You shouldn’t feel guilty about the Christmas gifts others decide to give you.
The festive season is celebrated in various ways, and for many, it involves purchasing thoughtful presents for loved ones. Gifts should be given without expecting anything in return, as they are gestures of appreciation.
However, one woman’s Christmas spirit was dampened after her husband repeatedly complained about the cost of a gift he chose for her. She had long desired a “very specific item” priced at around $500 (£395) but never treated herself to it.
This year, her husband “announced” his intention to buy it for her, which spoiled the surprise and left her feeling upset. His ongoing gripes about the expense have since left her not wanting the gift at all.
On Reddit, she expressed her frustration: “He keeps talking about it, and in the past month has made a lot of annoyed comments. ‘I could buy a new TV for this price,’ ‘I could buy so and so for how much this is,’ ‘You’re only getting this, so don’t expect anything else.’ Finally, today, I sent him something funny that I thought was cute, and he responded by saying, ‘Well, you’re only getting this for Christmas, so don’t show me anything else, or I just won’t get it.’
“I feel like he’s treating me like a child. I’m not making him purchase me anything, I’m not asking him to get me this or anything else for that matter. He is making me feel guilty, and I didn’t even ask for this! He knows I wanted it because I joke around about it or have made comments but I never told him to get it for me.”
After enduring his constant complaints, she finally snapped and told him not to bother buying the gift, as his attitude had completely spoiled the sentiment for her.
Commenters rallied behind her, with one noting: “If you’re going to buy someone a gift, you don’t spend the weeks leading up to it complaining about it every chance you get. He’s literally been trying to guilt you for weeks.”
Another weighed in: “Gifts are about the thought behind them, not the price tag. Her husband’s repeated remarks made it clear he wasn’t happy about giving it, which turned something she would treasure into a source of guilt. She is not wrong for wanting to avoid that.”
Following the incident, the woman shared an update, saying her husband had sent her a “long apology”, acknowledging his mistake over the contentious gift. He promised to get her something else for Christmas and now realises how his behaviour affected her. She’s also decided to treat herself to the desired item later on and has resolved not to let their disagreement “ruin Christmas” for the family.