50 Thanksgiving Horror Stories That Will Make Yours Seem Like A Breeze

Thanksgiving chaos often leaves the best stories to share.

Damjan

• Published in Community
• November 27, 2024

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays in the U.S. It’s a time for families to come together, share a meal, and reflect on their thankfulness. In 2024, 91% of Americans planned to celebrate Thanksgiving, showing how important the day is for people from all walks of life.

But not every Thanksgiving goes as smoothly as people hope. With its big family dinners and warm traditions, the holiday often comes with challenges.

For example, cooking the perfect Thanksgiving meal isn’t always easy. The turkey is supposed to be the show's star, but many people end up with dry or undercooked turkey. It’s common for people to make mistakes in the kitchen, even if they’ve cooked Thanksgiving meals for years.

Family gatherings can also bring stress. While Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time for bonding, sometimes family tensions or disagreements can ruin the mood. A surprising number of people—28% according to Pew—have experienced arguments or awkward situations with relatives on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving can feel lonely for others, especially if they spend it alone. Some people don’t have close family nearby or may be unable to travel. About 12% of Americans spent Thanksgiving alone last year, which can feel isolating when everyone else seems to be with family.

Lastly, the pressure to have the "perfect" Thanksgiving can cause stress. Many people feel more exhausted than thankful, from travel troubles to creating a picture-perfect dinner.

Thanksgiving may not always go as expected, but it's about finding moments of gratitude, even when things don’t turn out perfectly. This list highlights those moments when things didn’t go as planned, from kitchen mishaps and awkward family moments to spending Thanksgiving in solitude.

In 2024, 91% of Americans planned to celebrate Thanksgiving, 12% spent it alone, and 28% experienced family conflicts.

"I Work At An Old Folks Home. This Is The Visitor Parking On Thanksgiving Day"

"Happy Thanksgiving, Heres A Turkey I Forgot To Thaw, Annnd Apparently My Dog Saw A Mouse And Now He Won't Get Off The Counter.... Oh And I'm Working Tonight Too"

"Made A Meat Pie With Leftovers From Thanksgiving. I Think He's Cute"

"Cooked A Thanksgiving Meal From Scratch For My Family & No One Ate It"

"Our Thanksgiving Day Catastrophe"

"My Friend Writes "Apparently I Bought A Brining Bag Instead Of A Baking Bag""

"Saw These Little White Balls In Foil Next To My Wife’s Apple Pie. Thought She Made Candies, Too. Now I’m Looking For A Dentist On Thanksgiving Because I Bit Into About 3 Ceramic Pie Weights"

"We Got A Request From That Aunt Proclaiming That We Now Owed Her $75 To Cover The Cost Of The Thanksgiving Meal"

"Was Super Pumped To Smoked A Turkey For Thanksgiving. Only Now Am I Able To Be Ok With Sharing The Pictures Of This Abomination. I’m Not Sure What Went Wrong"

"Whole Family Were No-Shows. This Was Our Thanksgiving For 3"

"Not Only Am I Spending This Year's Holidays Alone Because My Closest Family Live In A Different State, My Boyfriend And I Broke Up Just A Couple Of Days Ago, So I’m At My Lowest. Then I Managed To Burn This Pizza. Hope Everyone’s Thanksgiving Is Going Well"

"I'm Visiting Home And Some Relatives Need Their OS Reinstalled"

"Nobody Showed Up For Thanksgiving"

"We Did Eventually Save The Turkey"

"Parents Are Getting Divorced, Don't Want To Deal With Who Is Going Where. Happy Thanksgiving"

"Happy Thanksgiving!"

"That Time My BF's Lovely Family Invited Me To Join Them For The Holiday And I Proceeded To Demolish The Dessert I Was Trying To Impress Them With. Happy Thanksgiving, Fools!"

"So I Get An Email With Photos From My Girlfriend's Family's Thanksgiving"

"Grandparents House Caught Fire While They Were Away For Thanksgiving"

"Happy Thanksgiving?"

"I Think Thanksgiving Has Caused The Baker At My Local Grocery Store To Go Completely Insane"

"I Am Really Crying Right Now Cause First Year That I Am In Charge Of The Lasagna And I Dropped It I Think Imma Stay Home"

"First Thanksgiving Fail… Had To Remind Myself Not To Stress Out. It Happens. A Glass Of Wine Helped"

"My Buddy Attempted To Make A Rotisserie Turkey For Thanksgiving This Year"

"Sigh. Happy Thanksgiving"

"Green Bean Casserole Anyone?"

"Gone For Vacation For 5 Days. Came Back To Find This Leaking In Our Basement Guest Bedroom. My Wife's Family Is Coming For Thanksgiving In 2 Days"

"Happy Thanksgiving From My Family To Yours"

"Came To Visit The Right Wing In-Laws For Thanksgiving And Got To Stay In The “American Room”

"Someone Slashed My Tire The Night Before I Was Supposed To Drive 3 Hours For Thanksgiving With Family"

"School Lunch On Thanksgiving"

"Someone Shot My French Door With A Bb Gun Today. Happy Thanksgiving"

"Rut Roh. Time For Some New Baking Dishes. Roasted Pecan Fail"

"Got A Cake For Thanksgiving, Didn't See It Until We Got Home"

"They Are Supposed To Be Turkeys"

"These Pecans Pecan't"

"Thanksgiving 101. Take Last Night’s Pizza Out Of The Oven Before Cooking Today’s Casseroles"

"I Hope You All Enjoy Your Left Over Turkey, Because We Won't Get To. It Only Took A Total Of 12 Hours To Brine, Prep And Smoke"

"Whole Family Is Staying At My House The Next Couple Days For Thanksgiving And Our Septic Is Clogged"

"I Grabbed It Wrong And It Fell"

"My Stove Decided To Take A Vacation Day. On Thanksgiving. With Guests Coming Over In A Few Hours"

"Girlfriend’s Little Brother Just Worked His First Thanksgiving Double. This Was The Staff Meal"

"I’ve Got Another One Y’all"

"I Came Back From Thanksgiving To Find That My Landlord Had Revarnished/Painted The Stairs Up To My Apartment. They Are Still Wet, I Was Given No Notice, And There Is Only One Staircase"

"Brand New Dishwasher Bought On Sept 25 Fails On Thanksgiving. Not Pleased"

"Jello Thanksgiving, Will Follow Up With How It Tastes"

"On My Flight Home For Thanksgiving, This Couple Had Their Window Shade Up And A Kids Show Playing On A Tablet Without Headphones, Both Prior To 7 Am"

"So Disappointing"

"Swiss That I Just Bought Yesterday, Only To Discover It’s Moldy On Thanksgiving"

"Thanksgiving Disaster?"

While Thanksgiving is meant to be a time of gratitude and celebration, only some experiences live up to the ideal. The day can be filled with mishaps, awkward encounters, and pressures to meet high expectations.

Yet, despite these challenges, many still find ways to make the most of the day, whether embracing the imperfections or simply reflecting on the things they are thankful for. Thanksgiving isn't just about the turkey or traditions; it's about finding moments of connection, even when things don't go as planned.

Damjan