Man sparks family tension after rejecting sister's pregnancy test as $100 Secret Santa gift: ‘She gave me a positive pregnancy test wrapped up to look like a DVD set of my favorite show’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Jan 1, 2025 2:00 PM EST

Family gatherings and traditions have a special way of bringing out the absolute best in human pettiness, especially when it comes to gift exchanges.

Take Secret Santa for example - a supposedly straightforward, simple way to show someone you care about them. No matter whether it's done with family, friends, or coworkers, the sweet game usually comes with very specific instructions. Between the carefully calculated price ranges and the basic understanding that a gift should actually be something you can unwrap and use, there's endless room for creative interpretation - or spectacular failure. And somehow, someone always finds a way to choose the latter and completely misses the point, turning what should have been a cheerful exchange into a delicate dance of generosity and disappointment.

While most families deal with the classic offenders who can't count to $100, occasionally you get that special someone who decides to reinvent the entire concept of what counts as a "present." Enter our tale of holiday dysfunction, where a man dared to question whether his sister's pregnancy announcement, cleverly disguised as his favorite DVD set, actually counts as meeting the Secret Santa requirements.

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  • 01
    "I just don't think a niece or nephew in six months counts as a Secret Santa present."
    via nomadsoulphotos
  • 02
    AITA for telling my sister that a pregnancy announcement doesn't count as a Christmas present?
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 03
    My (32M) family gets together every year for Christmas for a week or so at a popular vacation spot in our state. This has been a tradition since I was a kid, and every year we do a Secret Santa exchange - anyone over 18 is put into the pool, which helps cut
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 04
    down on expenses as you only need to purchase a present for one adult instead of all the siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, etc. (kids and teens under 18 would get individual presents, but the youngest is my sister who is
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 05
    24f, so it hasn't come up for a while). My sister, 'Heather' (24f) is the one who had my name this year - she gave me a positive pregnancy test wrapped up to look like a DVD set of my favorite
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 06
    show. I unwrapped it and congratulated her, but was curious about what happened to the DVDs - I thought maybe she had them set aside, since she had the packaging for the box set.
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 07
    show. I unwrapped it and congratulated her, but was curious about what happened to the DVDs - I thought maybe she had them set aside, since she had the packaging for the box set.
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 08
    She got mad and told me that her present to me and the family was the pregnancy, and that she didn't have the DVDs. I told her that I was happy for her, but felt a little cheated - the Secret Santa presents are supposed to be
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 09
    either handmade or between $50 and $100, so they're usually high quality presents. Also, Heather didn't tell any of us that she was trying to get pregnant - she isn't married, and we don't love her
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 10
    news anyways. I get that she was trying to be cute, but AITA for expecting the DVDs/a real present? Her present from my aunt was a $100 gift card to a spa she loves, for reference. My
    via OkSeaworthiness6960
  • 11
    present? Her present from my aunt was a $100 gift card to a spa she loves, for reference. My parents think I should just be happy there will be a niece or nephew, but it still doesn't seem fair, and I just don't think a niece or nephew in six months counts as a secret santa present.
    via OkSeaworthiness6960

  • Before we get to the comment, offering support and some very creative ideas on how the brother should repay his expecting sister and her unborn child. I can’t help but think of a holiday dinner from my childhood where my uncle who worked as a CHEF, made ONE whole rotisserie chicken for his 18 guests and was flabbergasted when it wasn’t enough for everyone. 

    “You guys came hungry today huh?” he said as we were leaving. We were all very quiet at our “second” holiday dinner of festive burgers on the way home.

    that's it, kind of petty on my part to still remember it I know.

     

  • 12
    Slim-Reaper2 • 12h ago. NTA, a "gift" like that is really only acceptable to her significant other. You deserved a real gift.
    via Slim-Reaper2
  • 13
    Ok_Stable7501 • 11h ago • Top 1% Commenter Your gift is a stick she peed on? Eww, NTA
    via Ok_Stable7501
  • 14
    NefariousnessFresh24 • 12h ago • 18 Top 1% Commenter Congratulations - you won free babysitting duties for the next 14 to 16 years....
    via NefariousnessFresh24
  • 15
    boredathome1962 • 11h ago • Top 1% Commenter NTA... but you know what to do for her baby shower... A box for a buggy & adverts for baby clothes
    via boredathome1962
  • 16
    Ready-Raccoon-9180 • 12h ago You should tell her the gift doesn't count as 'hand made' because if it was in fact 'hand made' then she wouldn't be in this predicament hahaha
    via Ready-Raccoon-9180
  • 17
    dancingqueen_420 • 12h ago NTA. Personally I would've been ped. Like I get that she's excited about it but her pregnancy is most certainly not a gift to you. Even the DVD's would be a stupid present if the limit is $50-100. She cheaped out and you have every right to be upset.
    via dancingqueen_420
  • 18
    Newbosterone • 11h ago • NTA. When she has her baby shower, give her a Christmas card. It's as good as a gift, right?
    via Newbosterone
  • 19
    anils90s 11h ago • NTA. She shouldn't have agreed to take part in the secret santa if she couldn't afford it. Taking part means she accepts the budget. The pregnancy reveal should have been an extra alongside it but not instead of.
    via anils90s
  • 20
    Surround Miserable262 11h ago NTA. Your sister is out of line and owes you a present. If she hasn't corrected it by her birthday...get her a dvd box of her favourite tv show and put in a baby grow that has the picture of your face on it.
    via SurroundMiserable262
  • 21
    GardenSafe8519 • 11h ago • Take a picture of some cute baby clothes and give it to her (for her birthday if her birthday is before the birth..or give it at a baby shower). If she looks confused tell her you thought you were doing the not gift gift since you didn't get the DVDs...just a case.
    via GardenSafe8519
  • 22
    CompetitionOdd1746 • 8h ago I love this. A photo of a gift they'd like instead of the actual item! Soooo petty, it's a marvellous idea.
    via CompetitionOdd1746
  • 23
    You're NTA OP. That "gift" was for everyone, you didn't get one that was just for you like your sister and the rest of the family. Such a cop out. Use the money you'd spend on a gift for her on yourself and do the photo option above if you want to give her something.
    via CompetitionOdd1746
  • 24
    OkSeaworthiness6960 OP • 14h ago This genuinely made me laugh out loud yeah I see lots of babysitting in my future, her boyfriend is a piece of sh and they've broken up and gotten back together like three times. in the last few years.
    via OkSeaworthiness6960

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Tags

family drama aita pregnancy announcement AITAH brother mother tradition siblings family feud favoritism wedding pregnant sister fiancé Father
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