Christmas Surprise Gone Wrong: How My SIL Tried to Embarrass Me with the Turkey

My SIL Reprogrammed My Oven So the Christmas Turkey Would Burn and Embarrass Me in Front of Guests

Although my sister-in-law had always detested me, she went to the extreme this time and ruined my Christmas. She increased the oven temperature without anyone noticing, leaving my priceless turkey completely burned. I was broken. However, karma dealt her an unexpected blow as she laughed.

I never imagined that I would get caught up in a Christmas Day drama, yet here I am. I knew that holiday get-togethers with Josh’s family were important because we had only been married for six months. Really, huge. Every element needed to be just so, every dish needed to be traditional, and every adornment needed to be flawless.

With his hands on my shoulders, Josh urged, “Sam, stop fumbling with the tablecloth.” “Everything looks perfect.”

It was the hundredth time I had smoothed my apron. “All I want is for it to be correct. We are hosting Christmas dinner for the first time.

“And it will be!” he said, planting a kiss on my back. “Do you recall how we met at the Christmas party at work? It was fantastic, and you planned everything.”

The recollection made me grin. He was the CFO who couldn’t keep his eyes off me all night when I was the new marketing director two years ago.

Two years of dating, a passionate proposal at dusk, and a stunning summer wedding that even his sister couldn’t criticize made our courtship an intense experience.

I mumbled, “Your sister hates me,” as I rearranged the cutlery.

Josh let out a sigh. “You are not hated by Alice. She simply takes family customs very seriously.

As I looked at my phone, I replied, “Intense is putting it mildly,” “In an hour, they will arrive. Everything is going according to plan, and the bird is in the oven. God, I’m really anxious.

“You know what I love about you, Samantha?” Josh encircled my waist with his arms. “Everything works out because of you. Do you recall the presentation from last month where the projector died?

I chuckled. “And I did the whole thing from memory while the IT team scrambled to fix it!”

“Exactly. Babe, you’re capable. Furthermore, what could possibly go wrong?

When the doorbell rang, my heart leaped. Josh’s parents arrived first, with his father heading straight for the eggnog and his mother fawning over the garland I’d put on the staircase.

After that, the cousins and their children arrived, transforming our normally peaceful house into a happy flurry of adult conversation and children’s laughing.

“Did you hear about Grandma’s announcement?” As she assisted me in setting up appetizers, Josh’s cousin Maria whispered. “Alice has been calling her every day for weeks.”

“Really?”

“Yes, exactly. offering to remodel her entire house, sending her flowers, and even bringing her lunch. Talk about the obvious.

When the doorbell rang once more, Alice was there, as usual well-groomed, holding a store-bought pie that most likely cost more than my entire supper preparation.

She told me, “Sam, sweetie,” and gave me a cheek kiss. It’s brave of you to throw this year’s Christmas party. particularly in light of Grandma’s impending major news.”

I made an effort to grin. Everyone knew Grandma Eloise was deciding which granddaughter would inherit her lucrative catering business as she finally retired. Additionally, Alice had spent months engaging in overt campaigning.

I took her coat and remarked, “Alice, you look fantastic.”

She swept past me and headed toward the living room. “Let’s hope your turkey turns out better than that disaster of a breakfast you made at the family reunion three months ago.”

Maria patted my arm and said me, “Don’t let her get to you,” “We all remember it was her who switched the salt for sugar in your pancake batter.”

Everything went well that evening until Grandma Eloise showed up. With her silver hair groomed flawlessly and her eyes as piercing as ever, she nevertheless attracted attention at the age of 82.

Forty years ago, she started her catering business from the ground up, growing it from a small home kitchen to one of the most prosperous event firms in the city.

“Something smells wonderful,” she declared as she gave me a tender hug.

I smiled proudly. “The turkey need to be flawless. I made use of the recipe you gave me at Thanksgiving.

“Did you know?” Alice paused, twirling her glass of wine. “Interesting choice, considering your… limited experience with family traditions.”

Josh gave his sister a stern glance. “Alice—”

“What? Just saying. Since we were able to walk, several of us have started preparing these recipes. “You mean it, Grandma?”

Grandma Eloise sat in her favorite armchair while the kids gave her their Christmas gifts, raising an eyebrow but remaining silent.

Alice’s voice broke through the commotion in the living room as I was ready to check on the turkey. Is there anyone else who has a weird smell? As if it were burning?

I felt sick to my stomach. I hurried to the kitchen and slammed the door of the oven. My priceless turkey, black as coal, was sitting there while smoke billowed out. I had set the oven to 475 degrees, but the monitor stated that it was almost 200 degrees higher.

“Oh no,” I muttered as tears clouded my vision. “This isn’t feasible. Just twenty minutes ago, I checked it. It was… flawless.

With a sneer on her lips, Alice emerged from the doorway. She said, “Every hostess messes up now and then,” loud enough for everyone to hear. “However, I don’t remember anyone in our family ever making a mistake like this. “What a catastrophe!”

Concerned family members crowded into the kitchen. As his mother attempted to rescue as much of the side dishes as she could, Josh gripped my hand.

I saw Alice holding court at the doorway through my tears, laughing like a hyena and somehow letting everyone know that this catastrophe validated her claim that “outsiders” were hosting family get-togethers.

Grandmother Eloise cleared her throat before either of us could say anything.

“Well,” she murmured, her voice piercing the confusion. “I suppose now is as good a time as any for my announcement.”

Alice smoothed her expensive dress and straightened her back. Everyone crowded around, and the room became quiet.

Grandma went on, “It’s bad to spoil dinner on Christmas night,” as she fixed Alice with her gaze. “But lying and framing individuals is far worse. particularly over Christmas.

There was silence in the room.

“What do you mean, Grandma?” Alice faltered in her voice.

“You were so busy with your lies and your dirty little plan that when you snuck into the kitchen to reprogram the oven, you didn’t even notice me sitting in the corner.”

Alice’s cheeks turned pale. “I was merely attempting to assist! I wanted to take a temperature reading and—”

“Save it,” interrupted Grandma. “Alice, I have been observing you for months. The persistent attempts to prove that you are more “family” than anybody else, the subtle jabs at your brother and his wife, and the manipulation.”

Then she gave a headshake. “This company wasn’t founded on that. Instead of tearing people apart, it was designed to bring them together.

There was an overwhelming quiet in the room.

“The business,” Grandma declared, “is going to Josh.”

Alice started crying and fled, leaving only the sound of the door slamming. As Josh and I looked at each other, the families hummed with astonished whispers.

On warm evenings, when we lay in bed and dreamed about the future, we had discussed this idea multiple times. However, we weren’t ready for it.

Josh whispered, “Grandma,” and ushered me forward. “We’re honored, but we can’t accept the business.”

I squeezed his hand and nodded. “We’ve talked about this possibility, and we have a different suggestion.”

“Oh?” Grandma’s brows went up.

My words were, “Sell the business,” Make use of the monies to establish college accounts for each of the family’s younger children. Your legacy would benefit everyone in this way.

Josh grinned. “She is correct! Grandma, the company is very important to their family. We believe that everyone should gain from it, not just one individual.

A broad smile spread across Grandma’s face. “You know what? I really wanted to hear an honest opinion like that.

She got up and came to give us both hugs. “Making money was never the goal of this business. Its goal was to make people’s unique occasions happier. And you two just demonstrated how well you comprehend that.”

With a playful gleam in her eye, she withdrew. “And by the way, to be honest, I wasn’t sitting in the kitchen when Alice came to spoil your turkey!”

“Grandma!” After gasping, I burst out laughing. “You little mastermind!”

“Well,” she winked, “you have to let people be who they really are sometimes.” Who wants to order Chinese food now?

The evening changed into something amazing but unexpected.

Our elegantly arranged dining table was filled with boxes of Chinese food, and the formal Christmas dinner became a relaxed family feast.

“You know,” Josh’s mother added, tossing me the final egg roll, “this brings back memories of my first Christmas party. We had ice cream for dessert after the pie caught fire.

Josh’s dad laughed. “Best Christmas ever, if you ask me!”

Maria held up her glass. “To new traditions?”

Everyone said, “To new traditions,” in agreement.

He drew me close later that evening when Josh and I were tidying up after the last visitor had left. “I’m sorry about Alice.”

I murmured, “Don’t be,” as I touched his cheek. “Your grandmother had a point. Sometimes it’s necessary for folks to be honest.

She is still my sister, though. I ought to have anticipated it.

I reflected on family, customs, and the delicate balance between accepting the new and conserving the old as I gave Josh a hug.

“Perhaps this will teach her something. Additionally, if not…” I gave a shrug. “There’s always next Christmas!”

“Next Christmas,” said Josh, “but maybe we’ll stick to potluck.”

The fortune cookie message that was left on the counter while we were cleaning made me smile: “Family is not about blood, but about who is willing to hold your hand when you need it most.”