April Fool’s is a weird holiday.

We don’t really celebrate so much as we brace for it.

And with the endless streams of nonsense hitting our feeds on all regular days now, it can be hard to tell who’s even joking anymore.

So you get situations like this one, where something that isn’t a joke could easily be mistaken for a joke.

Keep reading for all the details.

AITA for charging an “entry fee” for a family dinner on April 1st, leading my aunt to think it was an April Fool’s joke?

I (26F) am the go-to host for family dinners, and I usually enjoy it.

But my aunt (55F) has a frustrating habit: she shows up uninvited with extra guests like friends or random relatives without telling me.

It’s happened too many times, leaving me to stretch food and space on the spot.

I’ve asked her nicely to give me a heads-up, but she just says, “Family should be spontaneous,” and ignores me.

But here’s the 411 on 4/1.

With today being March 31st, I’m hosting a family dinner tomorrow, April 1st, for my parents’ anniversary.

Knowing my aunt will likely crash it with extras, I decided to try something new.

Last week, I sent a group message saying that because hosting costs keep rising (and the guest list keeps growing), I’m asking each adult to chip in $10 to cover expenses.

I figured this was a fair way to handle it without pointing fingers.

It’s all hypothetical for now, but…

Tomorrow’s the big day, but I can already picture it: my aunt will roll up with three unannounced friends.

When I ask for the $10 contributions at the door, she’ll probably laugh and say, “Oh, great April Fool’s joke!”

I’ll have to explain it’s not a prank and that it’s about respect and planning, especially since she keeps doing this.

I’m betting she’ll get mad, call me “stingy,” and storm off, which has happened before when I’ve set boundaries.

Apparently this is a real problem.

The family’s already split.

Some think I should let it slide since it’s a special occasion (and tomorrow’s April Fool’s Day might confuse things), while others say I’m right to stand my ground.

I’m worried my aunt will spin it as me pulling a “mean prank” if she takes it the wrong way.

I don’t like the idea of entry fee for a family get together, and starting this tradition on April Fool’s Day definitely sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Let’s see what the comments say on Reddit:

Maybe it’s some simple math:

Or a matter of clear communication:

Malicious compliance, anyone?

Sounds like a party I don’t even wanna be around, tbh.

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.