The holidays just got more stressful than usual for one woman who recently found out that the “family gift” her mom wants them to get involved in is actually just for one family member.
In a Reddit post shared on Tuesday, December 17, user Princesswildrosedew asked others on the forum if she ——- for not donating $500 for a Christmas present for her older brother.
Princesswildrosedew, 25, said she is the middle child of two siblings – older brother Alex, 28, and younger sister Lily, 19.
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“My mom recently came up with an idea for a ‘family Christmas gift’ that we would all give money for.” She told us it was something everyone would benefit from,” Princesswildrosedew explained, adding that her mother “won’t reveal what it is, just that we need to send her $500 each by the end of the month.”
Since she recently got a new job and is just starting to make enough money to put something aside for her savings, Princesswildrosedew said she “needs more details before I commit.” However, her mother “kept rejecting me and saying it was a surprise.”
Thanks to Lily’s mistake, Princesswildrosedew found out that the surprise gift for the family was actually money for a down payment on a new car for Alex as his had recently broken down.
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The revelation left Princesswildrosedew “furious”, as her older brother “makes a lot more money” than her, and their mother had never brought up the idea through her.
“She just assumed we’d all go along with it. When I confronted her, she said that it was only fair because 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 was just for Alex. She got upset and said I was selfish and ungrateful.”
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To make matters worse, Alex called Princesswildrosedew “jealous” and Lily sided with him and their mom, “saying it’s no big deal and I’m ruining Christmas by making this a problem.”
With her family now against her, Princesswildrosedew wants to know if she made a mistake.
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According to Reddit’s top-voted answer, Princesswildrosedew is “not a——.”
“For your mom to give you a $500 ‘family gift’ without telling you in advance is really suspicious, especially since it’s only for Alex’s car. It’s not your job to fund your grown brother’s problems, especially if he’s financially better off than you,” the person commented.
Another added: “Girl, you’re not wrong. It’s not a “family gift”, it’s a “gift for Alex”. $500 is crazy to ask for without being honest. You are not cheap to set boundaries. If Alex’s adult self needs a car, he can figure it out. Stay strong, you’re not going to ruin Christmas – they are.”
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Source: HIS Education