The year 2015 took the Duggar family from the cancelled "19 Kids and Counting" reality TV show through a series of highs and lows. But last Christmas, they were determined to have a happy celebration amid all of the challenges and controversies.
According to Entertainment Tonight, "no cameras were rolling" during the family's Christmas celebration. Notably, the name of eldest son Josh, who is currently confined in the Christian-based rehab facility Reformers Unanimous, "wasn't mentioned once."
"Jinger was playing piano, kids were running around with toys," a source said. "It was a normal Christmas just without Josh there. It didn't feel like an elephant was in the room, Josh has been away for so long, it's just become normal to have him gone."
The family's woes began in May, when news broke out that he molested five underage girls when he was just a teenager. Two of his victims, his own sisters Jill and Jessa, even spoke in his defence. Unfortunately for them, TLC network still decided it would be best if their show got cancelled.
That was not yet the end of the story. Back last August, Josh's secret Ashley Madison accounts were exposed and he finally admitted to cheating on his wife Anna. A lot of people urged the mother of four to leave Josh for good and divorce him, but Anna wants to preserve their marriage and will be waiting for Josh to recover and come out of the facility.
Christmas is a time for people to bury the hatchet and restore old relationships. This notwithstanding, Josh remains confined at Reformers Unanimous. "Josh did not leave his rehab to spend the holidays with the family," the source said. "If some of the family went to see him, that is definitely not something everyone in the family knew."
