Ungrateful Sister Turns Frosty After Being Denied Desired Christmas Present Due To Financial Constraints

“I’m just upset because I got her something for a fair price and had to cut back on things for myself.”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• November 20, 2023

Our narrator (Original Poster) was an 18-year-old who juggled the demands of work, studies, and the responsibilities of being an older sibling.

She survived on a modest income of $500-600/ month. After paying for rent and utilities, she didn't have much left for frivolities.

Christmas was approaching, and OP’s 13-year-old sister was banking on her to cross some items off her wishlist. OP promised to come through and had been saving up for that very reason.

Some coveted items included an $80 perfume, a $40 makeup kit, and other items around the same price range. Just when OP had saved enough to make her sister’s Christmas wishes a reality, disaster struck.

A kitchen leak wreaked havoc, leaving her entire room flooded. OP immediately diverted funds to remedy the situation. After digging into her Christmas savings, she no longer had enough for the gifts.

She decided to go with a more economical gift and settled on a huge makeup box filled with reasonably priced makeup. The set retailed for about $70. 

On Christmas day, her sister was blown away by the size and couldn’t wait to open it. But when her eyes fell on the lower-end make-up—a far cry from the items on her meticulously curated wishlist—she was visibly upset.

It’s been radio silence post-Christmas, and OP was informed her ‘thoughtful’ gift remained untouched. She felt unappreciated and began to wonder if cutting back to even afford that was worth it.

Her mom suggested returning the gift and saving up for a do-over. Was OP truly in the wrong for falling short of her promise?

The story in detail

A little background

OP cut back on the gifts she promised her sister due to financial woes. Unfortunately, this got her sister pretty upset

Sadly, OP and her sister haven’t spoken ever since

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“NTA, sister is an ungrateful brat and your parents should have punished her for acting like a brat.”

“NTA. She needs to understand things happen.”

“NTA…she knows that you've been having trouble financially and she get's mad that you didn't get a makeup thingy or whatever?”

“NTA. You should 'make it up to her'? That's laughably entitled, not just on your sister's part, but on your mother's.”

According to this Redditor, OP should have informed her sister about her financial situation ahead of time, rather than surprising the girl with something she doesn’t want

“She sounds like a spoiled brat, and it's awful that your parents are taking her side.“

“NAH. Sister is just a kid. She was promised something and let down by surprise.“

“NTA. She sounds materialistic and petty.”

Redditors were stunned by the sister's level of ingratitude. They questioned the mother's role in enabling her.

OP experienced a challenging situation beyond her control, fixing that took precedence over anyone’s Christmas presents.

The general consensus was that OP had absolutely nothing to “make up” for. It was time for the sister to grasp life's harsh realities. Promises get broken sometimes.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments. 

Jesse