Man 'withholds' Christmas gifts after family pranks him and GF with fart spray and socks.

When you tell someone you don't want them to do something, they decide to do it anyway, and then call you dramatic for being annoyed? Well, that is a clear lack of respect, there's no way around it.

In a popular post on the AITA subreddit, a man asked if he was wrong for withholding presents from his family after they pulled a prank on him and his girlfriend. He wrote:

"AITA for still withholding all of the presents I bought for the family because of their pranks?"

Okay, in the past couple of years, I started making good enough that I bought a house, and I still have plenty after the monthly bills. My family have all been pranksters and at times entitled, my whole life. But Christmas Eve they took the cake. I was NC with them for years. But they convinced me to reconnect after I moved closer.

For gifts, I got them all good stuff. Like tablets for the kids with built in DVD players. Sports memorabilia and camping stuff for my dad, brother and uncle. Specific antiques, jewelry and appliances for my mom, SIL and aunt. I brought my girlfriend with me, as what little family she has is horrid. So she was delighted to spend Christmas Eve with my family. Everything was going smoothly.

And I warned my family, no pranks on me or my girlfriend. AT ALL! They swore none would happen. But they could not resist. We got attacked by silly string from multiple fronts. That stuff reeks and gets everywhere. Somehow we powered through that. But then came the gifts. I wasn't expecting much. But none of them even tried.

I got dollar store cooking utensils, a pair of insanely ugly holiday socks that I confirmed were also dollar store, and a pink hat. And that was just from my parents. They all kept snickering and recording me as I unwrapped random junk. One being a used mirror to a car I no longer own. And the one gift there to my girlfriend was a bottle of fart spray. I told them I'd had enough, and they'd agreed to no pranks.

Long story short, they weren't just gag gifts. They were the only presents there for us. I had enough and just started gathering up all the presents I'd brought. They all freaked out and demanded I give them back. I told them all that they didn't change one bit. And they could kiss all of that stuff goodbye. We bagged everything and stormed out.

The family keep calling and messaging me that I'm being greedy, I couldn't take a joke, couldn't think of anything to get me, the kids are crying. I don't need to go on. AITA? I've refused to return any of the presents.

Redditors jumped on with their thoughts.

Successful_Bath1200 wrote:

NTA. It's not like you didn't warn them. Time to go NC with them again. Anything you can't return to the shop it came from to get your money back or that you can't use yourself, give to a charity and tell them that's what you did!

Aruu wrote:

NTA. What is wrong with your family? A prank is only funny if appreciated by everyone involved and you warned them that you didn't want to partake in anything like that. Furthermore, how is it funny to get a loved one awful gifts without a genuine present at the end? Your family aren't pulling pranks, they're just being AHs.

You did the right thing by taking away their presents and while there's not much hope for the "adults" involved, maybe the kids might learn a valuable lesson about f#$king around and finding out. Not that they're to blame in all of this, but a point must be made.

Erickajade1 wrote:

You're NTA. I'm sorry your family has always treated you like this. You went NC & they reached out and lied to you and then still treated you like a joke. I'd feel just as disrespected as you and I wouldn't want to deal with it either. NGL I feel a little bit bad that the kids had to suffer because of the adults in your family, but that's not on you.

Inevitable-Rhubarb11 wrote:

You gave them another chance and were clear about your expectations and they did this, a time when they could have made amends. This would be so upsetting on so many levels! NTA and although I'm sure it's really painful, you can now leave these people in your past if you choose to.

You've done everything you can. It's tough that the kids missed out on their presents but that's the other adults' fault and they can deal with the fallout.

OP is NTA, he deserves a family that respects his boundaries and treats him with love.