To feel accused of stealing?

[IcyBlonde15]

My family had a "Secret Santa" gift exchange at the weekend, very early I know but it was the only date suited to get everyone, all cousins and partners together before Xmas. On Monday my mum rang me to ask if I had lifted a card containing £30 for a cousin by mistake as it had gone missing. I knew I definitely hadn't but said I would check just in case. No, the only presents taken home were the ones with me, my husband and sons names on them. My mum rang me again today asking well did you find it and I said no, we definitely don't have it to be met with a very sharp "well then where did it go?" I said sorry I can't be more help but I honeslty don't know, I have never even seen it! I asked had she rung around everyone to ask them and she said no! She is now being very off with me. AIBU to feel her tone was accusing me of stealing and I am a bit pissed off that the finger was automatically pointed at me before she even asked anyone else if they had seen it!

Do you have siblings who were there too? I'm wondering if she's flapping and calling you because you're closest to her of everyone involved? Quite strange of her though, I'm presuming you're not known for being light-fingered!

Unless you have a light-fingered history then she is being nasty. I would ignore her - no calls, no contact, until she apologised to be honest.

Did you leave earlier than everyone else?

Unless you have form for thieving then she was very rude. She doesn’t want to ask the others as it makes her look bad. I bet it’s in the bin/ recycling.

I’d be annoyed at this too. I once posted 2 x Amazon vouchers to someone at work (in a different office) after I found them in a laptop bag. Anyway, the person never received them and I was made to feel as though I’d somehow done something wrong! Sometimes I wonder why I ever do anyone a good turn 😂

Talk to her about it, ask her if she thinks you deliberately stole it. She'll either say that she does or realise that you think she has accused you. No need to sit sulking or beat around the bush here.

I suspect it has either been lost by said cousin or accidentally picked up in the wrapping paper. Many gift cards and envelopes of cash have been scooped up in the wrapping paper tidy up in our house!

Agree with the posters above - unless this is something you have form for, she is being pretty nasty with what she's implying.

Slightly off topic but isn't the point of Secret Santa that everyone gets a gift, not some money in a card?

Or was the money in the card not part of the Secrt Santa?

Either way, as PP has said, it'll be in the bin/recycling.

It's probably been thrown out.