Christmas is a special time of the year that brings families together. It is a time when loved ones gather to celebrate, exchange gifts and create new memories. But what if someone gives you a suggestive gift or you think they did?
A Redditor took to the forum and asked, “Am I wrong for buying my wife a Roomba for Christmas?”
Backstory:
The Original Poster (OP) and his wife have two children, a 15-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son. Since the birth of their second child, OP’s wife has been a stay-at-home mom.
The OP, who is 46 years old, works full-time and earns a six-figure salary. Their job is highly stressful and requires them to travel frequently, with most nights spent sleeping in hotels.
On average, OP only gets to see his family every second weekend. Despite their heavy workload, OP is content to work hard to provide a comfortable life for his family.
Last year, OP had decided to buy his wife a Roomba for Christmas. Since his wife tended to be the one who vacuumed the house, OP presumed that his wife would appreciate that gift as it would free her from this chore.
What Happened Next?
As she unpacked the present, she was heavily offended and did not hesitate to show it, which made the whole situation quite uncomfortable as OP’s parents and other members of the family were also present. She argued that the gift should not be a present directed at her but at the whole family, as it is the entire family’s responsibility to clean up the house.
Since OP was working and he was the sole source of income in the family and she was a stay at home mother, OP thought it was apparent that she should take on responsibilities such as taking care of the kids and maintaining the house. The gift was intended to somewhat relieve her of that burden.
OP said, personally, he would have loved to have received a Christmas gift that would have somehow made it possible for him to spend less time working. As cheesy as it sounds, OP thought that time was one of the most precious gifts and that Roomba would have definitely bought some time for her – time that she could use to do whatever she pleased instead of vacuuming.
OP asked his wife numerous times before Christmas last year what she would have liked to receive and she repeatedly told him that she does not want anything. OP was left to guess and chose the most practical gift that he was certain she could be able to make use of.
Unfortunately, one year later, this still often gets brought up during arguments, often coupled with her crying. OP asks, “Am I wrong in this situation?”
Was OP correct to think a Roomba is a good gift? Was it inappropriate for OP’s wife to be offended? How would you have reacted in this situation?