30-year-old manchild buys girlfriend Pokémon cards for Christmas, proceeds to open them himself when she leaves disappointed: ‘This must be a joke right?’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Jan 16, 2025 10:00 AM EST

We all know that feeling. You've been eyeing that perfect something for months, dropping hints like breadcrumbs, yet somehow, you end up with a nose hair trimmer or a set of kitchen sponges. They say it's the thought that counts, but, my dudes, let's admit it, there are some areas in life where thinking isn't our strongest most dominant quality. 

Many of us found ourselves panic-sweating hours before a gift-deserving moment or date, thinking, "She'll totally love this socket wrench set because... uh... she mentioned something about home improvement once"? Yeah, we've been there. Like buying your vegetarian girlfriend a BBQ grill because "we can use it together!" 

Self-serving gift-giving is peak man behavior, We'll just wrap it up all nice, and give it to our partner, and then hover around like a vulture waiting to "share" it. We're not slick you know. Everyone sees through it. Most of the time it can be regarded as funny and even cute, not when its mixed with a heavy dosage of gaslighty weaponized incompetence.

Sometimes you just have to cut your losses in advance and go home my guy, that's exactly the case with the following story, I'm telling you, you should drop the idea of defending him at this point.

Now, let me tell you about this champion among us - a true master of self-delusion. This guy bought his girlfriend three boxes of Pokémon cards. Not one. Not two. Three. For Christmas. When she, grab your chair boys because this one's a shocker, did NOT want Pokémon cards. Amazingly she was actively requesting other items.

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  • 01

    My (26f) bf (30m) got me Pokémon for Christmas and I can’t let it go, do I call it quits or work it out?

    "Not only did he get me gifts that I didn't want, but he actually got them for himself”
    via Voltordu

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Last time on Pokémon: Relationship Edition!

  • 02
    Punch O hrower ed to this Pokémon Pokédex TRAINER Look at the top 5 cards of and put them back in an ITEM Sonnflora Switch 1 of your opponent's Benched Pokémon with Lure his or her Active Pokémon. The new Active Pokémon can't retreat during your opponent's next turn Discard a Fire Blast Energy attached to this Pokémon 120
    via Thimo Pedersen
  • 03
    For context, my boyfriend and I have been together for 3 years. Since I've known him he has always loved Pokémon. Personally, I have no interest but as his partner I encourage his hobbies and support him. This past Christmas we had a few brief conversations about Christmas
    via notkelsey719

  • Our level 30 boyfriend faces his greatest challenge yet in the treacherous Gift-Giving Gym! Despite his girlfriend's clear instructions - a simple request for a hoodie and beauty items - our trainer has chosen a risky strategy that leaves everyone confused!

  • 04
    budgets and have mentioned to each other things we have been wanting. I knew Pokémon packs were on the top of HIS list so I made sure to get him some. I mentioned wanting a few beauty products and a specific hoodie.
    via notkelsey719

  • DRAMATIC GASPS FROM THE CROWD


    "Pack of Pokémon cards, I CHOOSE YOU!" throws Pokéball

  • 05
    Well Christmas comes around and to my surprise I open my gifts, the first one was a pack of Pokémon cards, okay whatever, the next one was a booster box of Pokémon cards. I stop and ask him if he's joking, because this
    via notkelsey719

  • "Go Booster Box!!" throws second Pokéball

  • 06
    must be a joke right? Welp he smirks and tells me to keep going, I open my next gift, it was ANOTHER booster box of Pokemon cards. He was full of excitement while I open "my" gifts. That's it those were my three gifts. I AM NOT AND NEVER
    via notkelsey719

  • "And for my final move... ANOTHER BOOSTER BOX!" dramatic throw

  • 07
    HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN POKÉMON. After this I told him I needed a moment to myself. I went to our bedroom and took a moment to gather my thoughts and lower my temper. When I
    via notkelsey719

  • But what's this? Our trainer's girlfriend appears to be unimpressed! It's super ineffective!

  • 08
    came back to the living room there he was on the floor, both booster packs and the pack of cards he got "me" were opened and sprawled across the floor. I
    via notkelsey719

  • Professor Oak appears shaking his head in disappointment

  • 09
    was in shock, not only did he get me gifts that I didn't want, but he actually got them for himself and tried to play it off. I have been trying to move past this as I did not want to seem ungrateful but I just can't believe he would do
    via notkelsey719

  • Girlfriend: "These... these are all Pokémon cards?"

    Trainer: "That's right! And watch as I use my special technique - SELF OPENING ATTACK!"

  • 10
    Cheezburger Image 10453884672
    via Akin Cakiner
  • 11
    something like this. Every time I have tried to bring it up, he has told me how expensive those booster boxes were and how I made him feel bad for not appreciating my gifts. Am I being ungrateful or is he just a j?
    via notkelsey719

  • Wild girlfriend's anger appears
     

    Trainer uses EXPENSIVE EXCUSE!

  • 12
    GolDahlia8436 So you're telling me he's known and dated you for at least three years...and has never paid attention long enough to get you gifts you may actually like.... And you're questioning if you want to do this for the REST of your life or not???
    via GolDahlia8436

  • INCREDIBLE! We haven't seen a trainer misread the battlefield this badly since Ash tried to catch a Pidgey with a stick in Episode 1!

  • 13
    20- Ambush Camerupt 130 120- Sky Drop r opponents Active Pokemons Per Co Rufflet The Pokémon does 10 d Reckless Charge Vine Whip 30 Durant 10. getimes the Ariete 660 Mudbray -80 and decor 80- Meowth -70 90 Nidorina Stomp con Fish, en ack does 10 more dage Farfetch'd 20- Cubchoo 70 ENERGY <8-30 TRAINE Rare Candy 20+ Turmoil Strike The does 30 damage to 1 of your opponents Pokemon that has any damage countr 50 Beldum. Allure Tackle -50 Golpes de Fúria Jp 3 med Ese ape ca 10 Respiração de Gelo e 2-
    via Mick Haupt
  • 14
    AmericnAquariumDrnkr That's literally insane and the BEST POSSIBLE explanation is that he's wildly emotionally unintelligent. Sooo if that's what you like I guess stay with him? ETA: It just registered that this is a 30 year old man. Sis why
    via AmericnAquariumDrnkr
  • 15
    PuzzleheadedCase5544 Nah this is crazy even if you wanted this, he then opened YOUR gift, that part is unforgivable too. He's closer to 6 mentally than 26
    via PuzzleheadedCase5544

  • Girlfriend's patience has fainted!

  • 16
    Sapphic Honeytrap OP, I'm sorry to tell you this but you have obviously angered some trickster god and this dude is your punishment. Just return whatever idol you stole and he should go away. Don't worry, it happens.
    via Sapphic_Honeytrap

  • Will our trainer ever evolve past his BASIC FORM? Can this relationship survive this CRITICAL HIT? Is this the most CATASTROPHIC gift-giving failure in the history of the Pokémon world?!

    Find out next time on Pokémon: Relationship Edition!

  • 17
    anneofred Homer and the bowling ball.... So do what Marge did...take YOUR gifts and do what you want with YOUR gifts. He doesn't get to see them, touch them, have any sense of ownership over them.
    via anneofred
  • 18
    Find another Pokémon person to help you look up individual sale value, sell them at the card shop, buy yourself the gifts you want. Also lose the boyfriend. It's so blatant what he did here it's actually kind of hilarious.
    via anneofred

  • Meowth: "Even we ain't dat clueless!"

  • 19
    attack-o-lantern Honestly, I don't buy the "sharing his hobby" bulls that someone else said. This was absolutely a gift for him. I feel like you were very clear on what it is you wanted for Christmas. If he wanted to be thoughtful and personal, he could have very well
    via attack-o-lantern
  • 20
    deviated from your list to get something inspired by what you wanted. But this is pretty absurd. Don't get me wrong, I don't think it is a bad idea to share your interests with your partner, but totally ignoring what they want in favour of that is wildly selfish. If it
    via attack-o-lantern
  • 21
    was a matter of sharing his hobby, he could have gotten you these gifts randomly at some point throughout the year when there was no expectation of getting something you actually want. He sounds like a child.
    via attack-o-lantern
  • 22
    Fresh_Pomegranate202 So your 30 YEAR OLD boyfriend bought himself what he wanted and "gifted" it to you?! So he didn't have to spend money on you?! Did you dump his sorry a yet?
    via Fresh_Pomegranate202
  • 23
    msmysty You are dating a selfish, inconsiderate child. He knew exactly what he was doing when he got you those "gifts." Thats why HE opened them when you weren't even there. They were never meant for you. Leave now. He's showing you what the rest of your life will be like. Stop wasting your time on him.
    via msmysty
  • 24
    catOnLollerskates Is this guy a 12 year old? Pokémon cards were "your" only gifts? Dump this child already and get someone who actually appreciates you.
    via catOnLollerskates
  • 25
    Even MoreSpiders This is ridiculous! He didn't even try to make it seem like he got those gifts for you, he didn't even let you open them for fk's sake! You need to sit down and have a serious discussion about how he dismissed what you actually wanted and asked him for and instead got himself something and pretended like he got them for you.
    via EvenMoreSpiders

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Dating-Relationships boyfriend 30s aita manchild presents immature pokemon go gift pokemon cards relationships girlfriend advice dating relationship memes
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