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As much as we’d like the cursed year of 2020 to end without leaving it the opportunity to raise our cortisol levels from stress even further, it doesn’t mean that the Christmas holidays are canceled.

In fact, if you’re reading the post, I must give you a big round of applause for surviving it, ‘cause at this point, no one can be sure about virtually anything. Like whether or not we won’t choke on a turkey breast covered in gravy, or whether or not you might enter a warzone with your in-laws for making fun of Covid deniers.

But that doesn’t mean there were no fails. On the contrary, Christmas makes everyone super vulnerable to all kinds of failure. Like, receiving the worst Santa gifts, finding the perfume bottle you gifted to your loved one next to the toilet fresheners, or simply realizing your Christmas hasn’t been very merry—no one is immune to their fair share of festive breakdown.

I leave the stage to this merry Bored Panda compilation of all the what-ifs and oh-my-gods turned reality that just reminds us once again that this is not your usual Christmas. It’s Christmas: 2020 edition.

#1

There Was An Attempt To Wrap A Gift For Christmas

There Was An Attempt To Wrap A Gift For Christmas

midnighthunder0 Report

#2

My 81-Year-Old Grandma Didn't Look Close Enough At The Jumper She Bought For Xmas This Year

My 81-Year-Old Grandma Didn't Look Close Enough At The Jumper She Bought For Xmas This Year

_hummusapien Report

#3

My Sister Rented A Flat Here In North Of Iceland For Christmas, This Is Her View

My Sister Rented A Flat Here In North Of Iceland For Christmas, This Is Her View

maggipedia Report

The average British household spends around £500 on gifts during the traditional holiday season, equaling Americans who spend about $650, according to BBC. Let these numbers sink in for a moment. Gifting is a quintessential part of the Christmas season, the act which makes us all somehow happier, and even helps to make our relationships stronger.

Equally, choosing the wrong gift to your loved one or a family member can have a negative toll on your relationship with them. Elizabeth Dunn, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada told BBC that “choosing the wrong gift can be kind of risky for relationships because it says you don’t have anything in common.”

A similar 2008 study looked at how good and bad gifts can influence relationships. The results published in Social Cognition magazine showed that “males, as opposed to females, reported less similarity to their new romantic partner after receiving an undesirable gift, suggesting that males are more likely to react unfavorably to receiving gifts they do not want.”

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#6

Watched My Friends Dogs Today While They Were Gone, Tried To Get A Cute Picture For Them And Ended Up With Accidental Gem/Nightmare. Merry Christmas!

Watched My Friends Dogs Today While They Were Gone, Tried To Get A Cute Picture For Them And Ended Up With Accidental Gem/Nightmare. Merry Christmas!

jillyjillyjilio Report

Other studies have shown that while shopping for gifts, we tend to focus on the person’s unique traits. As a result, gifts become very specific, but it may lead us to “ignore other aspects of their wants and needs, which may make us buy them an inferior gift.” As an alternative, gifting the same things to multiple people won’t make them compare who got what, and they also may be happy with the same thing.

The question remains whether we, as a society, put too much importance on the vain side of Christmas. Stressing out about gifting and receiving gifts causes the danger of forgetting what we all gather for in the first place. After all, these unprecedented times that we live in now urge us to rethink our values and priorities and turn to increasingly everlasting things.

#7

Most Of My Gifts Are Stuck In A Distribution Center, And Have Been For Over 2 Weeks. Guess My Brother In Law Gets This

Most Of My Gifts Are Stuck In A Distribution Center, And Have Been For Over 2 Weeks. Guess My Brother In Law Gets This

TurtlesCantDrive Report

#8

My 6-Year-Old Got Tattoo Markers For Christmas And Disappeared For Half An Hour. Bonus: We Can't Get It To Come Off

My 6-Year-Old Got Tattoo Markers For Christmas And Disappeared For Half An Hour. Bonus: We Can't Get It To Come Off

stephicus Report

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Vic
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's one very mature looking and angry 6 year old :-D

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#9

That Is How You Know Your Mom Listens To Everything You Say

That Is How You Know Your Mom Listens To Everything You Say

BickertonMiss Report

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me
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To bee honest, those are pretty cute and those book's might bee good reads.

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Cathy Price
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Any time I tell my husband something is nice or pretty, he thinks that means I want it.

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Peter Peak
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think we men just like to give our ladies stuff that we know they like :)

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Victoria Pitt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

lmao this happened to me. I mentioned I like foxes... I now have a stuffed animal fox, a fancy plate with a fox scene, a fox brooch, socks with foxes, a fox snow globe, a fox necklace...

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Marianne Contrino
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Too funny...reminds me of the time when I was 16y/o, and I bought a t-shirt with a cherub on it, for no other reason then I thought it was cute. Well to my mom, that must surely mean I not only like "angels", but I LOVE collecting them. Something she happily told EVERYONE in my family when they asked for gift ideas. Honest to god, for the next 8 years or so, that's all I got for Christmas, and my Birthday. At one point, there was not an "angel themed" product on the market that I didn't own. If it had a human like figure with wings, then I had at least one in a box somewhere. Watches, clothes, books, towels, paper, posters, and jewelry...oh lord, the damn JEWELRY, etc!!! By the third year, I didn't have the heart to tell anyone the truth. In other words, long story short, she needs to nip this in the bud real quick, that, or she's gonna have to find a way to make peace with black, and yellow home furnishings.

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Mamma4boys
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It got so bad with my mom before she passed we would tell her a sibling liked something they didn't so she'd go crazy buying them stuff then we'd laugh because they got like a box of pandas or whatever

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IlovemydogShilo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happened to me a few years ago. I bought a dolphin wind chime for a friend’s birthday. My mother must have thought I’d bought it for me but said nothing. A couple of months later she and dad went to Spain on holiday. They came back grinning saying we got you some lovely things for you. They presented me with a dolphin watch a dolphin necklace and a few other dolphin related items. FYI I am not into dolphins AT ALL.

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Kanga9ine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's how moms know everything we do, too. Nothing gets by her.

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Al Jones
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not a fail in my eyes. I'd be happy with the gifts and happy she remembered.

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CincyReds
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not sure how this is a fail? I think this is a fantastic gift!

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Rosanna Jackson
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have all been this mom. When you are buying fir someone really challenging who may not have a hobby. Then they say they like something and you just latch onto to it.

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Lumps
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Did she sign you up for Bumble tho? Account created with some pre-selected matches she made for you :)

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BusLady
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She went on Amazon and put in a search for bees and bought everything that came up. :-)

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Pamela Law
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I ABSOLUTELY love money, Mom!" thought every teenager ever after reading this admission.

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Nikki Sevven
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom was like that. If you even mentioned in passing that something was interesting or pretty, you'd get everything in that theme.

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Jessica Nametz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least your mom cares enough to try! Every year my mom pulls the same, "Oh you know we are broke," ( they aren't- they have no mortgage and rent coming in from another property). Meanwhile my husband and I always go out of our way to try to get them stuff they would like/use...

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Faith Nicole
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ya mention something stupid one time and a parent remembers. But you tell them about something you truly love and it's a "you never told me that" situation 🤣

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Emiko Kiyomi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ya say one thing and they buy you 20 billion things ya didn't even need/want

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Lisa Tetlow
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Next time tell her boxes of hundred dollar bills are lovely.

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Chantel LaPere
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i took in some cats and i thought to myself, "watch this, people will buy me cat stuff now" I was right, Cat mug, cat shirt, on and on!!! lol

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Sam Cook
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If only Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone had come out this year.

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Jane Dorothy Warner
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This happens. A friend had a butterfly room because we all heard her, on an outing, say how much she loved butterflies, so all of us bought her something butterfly related for her birthday! I said I loved frogs, but that didn't pan out so well :( Novelty frog soap has no charm, not do pictures of frogs actually 'decorate' a room, but the frog wind chime tinkles merrily, and the glitzy toad brooch is nice too.

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Nicky Melville
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This really made me laugh as it was only after about ten Christmases that my son steeled himself to tell me that he was sick of penguins!

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Oscar Guerrero
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Literally this TikTok tho :P https://www.tiktok.com/@nicoleciravolo/video/6910343121712794886

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Lexi Mitchell
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That might mean that she has no idea what you actually like, which is partly your fault. That stuff does look tasteful, though! Good, usable items and not ugly knickknacks.

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EA
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aww, what a lovely mum. This isn’t a fail, it’s really sweet!

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#10

For Christmas, My Dad Received The Exact Outfit That He Was Wearing

For Christmas, My Dad Received The Exact Outfit That He Was Wearing

CircuitBoredom Report

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Cip IESAN
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With this outfit nothing can go wrong, he really likes it!

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#12

Sister-In-Law Orders A Japanese Whiskey For Me Every Christmas. I Don’t Think She Read The Description This Time When She Shipped Me A $50 Bottle Of Soy Sauce

Sister-In-Law Orders A Japanese Whiskey For Me Every Christmas. I Don’t Think She Read The Description This Time When She Shipped Me A $50 Bottle Of Soy Sauce

Whippity Report

#13

My Girlfriend And I Bought Each Other The Exact Same Present. I've Never Laughed So Hard In My Life

My Girlfriend And I Bought Each Other The Exact Same Present. I've Never Laughed So Hard In My Life

joelham01 Report

#14

Well, Back To Video Games And Beer

Well, Back To Video Games And Beer

FlintTheDad Report

#15

I Ordered A 6ft Tall Rainbow Tree From A Facebook Ad And This Is What Showed Up. I'm Crying From Laughing So Hard, I've Never Had This Happen In Real Life

I Ordered A 6ft Tall Rainbow Tree From A Facebook Ad And This Is What Showed Up. I'm Crying From Laughing So Hard, I've Never Had This Happen In Real Life

soomanytomatoes Report

#16

I Got My 80 Yr Old Father This As A Gag Gift. When He Opened It, He Got All Embarrassed And Immediately Tucked It Away. Later, I Privately Asked Him Why He Got All Weird About It, And I Found Out That He Was Under The Impression That It Was A Sex Toy

I Got My 80 Yr Old Father This As A Gag Gift. When He Opened It, He Got All Embarrassed And Immediately Tucked It Away. Later, I Privately Asked Him Why He Got All Weird About It, And I Found Out That He Was Under The Impression That It Was A Sex Toy

PyroNecrophile Report

#17

My Parents (Late 70s) Got Me A PS5 Controller For Christmas. I Do Not Own A Playstation 5

My Parents (Late 70s) Got Me A PS5 Controller For Christmas. I Do Not Own A Playstation 5

Yabba_Dabbs Report

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Vic
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But they tired to get you something they thought you would like, but they don't fully understand.

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#18

I Know It’s Supposed To Be A Soldier Kneeling But I Don’t See That

I Know It’s Supposed To Be A Soldier Kneeling But I Don’t See That

I_dont_remember_it Report

#19

12-Year-Old Set His Lawn On Fire After Getting Magnifying Glass For Christmas

12-Year-Old Set His Lawn On Fire After Getting Magnifying Glass For Christmas

Christmas Day was memorable to say the least! My twelve-year-old son Cayden, who is an avid reader, an honor student, and interested in science, asked for a magnifying glass for Christmas. (It’s like a basketball player asking for basketball shoes.) We thought it was for reading, but instead, he tried to see if he could light a fire with it! We discovered that he and his two brothers went out on the driveway to see if they could burn a couple holes in some newspaper. Everything was under control until the boys came running into the house telling us that a corner of the lawn was on fire and the Christmas lights were melting! Justin and I rushed outside to see the entire front lawn turning black! We grabbed buckets, turned on the hose and sprinklers, and I grabbed blankets to smother and trap it - before it could spread any more into the neighbors' yard! What a sight to see - a bunch of people running around crazy trying to put a front lawn fire out while wearing matching Christmas jammies!
I want to reiterate this was an accident. It could have been worse but it wasn’t. So instead of a tragedy, it will now be a Christmas to remember! 2019 - The Christmas lawn lit on fire. Oh and never buy a magnifying glass for your son!

nissalynn.parson Report

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#20

The Letters On My Holiday Bathroom Towel Wore Off

The Letters On My Holiday Bathroom Towel Wore Off

Aliciab12 Report

#21

Every Year My In-Laws Have A Gingerbread House Competition And Every Year I’m Still A Disappointment

Every Year My In-Laws Have A Gingerbread House Competition And Every Year I’m Still A Disappointment

smugman246 Report

#22

I’m A 23-Year-Old Man That Can Rebuild An Engine, Fabricate My Own Parts, And Drive Anything With A Steering Wheel. But For The Life Of Me Cannot Wrap An X-Mas Gift

I’m A 23-Year-Old Man That Can Rebuild An Engine, Fabricate My Own Parts, And Drive Anything With A Steering Wheel. But For The Life Of Me Cannot Wrap An X-Mas Gift

ratrodder49 Report

#23

What I Ordered vs. What I Got

What I Ordered vs. What I Got

dylanciaga Report

#24

My Wife Started Painting Ornaments For Christmas, And Only Realized After She Finished This Bird That She Did It Upside Down

My Wife Started Painting Ornaments For Christmas, And Only Realized After She Finished This Bird That She Did It Upside Down

even-hungrier Report

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Capelli rosa e patate
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Still beautiful! Paint another on the other side facing the right direction and it looks intentional 😁

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#26

Wasn't On, Nobody Standing Near It, And My Oven Just Shattered. Just In Time For The Holidays

Wasn't On, Nobody Standing Near It, And My Oven Just Shattered. Just In Time For The Holidays

boozebonfire Report

#27

My Brother Got A Shirt For Christmas

My Brother Got A Shirt For Christmas

knochback Report

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Vic
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your brother looks a little pixelated, right around the face. He should see a good graphic designer for that..

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#28

Got This For Christmas Because I Always Lose My Keys, But Now I Can’t Find My Keys To Put It On The Keychain

Got This For Christmas Because I Always Lose My Keys, But Now I Can’t Find My Keys To Put It On The Keychain

roadtrip-ne Report

#29

Walked Outside To Leave For Work Today, And Some Kind Individual Stole All My Wheels. Happy Holidays

Walked Outside To Leave For Work Today, And Some Kind Individual Stole All My Wheels. Happy Holidays

Numbdeezy Report

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#30

Bought My Wife's Christmas Gift On 12/10 And Was So Proud Of Myself When I Paid Extra For Two-Day FedEx Shipping

Bought My Wife's Christmas Gift On 12/10 And Was So Proud Of Myself When I Paid Extra For Two-Day FedEx Shipping

It's been from WI to IL to NE to CO to NV to UT and is now in CA. I live on the East Coast.

ohmy00 Report

#31

After Buying Christmas Decorations For My House, I Was Biking Home And Was Hit By A Car (Hit And Run) Causing Me To Black Out From Massive Head Trauma. This Is How Much I Owe For My Ambulance Bill

After Buying Christmas Decorations For My House, I Was Biking Home And Was Hit By A Car (Hit And Run) Causing Me To Black Out From Massive Head Trauma. This Is How Much I Owe For My Ambulance Bill

ltran2645 Report

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Remi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah but you don't need universal healthcare in America... Omg...

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#32

When The Perfume You Bought Your Wife For Christmas Ends Up In The Toilet As 'Air Freshener'

When The Perfume You Bought Your Wife For Christmas Ends Up In The Toilet As 'Air Freshener'

baxterrocky Report

#33

Dad's Christmas Hasn’t Been Very Merry

Dad's Christmas Hasn’t Been Very Merry

altjxx Report

#34

This 'Bottle Of Scotch' At My Office's White Elephant Gift Exchange Was Stolen Twice Before Anyone Opened It

This 'Bottle Of Scotch' At My Office's White Elephant Gift Exchange Was Stolen Twice Before Anyone Opened It

strooticus Report

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Dave In MD
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stolen means someone claimed it. The first person picks a gift, the next person and pick one or "steal: the one the first person got and then that person gets to pick another gift. The last person to pick has the best deal since they can "steal" gift from anyone or take the last remaining gift.

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#35

Apparently One Of Our Present From Family Was A Box Of Fudge. Dogs Figured It Out And Now There Is Puke All Over My House

Apparently One Of Our Present From Family Was A Box Of Fudge. Dogs Figured It Out And Now There Is Puke All Over My House

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Becca Gizmo the Squirrel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of my cats sat in a Christmas bag under the tree that contained a blanket for my mom. And peed. I washed it good, kept it, and bought my mom a new one and moved all the presents to my son's room where the kitties don't go. Its funny because out if the 4 blankets I bought for gifts, the cat peed on the exact one that I wanted for myself but was giving it to mom instead. So it worked out.

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#36

Ordered An Ortament That Was Described As Ceramic In The Description (Top Pic), What I Got Was The Other 2 Pics

Ordered An Ortament That Was Described As Ceramic In The Description (Top Pic), What I Got Was The Other 2 Pics

thestonernextdoor88 Report

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MrsPossum
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aah, the official ornament of 2020. Expectation versus crushing DISAPPOINTMENT!!! 🙃

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#37

My Friends In The Sky Decided To Leave Me A Christmas Present While I Was Away. Thanks, Guys

My Friends In The Sky Decided To Leave Me A Christmas Present While I Was Away. Thanks, Guys

jmel3312 Report

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Simon Clarke
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There's a guy a dozen posts up with a black biohazard suit he might lend you.

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#38

When Your Puppy Chews Your Son’s Big Gift On Christmas Eve

When Your Puppy Chews Your Son’s Big Gift On Christmas Eve

istheresugarinsyrup Report

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#39

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas

mccalli Report

#40

Sibling Gift Exchange

Sibling Gift Exchange

rrrroasted Report

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Coco
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No need to buy presents if you are broken. But at least you could try to do something youself, intead of a sad empty box. What a wanker...

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