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

My sister-in-law, Alice, had always disliked me, but this Christmas, she crossed a line I never expected. She sabotaged my dinner by secretly raising the oven temperature, burning my turkey to a crisp. While she laughed at my ruined meal, karma had other plans for her—and it was a Christmas twist no one saw coming.

This was Josh’s and my first time hosting Christmas dinner since getting married six months ago. I was determined to make everything perfect. Hosting was no small feat in his family. They had traditions that dated back generations, and every detail had to be just right.

“Sam, stop fussing,” Josh said, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You’ve checked everything a hundred times. It’s going to be great.”

I gave him a nervous smile. “It’s just… your family has such high expectations, and Alice… well, she’s not exactly my biggest fan.”

Josh sighed. “Alice doesn’t hate you. She’s just… passionate about family traditions.”

“Passionate?” I raised an eyebrow. “She’s been undermining me since the day we met. Remember the family reunion? She switched the salt with sugar in the pancake batter!”

Josh kissed my temple. “You’ll outshine her, like you always do.”

I appreciated his faith in me, but Alice’s presence had a way of turning every family event into a competition. When she arrived with her store-bought pie, her smug smile confirmed she was ready for battle.

“Sam, hosting Christmas?” Alice said airily as she breezed past me. “That’s bold. Let’s hope you don’t make the same mistake you did with breakfast last time.”

I bit my tongue and focused on my guests, determined to prove her wrong. The turkey, my pièce de résistance, was roasting beautifully in the oven. Everything was on schedule. I couldn’t wait to serve the meal and impress everyone.

As the evening unfolded, the air buzzed with excitement. Grandma Eloise, the matriarch of the family, was there, and everyone knew she had an announcement to make—who would inherit her successful catering business. Alice had been campaigning hard for months, buttering up Grandma with flowers, visits, and promises to uphold “family traditions.”

Dinner was moments away when Alice’s voice rang out, dripping with faux concern. “Does anyone smell something… burning?”

My heart sank. Rushing to the kitchen, I opened the oven door to find my beautiful turkey charred beyond recognition. The oven was set to 475 degrees, far higher than I’d programmed it. My mind raced. Had I made a mistake? No, I’d double-checked everything.

Alice stood in the doorway, her laughter ringing out. “Oh dear, looks like someone overestimated their cooking skills!”

Tears burned my eyes, but before I could respond, Grandma Eloise’s firm voice cut through the chaos. “Alice, enough.”

The room fell silent as Grandma rose to her feet. Her sharp gaze locked on Alice. “I’ve been observing you for months, Alice. The manipulation, the snide remarks, the games. And tonight, I saw you sneak into the kitchen and tamper with the oven.”

Alice’s face turned pale. “Grandma, I was just trying to help—”

“Help? By sabotaging Samantha’s dinner? You’ve shown me who you really are, Alice, and it’s not someone I trust to carry on my legacy.”

Everyone stared in stunned silence as Grandma made her announcement. “The catering business is going to Josh.”

Alice burst into tears and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. The room buzzed with whispers of disbelief and relief.

Josh and I exchanged a glance. We’d talked about this possibility but never expected it to happen like this. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. “Grandma, we’re honored, but we have a different suggestion.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Oh?”

“Sell the business,” I said. “Use the money to set up college funds for the younger kids in the family. Your legacy should benefit everyone.”

Josh nodded. “We think that’s what you’d want—to support the whole family.”

Grandma’s face softened into a smile. “You two are something special. That’s exactly the kind of decision I was hoping for.” She leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eye. “And for the record, I wasn’t actually sitting in the kitchen when Alice tampered with the oven. But sometimes, you need to let people show their true colors.”

I gasped, then burst out laughing. “Grandma, you’re sneakier than I thought!”

She winked. “Now, who’s up for Chinese food?”

What could have been a ruined evening turned into one of the most memorable Christmases ever. We spread out boxes of Chinese takeout on the dining table, and the family gathered around, laughing, sharing stories, and creating new traditions.

Later that night, as Josh and I cleaned up, he pulled me into a hug. “I’m sorry about Alice.”

“Don’t be,” I said, smiling. “Sometimes people need a little push to reveal who they really are.”

“Still, she’s my sister. I hope she learns from this.”

I nodded. “And if not, there’s always next Christmas. Maybe we’ll stick to potluck.”

As we finished cleaning, I noticed a fortune cookie left on the counter. I cracked it open and read the message aloud: “Family is not about perfection but about who stands with you when things fall apart.”

Josh grinned. “Wise words. Now, let’s toast to surviving our first Christmas as hosts.”

“To new traditions,” I said, raising an imaginary glass.

And with that, we closed the chapter on a chaotic Christmas, ready to face whatever the next year would bring—together.

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