The holiday season is a time for love, joy, and celebration with loved ones. However, for one young woman, her Christmas took an unexpected turn when she received a series of “joke gifts” from her family. Feeling disappointed and hurt, she decided to leave, only to be blamed for “ruining” Christmas. Let’s dive into this story and see what we can learn from it.
The Original Poster (OP), a 21-year-old woman, shared her experience on Reddit’s “AITA” forum. She explained that her family had a tradition of incorporating pranks into their Christmas and birthday celebrations, where one or two joke gifts were given. This was nothing new to her and her siblings, who range from 29 to 37 years old. However, things took a different turn during Christmas 2023 when OP found herself as the only recipient of purely joke gifts.
Each present she unwrapped turned out to be a prank. A MacBook that she thought was a real one turned out to be chocolate, while the actual MacBook went to her sister. A book from her Christmas list was just a cover placed on a dictionary, and when she asked about it, her mom revealed it was meant for her sister-in-law. The pattern continued with every gift from her siblings and parents, leaving her with approximately 12 joke gifts.
Feeling disappointed and realizing that she had carefully chosen thoughtful gifts for everyone else, OP retreated to the living room with her boyfriend during dinner. Her family, unaware of her dissatisfaction, praised their gifts, but OP remained silent. When her dad asked why she wasn’t enthusiastic, she simply expressed that there wasn’t much to say.
OP emphasized that she hadn’t done anything to deserve this treatment from her family. However, her family dismissed her revelation, as they believed everyone else had also received joke gifts. Frustrated, OP decided to leave and spend the rest of the Christmas break with her boyfriend’s family. Despite her family’s objections, she left, activating the “do not disturb” mode on her phone during the drive.
Upon reaching her boyfriend’s parents’ house, she found numerous missed calls and texts from her family, who used derogatory terms to criticize her for leaving. They accused her of ruining Christmas and causing distress to her parents. Feeling conflicted and questioning her reaction, OP sought an external perspective on whether she was in the wrong for being upset about the gifts and leaving.
OP admitted considering an apology to her family, thinking that maybe she had overreacted. However, she clarified that her disappointment didn’t stem from not receiving expensive gifts; it came from being pranked with every gift she received, making her the only person without a genuine present. She also mentioned that her last significant disagreement with her family happened over a year and a half ago. Furthermore, she had abstained from participating in joke gifts for the past 10+ years because she didn’t find them enjoyable or amusing, which her family was aware of.
The response to OP’s story online was overwhelmingly supportive. The majority of commenters agreed that she was not in the wrong (NTA) and shouldn’t apologize. Some even suggested a message for the family group chat, expressing the disappointment of receiving only prank gifts and how leaving was a response to being hurt. Others advised OP to distance herself from her family, as their actions were hurtful and uncaring.
It’s essential to remember that the holiday season is about love, kindness, and making lasting memories with loved ones. While pranks can be fun in the right context, it’s crucial to consider each person’s feelings and ensure that everyone feels included and loved. True happiness during the holidays comes from sharing genuine joy and appreciation for one another.
What are your thoughts on this story?
