Woman Says She Canceled Christmas Dinner After Her Brother's Jokes About Her Pregnancy Went 'Way Too Far'
"His comment hurt, but I tried to ignore it to avoid ruining the moment," the woman wrote on Reddit, adding that "unfortunately, it didn't stop there"
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Woman Says She Canceled Christmas Dinner After Her Brother’s Joke About Her Pregnancy Went Too FarA mom-to-be is questioning whether she was in the wrong for canceling her family's Christmas dinner after her brother's hurtful jokes about her pregnancy.
In a post shared on Reddit's "AITA" — which stands for "Am I the A------ — the pregnant woman said she's "hosted Christmas dinner at my house" for years, and absolutely loves doing it. However, she put her foot down this year after her younger brother, Marco, who "has always been the family jokester" went "way too far."
According to the woman, she surprised her family with her pregnancy news just a few weeks ago.
"I shared the news during an intimate family lunch, and everyone was thrilled... except Marco," she continued. "He laughed and said, 'Are you sure? With how much you eat, I just thought it was a holiday belly.' "
"His comment hurt, but I tried to ignore it to avoid ruining the moment," the woman wrote. "Unfortunately, it didn't stop there."
The woman said that her younger brother actually created a family WhatsApp group called "The Mystery of the Baby or the Turkey," which was filled with "memes and jokes about whether I was really pregnant or just gaining weight."
Understandably, after she found out, the woman felt "uncomfortable" and "humiliated."
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"I confronted Marco directly, but he brushed it off, saying it was just 'humor' and that everyone was laughing," she wrote, noting that he told her: "Don’t take it so seriously."
But after days of reflecting on the joke, she made the "difficult decision" to cancel Christmas dinner at her house.
"I told my family I needed a break and that someone else could host instead. Of course, everyone started asking why, and when I explained what Marco had done, opinions were split," she wrote.
"My mom thinks I’m overreacting and should 'let it go because it’s Christmas,' " she added, noting that some of her aunts and cousins agree that her younger brother "crossed the line."
However, there are also family members who just "think canceling dinner is punishing everyone else."
The woman went on to write that she feels "guilty," but also believes she has "a right to protect my peace, especially during such an important time in my life."
As for what her fellow Redditors thought, they largely took her side.
"Your brother's behavior was disrespectful and downright cruel," one commenter wrote. "His 'jokes' targeted a deeply personal and joyful moment in your life, turning it into a public humiliation. Creating a group chat to ridicule your pregnancy was not harmless humor; it was mean-spirited and dismissive of your feelings."
Related: Woman Says Her Family Trades Off Hosting Dinner, but Everyone 'Always Bails' When It's Her Turn
"Hosting Christmas dinner is a huge emotional and physical effort, especially while pregnant, and you have every right to set boundaries and prioritize your peace," the reply continued. "Canceling the dinner sends a clear message that his behavior has consequences."
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Another commenter added that it made the situation worse that the woman wasn't included in the cruelly-named group chat.
"If it was just a joke, why weren't you included?" the reply read. "He created a whole group chat to make fun of you behind your back, and only one cousin was uncomfortable enough to speak up."
Looking on the positive side, others pointed out that now might be the perfect time to shore up on quiet moments. "Maybe keep this Christmas night a personal one since its the last one where you two are alone?" read one comment. "Trust me, you'll miss this time despite having so much fun with the kid."
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