“You’re stealing from an old woman”: 26-year-old refuses to return grandma's wedding ring when she demands it back for cousin's wedding, sparking family feud

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Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Apr 7, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

There's nothing in this world like family. They're the backbone of all the good and the bad in our lives. There's nothing straightforward about family dynamics, and usually people have good reason to go low contact if they do. It's surprising that not more people go low contact, or no contact at all with how certain families treat each other. I once had a friend whose father would constantly berate her about her appearance, her looks, her body, to the point that she didn't even want to speak to him anymore. When one's parents are there for you, life can feel like a breeze, something manageable, but without the love and support from one's parents, it can feel impossible to manage yourself and your problems. 

In the story below, the protagonist is a woman whose grandmother gifts her her wedding ring in a moment of high emotion. The granddaughter accepts, of course. Fast forward some weeks, and the grandmother is demanding the wedding ring back! Can you imagine the nerve? What would you do in the situation? Give the ring back, or fight it out?

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  • 01

    AITA for refusing to give my grandma back her wedding ring after she gave it to me "by accident"

    Cheezburger Image 10490850560
    via avanti_photo / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Ok so i know this sounds bad but hear me out My grandma (85f) gave me (26f) her wedding ring about 6 months ago during this really emotional family dinner where she was talking about getting older and wanting everyone to have something meaningful from her before she
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 03
    goes. she gave me the ring because she said i was the only one who still believed in "real love" (her words not mine) and honestly i cried when she gave it to me. we hugged and everything it was a whole moment
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 04
    Fast forward to last week my cousin (29f) gets engaged and suddenly my grandma calls me and says she wants the ring back so she can give it to her. like she actually said "i didn't mean to give it to you permanently" and that she was just "emotional that day."
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 05
    I told her no not in ar de way i just said like hey that ring meant something to me too and i've been wearing it every day since she gave it to me. It feels like a piece of her and it honestly helped me through a breakup recently. she got really weird and said i was being selfish and
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 06
    immature and that the ring was meant to stay in the married side of the family (i'm single btw as of now things might change in the future.)
    via u/CutieLexiStar

  • This woman is so petty. Why won't she return the ring to its rightful owner? How can she even enjoy the “gift” knowing that her grandmother, as well as her entire family, want her to give it back? She is stealing, and her family needs to be more strict with her. 

  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10490853376
    via oattobar69 from Getty Images Pro / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 08
    Now my whole family is saying i'm "stealing from an old woman" and "taking advantage of her memory loss" which i didn't even know she had like no one mentioned that until now and my cousin posted some cryptic insta story about "what's meant for you won't be stolen by someone desperate” and i swear it was about me.
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 09
    I feel like if she really gave it to me and meant it at the time, i shouldn't have to give it back just because someone else got engaged. like that's not my fault right? Aita for keeping the ring??
    via u/CutieLexiStar
  • 10
    grayblue_grrl •12h ago Your grandmother and family are people. But now you know WHO they are.
    via u/grayblue_grrl
  • 11
    Apparently how you feel doesn't matter. - ཨ ཀd Give her the --d ring and let her know that you made a mistake that day too. Thinking that she loved and respected you.
    via u/grayblue_grrl
  • 12
    Make sure they aren't a priority in your life from now on.
    via u/grayblue_grrl
  • 13
    jinglepupskye 10h ago Another point that needs raising is that if she wasn't mentally fit to give you the ring, are the other items she gave out that day also going to be returned?
    via u/jinglepupskye
  • 14
    PonyGrl29 12h ago NTA. But I'd give it back and let know you won't ever accept anything from her again, since you'll never know if you'll be expected to give it up the next time she decides someone else deserves it more.
    via u/PonyGrl29
  • 15
    Then walk away and drop the rope.
    via u/PonyGrl29
  • 16
    SilentJoe1986 • 10h ago NTA but I would give it back. In your shoes that ring would be tainted for me. It's obvious she just wants to give it to the grandkid getting married. Drop it off in an envelope with a letter.
    via u/SilentJoe1986
  • 17
    Cheezburger Image 10490850816
    via cujo19 from Getty Images Signature / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 18
    "The day you gave me this ring meant a lot to me. It was a symbol for the love and care you have for me. I guess it still is now that you've taken it back. Message received, loud and clear."
    via u/SilentJoe1986
  • 19
    At least that's what I would do. I couldn't feel good having it anymore. I would give it back, or just thing. One way gets the the family off your a . The other hurts them as much as this has hurt you. It boils down to what kind of relationship you want from them going forward.
    via u/SilentJoe1986
  • 20
    GardenSafe8519 • 12h ago I'd go over to Grandma's and have a sit down talk with her alone. I'd tell her "Grandma, some of the family is telling me I'm taking advantage of you because of your memory
    via u/GardenSafe8519
  • 21
    loss. Is it true grandma? Are you having trouble remembering things? Because you clearly remember giving me the ring in order to call me and ask for it back. I felt so connected to you when you gave me the ring and it was such a beautiful, emotional
    via u/GardenSafe8519
  • 22
    moment. And just because I'm not married now doesn't mean that I won't get married in the future. You gave me this ring because you said I believe in "real love", now all of a sudden cousin (name) is getting married you want me to give you the ring to give to her."
    via u/GardenSafe8519
  • 23
    Then I'd take the ring off and set it on the table and tell her how disappointed I am that now I have no connection to her anymore and walk away. And then go LC/NC.
    via u/GardenSafe8519
  • 24
    The ring and all the memories of the day she gave it to you are now tarnished. I wouldn't be able to wear the ring or look at it knowing grandma could do such a thing.
    via u/GardenSafe8519

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family drama wedding ring drama family feud relationships lol love family reddit thread Reddit grandmother funny money dating
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