Man gifts mother-in-law provocative coffee mug for her birthday, she angrily smashes it and demands he pay her hospital bill: 'A shard gave her a pretty sizable cut on her ankle'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Mar 6, 2025 12:00 PM EST

Gag gifts can be a risk. Sometimes, they're absolutely worth it. My family has a tradition of exchanging gag gifts every Christmas morning. The rules are: it has to be purchased from the dollar store, and you have to write something stupid on the gift bag, which is traditionally a brown paper sack. It's a great way to start off the holiday on a goofy note, and to my knowledge, no feelings have ever gotten hurt. You have to walk the line a little bit, but ultimately you don't want to be responsible for ruining Christmas. 

Not everyone is on the same page in terms of being comfortable with being made fun of. Some of us have thin skin and don't like our buttons pushed. It is your job as a family member to identify these people and leave them alone. Messing with them is never worth it. Again, you don't want to ruin Christmas. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10475779328
    via Unsplash+ (A. Calvar)

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

  • One man didn't quite understand that, though, and pushed the boundaries a little too far with his mother-in-law. She was not so receptive to the so-called gag gift and had an outsize reaction. But commenters were torn on whether or not he was responsible for what happened next. Read on for the story.

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    AITA for refusing to pay for my mother-in-law's deductible after she smashed the gift I gave her?

    Long story short, I was on Twitter a while ago and saw this ad for a political mug that made me chuckle, so I decided to buy it for my conservative mother-in-law as a gag gift because I loved the idea of the mug being gifted to someone who leans more conservative.
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    Last night, it was my MIL's birthday, and I was getting ready with my wife to go to the restaurant where we would be eating. My wife saw the mug at home before we left as I was packing it into a gift bag, and she rolled her eyes, saying I was being immature, but she laughed at the mug, saying, "Well, it's kinda funny, I'll give you that."
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    We eventually got to dinner, and the whole family was having a good time. Then, at the end, we all gave our gifts, and when my MIL opened mine, she realized what it was and had this sour look on her face while the mug earned a couple of chuckles. My sister-in- law jokingly teased her, asking if she liked it. She just stood up and excused herself to use the
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    bathroom. As she was about to leave, my sister-in-law said, "It's just a joke, Mom," and my MIL grabbed the mug furiously off the table and slammed it on the ground, shattering the glass. A shard gave her a pretty sizable cut on her ankle.
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    She had to go get stitches for the cut, and my wife said that we should pay for the deductible because she claims I'm the cause of the entire incident, but I said no. she got mad at me, telling me that I was being immature. We got in a fight about it and I said that it's ridiculous that I'm being blamed for her own actions. We ended up paying for it anyway. Wife is still kindof angry and my MIL is still furious and refuses to talk to me saying that I'm a "communist"
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    "This was the mug for reference"

    FELL FOR IT AGAIN AWARD
    via u/GrapeCreamJuice
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    Some commenters condemned the mother-in-law's reaction.

    BulbasaurRanch • 23m ago Your MIL has a tantrum and injured herself and somehow you had to pay? That's f ed. You and your wife are weak to have allowed that to occur. There is absolutely no reason you should be paying because this grown woman had a childish outburst.
    via u/BulbasaurRanch
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    Bobbybuflay 14m ago NTA. Frankly the fact that you paid for it probably sets a very dangerous precedence in the future if she has more "tantrums".
    via u/Bobbybuflay
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    clulessandhappy 10m ago MIL sounds like a piece of work. Y would u pay when she cut her self because of her own actions. If she didnt like it that would have been fine, but to have a temper tantrum like a 3 year old is just pathetic! Seriously though, What did you expect giving
    via u/clulessandhappy
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    her a gift like that!?! your wife already told you it was immature. This whole thing could have been prevented. Could have got her flowers or something like that
    via u/clulessandhappy
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    Rapp thday
    via Unsplash+ (A. Calvar)

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

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    • Ok_Fun9075 21m ago NTA mil needs to lightening. up and it was her fault she got cut so making you pay for the deductible makes your wife and AH
    via u/Ok_Fun9075
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    Standard-Trade-2... • 11m ago LOL. I mean, I wouldn't have given the mug to any of my conservative family members even though they're dumb AF, but it's not your fault an adult had a tantrum and hurt themselves.
    via u/Standard-Trade-2622
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    BasicRabbit4 • 6m ago It was a sucky and tacky gift. But we expect better from literal children than throwing a fit and smashing something bc they got a gift they hate. It's time to hold adults to the same standards we set for children. Instead mil is being rewarded for her poor behavior.
    via u/BasicRabbit4
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    Disenchanted2 5m ago . Oh H L no. If MIL can't control herself, she has to pay the consequences. She sounds like a real charmer.
    via u/Disenchanted2
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    . Dogbite_NotDimple • 13m ago Why do you feel the need to antagonized your MIL? Jokes are only funny if everyone laughs. You gave that mug to her to insult her.
    via u/Dogbite_NotDimple
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    FI... • 10m ago Edited 7m ago NTA. Sorry-she's a grown a woman and knows how to quietly toss a gift she doesn't like. A three year old throws sh they don't like and if it bounces and hits them, they're told "this is why we don't throw things, people can get hurt". How old is MIL????
    via u/Flutteryellow
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    . 2npac 10m ago For the group that goes around saying "F your feelings" and calling everyone "snowflakes," they sure get triggered really easily, don't they. Still, YTA tho. But a justified one
    via u/2npac
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    Others thought he was out of pocket for his gift choice and deserved to pay.

    weebehemoth 2m ago • I cannot believe the amount of comments saying "pay her deductible." Absolutely insane. As for this scenario NTA. She threw a tantrum and she's the one who is immature. Even though you are NTA, you packed a punch with the joke but you've sure got your tail between your legs now. What happened?
    via u/weebehemoth
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    chapteronetwo • 4m ago YTA.. when will people learn that politics is not something to be talked about, joked about, referenced? Doesn't mean get reaction was right, but who in their right mind gives this gift thinking it's going to be funny.. especially when they know it's against their thoughts/votes/etc.
    via u/chapteronetwo
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    darculas 5m ago YTA why would you buy something your mother in law doesn't like for her birthday? This wasn't an accident, you purposely chose her birthday to pull a stunt. I don't know how anyone here is saying N T A. You are so obviously the hole that I'm having a
    via u/darculas
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    trouble processing it. You made your wife upset and you made your MIL upset on a night that was supposed to be about her and happy. You wanted drama that badly. Honestly this is one of those stories where I actually hope your wife divorces you, because you're actually stupid.
    via u/darculas
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    springflowers68 2m ago ESH but you mostly. Your wife was right, it was a juvenile and asinine thing to do. Also a cheap gift. Your MIL is also an AH because she should have laughed it off and planned something in kind to do to you on your next special event. Both of you need to grow up and you should pay. the deductible or copay since you cheaped out on the birthday gift.
    via u/springflowers68

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family dynamics family drama tantrum aita gifts AITAH gift giving money problems gag gift reddit story family feud in laws prank mother in law family reddit thread Reddit money
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