previous stories, they're not allowed to open the car at all, so yes, there have been some "scents" in some instances.

As for an animal, that'd probably be considered reasonable cause to break in