A Smoking Hot Christmas

This month, we will be sharing your favorite Christmas stories. 

Dear Gala Guru,

Many Christmases past, our Grandparents came for Christmas dinner, and the entire family was up early getting the preparations underway. Our Grandfather wanted to help with the turkey, so we let him. We had the turkey stuffed and let him put it in the oven.

Well, unknown to all of us, he had hit the “Clean Cycle” on the oven, and no one was aware of it until smoke started billowing out of the oven. As you may or may not know, the only way to stop a six-hour clean cycle is to shut the breaker down. At this point, we were all running around with our heads on fire. Dad shut the breaker down, and we had to wait till the oven cooled down before it would unlock. Needless to say, we could not cook any of the side dishes, and our turkey was a goner.

So, there was no traditional Christmas dinner. We ended up having sandwiches for Christmas dinner that day. But you know what? Those were the best sandwiches we ever had. Grandma pulled out all the cold cuts from the fridge, Mom made her famous egg salad, and we all gathered around the dining room table, laughing about our “smoked” turkey disaster. Grandpa was mortified at first, but he finally started chuckling when my little sister dubbed him the “Turkey Terminator.”

Many years later, that Christmas story has always stayed with me. As I put my turkey in the oven each year, the memory comes flooding back. It taught me that Christmas isn’t about the perfect meal or following traditions to the letter – it’s about being together, finding joy in the mishaps, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Sometimes, the best family moments come from the things that go wonderfully wrong.

Now, every Christmas, before anyone touches the oven, we all playfully shout, “Check the clean cycle!” It’s become our own special tradition, a reminder of that day when sandwiches and laughter turned what could have been a holiday disaster into one of our most treasured family memories.

Lucy S.

Grand Rapids, MI

Dear Lucy,

Thanks for sharing your Christmas memory.  You turned what could have been a disappointing moment into a cherished memory that has become part of your family’s story. It’s these unexpected moments that often create our most precious memories.

Remember, there is always a reason to celebrate!

The Gala Guru

If you have a favorite Christmas story, send it in, and we will share it.