Woman Says She Refuses to Contribute to Family Christmas Gift After Finding Out It Was Going to Her Brother. Here’s Why
A woman is at odds with her family after discovering a group gift was actually just for one person
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Furious woman shouting to smart phone — stock imageThe holidays have just gotten more stressful than usual for one woman who recently found out the “family gift” her mom wants them to chip in on is really only for one member of the family.
In a Reddit post shared Tuesday, Dec. 17, user Princesswildrosedew asked others on the forum if she was the a------ for not donating $500 for a Christmas gift for her older brother.
Princesswildrosedew, 25, said she’s the middle child of two siblings — her older brother Alex, 28, and younger sister Lily, 19.
“My mom recently came up with this idea for a ‘family Christmas gift’ that we would all chip in for. She told us it was something that would benefit everyone,” Princesswildrosedew explained, adding that her mother “wouldn’t reveal what it was, just that she needed us to send her $500 each by the end of the month.”
Because she recently landed a new job and was just starting to make enough money to set some aside for her savings, Princesswildrosedew said she “needed more details before I committed.” However, her mother “kept brushing me off and saying it was a surprise.”
Thanks to a slip up from Lily, Princesswildrosedew found out that the surprise gift for the family was actually money for a down payment for a new car for Alex since his recently broke down.
The revelation left Princesswildrosedew “furious,” as her older brother “makes way more money” than she does and their mother never ran the idea by her.
“She just assumed we’d all go along with it. When I confronted her, she said it was only fair since Alex does a lot for the family and deserves it,” she wrote.
Princesswildrosedew continued, “I told her I wasn’t contributing and that it was ridiculous to call this a 'family gift' when it’s only for Alex. She got upset and said I was being selfish and ungrateful.”
To make matters worse, Alex called Princesswildrosedew “jealous,” and Lily sided with him and their mom, “saying it’s not a big deal and I’m ruining Christmas by making this an issue.”
With her family now against her, Princesswildrosedew wants to know if she was in the wrong.
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According to the top voted Reddit response, Princesswildrosedew is “not the a------.”
“Your mom springing a $500 'family gift' on you without being upfront is really shady, especially since it’s just for Alex’s car. It’s not your job to fund your grown brother’s problems, especially when he’s better off financially than you,” the person commented.
Another added, “Girl, you’re not wrong. That’s not a ‘family gift,’ it’s a ‘gift-for-Alex.’ $500 is crazy to ask without even being honest about it. You ain’t cheap for setting boundaries. If Alex’s grown self needs a car, he can figure it out. Stay strong, you’re not ruining Christmas — they are.”
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