My husband and I gave our granddaughter, Eloise, a wedding gift from her registry and a $40,000 check the day before her wedding, following a family tradition. We always buy a small, useful item from the registry and then give a larger cash gift to help with a home. However, when Eloise received the air fryer we sent, the cheapest item on her list, she called us furious, accusing us of being cheap and embarrassing her.
I tried to explain the tradition, but she became even angrier, claiming we didn’t love her enough. Eventually, we chose not to give her the $40,000 after her disrespectful reaction, hoping she’d understand the importance of love over material things. Weeks later, Eloise discovered the truth about the money and accused us of discrimination, wanting the gift anyway. We stood firm, explaining it wasn’t about the air fryer but how she spoke to us.
Despite her apology and pleas, we feel her reaction was unwarranted, especially since we’ve already supported her financially. We hope she reflects on this and understands why we made our decision. Eloise is now boycotting Christmas, and her mother is siding with her, but we stand by our choice. We love her, but respect and family values come first, and we hope for healing in the future.