My Sister-In-Law Burned My Turkey on Purpose, But Karma Got Her Big Time!”

My sister-in-law never liked me, but this time, she went too far and RUINED my Christmas. While no one noticed, she turned up the oven temperature, leaving my turkey burnt to a crisp. I was heartbroken. But as she laughed, karma stepped in and surprised everyone.

I never thought Christmas Day would turn into such a drama, but here we are. Josh and I had been married for six months, and I knew Christmas with his family was a huge deal. Every decoration had to look perfect, every dish had to follow tradition, and everything had to be just right.

“Sam, stop fussing with the tablecloth,” Josh said, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Everything looks great.”

I fixed my apron again. “I just want it to be perfect. It’s our first time hosting Christmas dinner.”

“It will be,” he said, kissing my temple. “Remember how you organized the office Christmas party when we first met? It was amazing.”

I smiled at the thought. Two years ago, I was the new marketing director, and he was the CFO who couldn’t stop staring at me the whole night.

Our love story happened quickly — two years of dating, a romantic proposal at sunset, and a beautiful summer wedding. Even his sister couldn’t find anything bad to say about it.

“Your sister doesn’t like me,” I mumbled as I adjusted the silverware again.

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

“Very into traditions is putting it lightly,” I said as I checked my phone. “They’ll be here in an hour. The turkey is cooking, and everything is on schedule. I’m so nervous.”

“You know what I love about you, Sam?” Josh said, wrapping his arms around me. “You always figure things out. Remember last month’s presentation when the projector broke?”

I laughed. “And I gave the whole thing from memory while IT tried to fix it!”

“Exactly. You’ve got this. What’s the worst that could happen?”

The doorbell rang, and my heart jumped. Josh’s parents came in first. His mom admired the garland on the staircase while his dad made a beeline for the eggnog.

Then the cousins arrived with their kids, filling the house with laughter and chatter.

“Have you heard about Grandma’s big announcement?” Josh’s cousin Maria whispered while helping me arrange appetizers. “Alice has been calling her nonstop.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Sending her flowers, bringing her lunch, and even offering to redecorate her house. It’s so obvious.”

The doorbell rang again, and there was Alice, as perfect as ever, holding a store-bought pie that probably cost more than my whole dinner setup.

“Sam, sweetie,” she said, air-kissing my cheeks. “Bold of you to host Christmas this year, especially with Grandma’s big news coming.”

I forced a smile. Everyone knew Grandma Eloise was retiring and picking a grandchild to take over her catering business. Alice had been campaigning for months.

“Alice, you look great,” I said, taking her coat.

She brushed past me. “Let’s hope your turkey is better than that breakfast disaster at the family reunion.”

“Don’t let her get to you,” Maria whispered. “We all know it was her who switched the salt with sugar in your pancake batter.”

The evening was going well until Grandma Eloise arrived. Even at 82, she had a strong presence, with her silver hair perfectly styled and her sharp eyes.

She’d built her catering business from scratch 40 years ago, turning it into one of the city’s top companies.

“Something smells delicious,” she said, hugging me warmly.

I smiled proudly. “The turkey should be perfect. I used your Thanksgiving recipe!”

“Did you know,” Alice interrupted, swirling her wine, “that turkey is a bold choice for someone with… limited experience in family traditions?”

Josh gave her a warning look. “Alice—”

“What? I’m just saying. Some of us have been making these recipes since we were kids. Right, Grandma?”

Grandma raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She sat in her favorite chair as the kids showed her their presents.

I was about to check on the turkey when Alice shouted, “Does anyone else smell something burning?”

My stomach sank. I ran to the kitchen and opened the oven. Smoke poured out, and my turkey was completely black. The oven temperature read 475 degrees — almost 200 degrees higher than what I’d set.

“No,” I whispered, tears filling my eyes. “This can’t be. It was perfect 20 minutes ago.”

Alice stood in the doorway, smirking. “Every hostess has a bad day,” she said loudly. “But THIS is next-level.”

The kitchen filled with relatives. Josh held my hand while his mom tried to save the side dishes. Through my tears, I saw Alice grinning, making it clear this was proof I shouldn’t host family dinners.

Before I could respond, Grandma Eloise spoke up.

“Well,” she said, “I think it’s a good time for my announcement.”

Alice straightened up, smoothing her dress. Everyone went quiet.

“It’s bad to ruin dinner on Christmas,” Grandma said, looking at Alice. “But it’s worse to lie and sabotage people, especially on Christmas.”

The room went silent.

“What do you mean, Grandma?” Alice asked, her voice shaking.

“I saw you sneak into the kitchen to change the oven temperature.”

Alice’s face turned pale. “I… I was just checking!”

“Save it,” Grandma said. “I’ve seen your tricks for months — the insults, the lies, the way you try to prove you’re better than everyone.”

She shook her head. “This business is about bringing people together, not tearing them apart.”

Grandma then said, “The business is going to Josh.”

Alice burst into tears and ran out. The family buzzed with whispers as Josh and I exchanged shocked looks.

We’d talked about this moment before but never expected it like this.

“Grandma,” Josh said, “we’re honored, but we can’t accept the business.”

I nodded. “We have an idea. Sell the business and use the money for college funds for the younger kids. That way, your legacy helps everyone.”

Grandma smiled. “That’s the kind of thinking I hoped for.”

Then she grinned. “By the way, I wasn’t sitting in the kitchen when Alice messed with the turkey!”

“Grandma!” I gasped, then laughed. “You planned this!”

“Sometimes, you let people reveal who they really are. Now, who wants Chinese food?”

The night turned into something unexpected but fun.

We ate takeout around the dining table, and the formal dinner became a casual feast.

“To new traditions?” Maria said, raising her glass.

“To new traditions,” everyone echoed.

Later, as Josh and I cleaned up, he hugged me. “I’m sorry about Alice.”

“Don’t be,” I said. “Grandma was right. Sometimes people show their true colors.”

“Next Christmas,” Josh said, “let’s make it a potluck.”

I laughed, thinking of the fortune cookie message left on the counter: “Family is about who stands by you when you need it most.”