‘My mum is cancelling Christmas this year as I won’t spend hundreds on her presents’

A woman has been left fuming after her mum threatened to cancel their Christmas plans this year because she refuses to break the bank when it comes to her present budget

For most of us, Christmas is about spending time with our loved ones, and while it’s become a tradition for some to buy presents for people to open on the big day, that shouldn’t be a requirement for a good festive season.

However, one woman has claimed her mum has a very different opinion when it comes to Christmas presents, as she’s told her daughter she won’t be coming to spend Christmas Day with her unless she agreed to spend at least £200 on gifts for her.

The woman explained she has already spent over £100 on a trip to the pantomime for herself, her mum, and her seven-year-old daughter, but her mum is still complaining about her gift budget and doesn’t think it’s good enough.

In a post on Mumsnet, she wrote: “Back in September I mentioned to my mum that my daughter has pointed out she wanted to go to the pantomime and showed me the specific show she wanted to go to.

“My daughter has never been to the theatre before as it was cancelled last year, and I didn’t have the money before then as I wasn’t working.

“Mum said she wanted to go too but couldn’t afford her own ticket, so I offered to get it her as her Christmas present. But I said that if I did, she’d only get a small present from me to open on Christmas day as the ticket cost is above my usual budget to spend on her. She said this was fine.”

And although the woman outlined the gift situation before spending £120 on the panto, her mum still took it upon herself to hint at what other presents she might be getting once the show was over – leaving the woman to remind her that she’d already received her main present in the form of the show tickets.

To make matters worse, the woman claimed she never gets presents from her mum as she doesn’t work, but she’s still expected to spend hundreds of her own cash on her parent.

She added: “We went to the panto last weekend and had a lovely time. I paid for everything, drove there, paid for parking, and bought drinks and a programme each at the theatre. All in the trip cost me about £120.

“Today I’ve seen my mum. She said she’s really looking forward to opening all her presents from me, I reminded her that as I’d paid for us to go to the panto, she would have one small present from under £10.”

The mum then told her daughter she was “disappointed” in her for not spending more money and even threatened to not visit on Christmas Day – but said she would for the sake of her granddaughter.

The woman wrote: “She’s since texted me that she’s disappointed in me and considered not seeing me on Christmas Day but has decided for my daughter’s sake she’ll see me.

“She says she knows I spend upwards of £200 on my daughter, which I have this year because I’ve bought her something she’s been asking for but I’ve never been able to afford it before now. Usually, I limit my daughter’s gifts to £70-100.”

And commenters on Mumsnet can’t believe the mum’s cheek – as many of them told the poster to take her up on her offer to not visit.

One person said: “She sounds very manipulative. Definitely stick with just you and your daughter. What a nerve to complain about what you are spending when she won’t even be getting you a gift!”

While another added: “I would be taking her up on her offer and not seeing her on Christmas Day.”

And a third posted: “I wouldn’t get her as anything if I were you, you’ve paid for the trip, she doesn’t get for you and you’re having her over on the day, you’ve done your bit.”

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