There are just so many unseen pitfalls that come part and parcel with becoming part of a spouse or partner’s family – even if it’s just for the holidays.

It can be hard to know how to react or what’s expected, right?

OP’s mother-in-law accidentally gave a couple of her gifts to OP’s niece instead.

So I just found out that I was “missing ” two Christmas gifts from family Christmas Eve party from MIL. She called asking me about them. My thank you note did not mention these items.

Well I didn’t receive them.

MIL is shocked and sure that I did, just check your closet. Um I know what’s in my closet I didn’t get a jacket or a sweater. She is shocked. She wants to throw the receipt away but now we don’t know where the items are.

This conversation goes round and round. Although I felt like she didn’t believe me, we ended the conversation with her saying she would get to the bottom of it.

She got to the bottom alright. Several calls later she finds out her niece received the items on Christmas Eve. Oh ok.

She had worn the items already (and torn one of them).

And she’ll get them back. Ummm ok.

Several more calls later. Niece has the items. Niece let her daughter wear them on vacation and the jacket is torn from an escalator mishap and we don’t know where the sweater is.

MIL wants the jacket back so she can wash it and give it to me.

OP said she didn’t want them and the niece could keep them.

She’s determined to find the sweater to give to me. Now…. I said I have no problem whatsoever if niece wants to keep, come to find out niece loved the jacket.

Torn or not she thought it was hers.

I didn’t know anything about these gifts and would be fine and ok with niece keeping them.

And I don’t have a problem with it at all.

This seems to be the wrong answer, but she can’t see why.

Truth is now I don’t want them, at all. AITA for not wanting these things now?

My husband says I’M being unreasonable! Me!

What did I do?

Can Reddit help? Let’s find out!

The top comment says sometimes you’ve just got to get out of people’s way.

This person agrees that this is too much drama.

They think the whole situation is more than a bit strange.

The MIL should be more respectful of OP’s wishes, though.

This commenter wonders if a quick fix could work.

Such small things that can turn into big things, right?

If it’s not your family, it’s probably best to just keep your head down.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.