My parents are angry with me because I didn’t ‘think’ about presents

[crapmumalertttttttt]

Had a budget for Christmas this year, and decided on the same amount for everyone, bar my son.

Have younger siblings (12, 16, 22). I’m the oldest. I spent the same amount on them all, but the second oldest has three more (small gifts than the others) because I got hers from a website that had 85% off.

I got my other siblings exactly what they wanted and what I knew they’d love.

Tonight I received texts asking how many presents I had bought, and when I said my older sister had three more, they got angry with me and now aren’t talking to me, and said I hadn’t thought about my siblings at all.

Due to it being so close to Christmas I’m feeling pretty upset because I did think about them, and Christmas surely shouldn’t be all about presents?

Am I being unreasonable to think this is odd behaviour?

Once I got 16 it was a fivers worth or even a quid after 18.

Next year just give them a voucher or cash for the same amount, then no arguing :)

Get a gift bag and put the sister who has three gifts inside the same bag - she now only has one present the same as the other two

they got angry with me and now aren’t talking to me
Result!
Keep it up and you'll be free of them for good:o

I dont buy my siblings presents at all. We all agreed that we want to spend our money on our own children.
Maybe just stop buying altogether.

I would take them all back.
Couldn't be arsed with that.
Ridiculous behaviour.

Just say 'I did my best' and ignore them. They're very cheeky and very controlling.

Bloody hell this is insane. Your siblings aren't 3 year olds, they can well understand that 3 small presents might equal the value of 1 large one and anyway unless you bought one a new car and the other a box of roses surely they're not going to quibble over it?!

I wouldn’t think about number of presents usually although I did buy my nephew a big chocolate coin because I thought his present (a very practical piece of tech that he requested) was very boring on its own and his sister is getting a few different things (of lesser value). I certainly wouldn’t expect anyone to throw a strop about the number of gifts they received though.

Parents 'not talking to' their adult child is very immature, especially over something so ridiculous. Why should they even be involved in this?

Ignore them OP. Or explain that you spent the same amount.

Meanwhile, how did you get 85%. And How lucky is she to be getting a big haul!

OMG, are your parents related to Dudley Dursely? They do sound awful. Do they do this kind of thing a lot?

All very silly but maybe you wouldn't have come across this problem if you hadn't bought 3 presents for the one you got her present cheaper. I'd have pocketed the extra and they would all have been none the wiser.

You ANBU.

I can't fathom if this is their way of controlling you and everything else or are they dependent on your gifts as being the siblings main gifts? Do they buy many/any gifts themselves?

This sort of thing is exhausting. If you have to spend Xmas day with them, try to make alternative plans for next year and leave them to it.

@ComDummings

I couldn’t be bothered with that, I’d give your siblings their presents this year then not bother next year and just stick a tenner in their cards.

Yes, this! And if your parents insist on acting like they are half the age of your younger siblings, I'd mail those cards, and make other plans next year as well.

OP, is it your parents that are being petty and stirring it up with your younger siblings? Their attitude would really hack me off.

@nanbread

It's very odd. And very twattish.

Just to be clear, your parents aren't talking to you, because you bought presents for your siblings... That's on a whole new level of WTF

Even if you'd bought one of them a PS5 and the other a Mars bar, that's still not grounds to stop speaking to you.

Let me guess, you're the black sheep of the family?

Or is the sister with more presents the black sheep? Or is one of the others the favourite?

Their behaviour is outrageous. I would tell them you won't make the same mistake next year because you'll not be buying gifts for anyone. That will really give them something to cry about.

I foresee that there are going to be a lot of families abandoning the BIG family christmas next year and all the resulting stress and expense. Once youve had the release of just giving tokens or money and not having to cook for the five thousand you can relax and just enjoy a small family crimbo.

Not sure why they asked or why you answered.

None of their business

I spend different amounts on different siblings different years. Depends what I decide to buy

@CommanderBurnham it was an 85% off sale on Boohoo! Four are very little presents - a headband, an anklet, and two bath bombs.

tell them straight that you got a deal on the one person and the value is the same for all. then tell them to f/off

Sounds absolutely batshit. In fact, it's such a batshit reaction that I would think there is something else going on here. Maybe something has happened that they haven't spoken to you about. It might come out eventually.

Jesus how old are your parents, 5?! They sound like Dickheads.

Completely and utterly insane