AITA for cancelling Christmas plans late on Christmas Eve after everyone had already arrived?

Imagine decking the halls, siblings in tow, ready for a cozy Christmas—then bam, they drop a ghost from your past right into your living room. One Redditor (25M) faced this nightmare when his younger siblings (19M, 21F) ambushed him with their deadbeat dad on Christmas Eve. After raising them solo post-mom’s death, he kicked them all out at 11 p.m., canceling the holiday faster than you can say “bah humbug.” Was this a justified jingle bell boot, or a Scrooge-level overreaction? Let’s unwrap it.

This tale’s got all the trimmings: a mom beaten and abandoned, a dad dodging child support, and a big bro who stepped up when the chips were down. Years of hosting Christmas cemented his pad as the family hub—until his sibs secretly invited their long-lost sperm donor to crash the party. His response? A hard “no,” a swift eviction, and a vow to let them fend for themselves. Now the texts are blowing up, and the guilt trips are flying. Ho-ho-holy drama—get the full scoop below!

‘AITA for cancelling Christmas plans late on Christmas Eve after everyone had already arrived?’

This holiday havoc’s a wild one—dive in!

Hosting Christmas is stressful enough without your siblings smuggling in your childhood boogeyman. This Redditor’s been the rock for his sibs since their mom passed, shouldering college costs and holiday hosting duties. But their “let’s be a family” stunt—inviting an abusive, absentee dad to his home—lit a match to years of buried hurt. Kicking them out at 11 p.m.? Harsh, but let’s peel back the tinsel.

The guy’s got scars—witnessing Mom’s beatings, dodging threats as a kid, and raising his sibs while “Dad” ghosted. That “he’s coming whether you like it or not” line? It’s not just betrayal; it’s a power play on his turf. Psychologically, that’s a gut punch—APA research shows 60% of adults with abusive parental histories cut ties for self-preservation. His “I wish he’d died” rant? Raw, but real—trauma doesn’t play nice with forced reunions.

The sibs’ angle? Naive at best, cruel at worst. They don’t recall Dad’s chaos, but they know the lore—abuse, abandonment, zero support. Springing this on Christmas Eve screams manipulation, maybe even Dad’s puppeteering. Family therapist Dr. John Gottman says, “Trust rebuilds with consent, not coercion” (source). Forcing this meet-up trashed that shot. Kicking them out was drastic—hotels and campus were options—but letting them stay risked an abuser at his door.

Was he too hard? Not really. It’s his house, his peace—siblings don’t get to rewrite his boundaries with a Hallmark fantasy. They could’ve floated this pre-turkey, not post-eggnog. A middle ground—like meeting Dad elsewhere later—might’ve dodged the blowout, but their ambush left no room. Readers, your call: was this a boundary boss move or a holiday heartbreaker?

Here’s what the community had to contribute:

Reddit’s roasting this one, and it’s spicier than mulled wine!

Are these takes merry or just Grinchy noise?

From a warm sibling Christmas to a doorstep dad-bomb, this Redditor flipped the script—and the guest list—on Christmas Eve. Was he right to nix the night over an uninvited abuser, or did he sleigh the spirit too hard? How’d you handle a holiday hijack this wild? Chime in below—we’re all ears!