December 25, 2025 at 7:55 am

Young Man Didn’t Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

by Heide Lazaro

Teenager boy sitting on the couch and using his phone

Pexels/Reddit

Family holiday plans don’t always go as smoothly as they should.

This family was planning to get their Christmas tree at a location that’s an hour’s drive away.

This young man, however, didn’t want to join them, so he made an excuse that he wasn’t feeling well.

Not long after, he was blamed for “ruining” their family Christmas experience.

Read the full story below to find out more.

AITA for “ruining a nice family Christmas experience” by not getting a Christmas tree because I was exhausted?

I (17M) have 3 brothers, 21, 16, and 17.

My family planned to get a Christmas tree tomorrow an hour away.

I was surprised when this morning my father told me we would be getting it today.

I wasn’t prepared or in the mood to go and needed to relax for a while.

This young man told his mom he wouldn’t go with them.

I told my father I wasn’t feeling great with a bad stomach.

I mentioned I was exhausted from the previous long night in the city.

He insisted I went.

An hour later, when the whole family was in the car, my mother called me.

She asked if I was going or not, and I told her no. She told me it was fine.

They came back and blamed him for “ruining” their family Christmas experience.

Then five minutes later, they came back into the house screaming at each other.

I then got a text from my mother saying:

“Thanks for ruining a nice family Christmas experience. Hope you are happy.”

This was backed up by my father taking my driving privileges until the end of the year.

Now, he’s wondering if he really was the jerk.

He screamed for an hour.

Apparently, my brothers were complaining that if I wasn’t going, why should they.

Sorry for the rambling.

AITA, and did I ruin the experience?

Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.

This user makes a valid point.

Screenshot 2025 12 06 at 1.44.50 PM Young Man Didnt Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

This one makes sense, too.

Screenshot 2025 12 06 at 1.45.06 PM Young Man Didnt Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

Their kids have grown up, says this one.

Screenshot 2025 12 06 at 1.45.26 PM Young Man Didnt Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

Yes, indeed.

Screenshot 2025 12 06 at 1.46.35 PM Young Man Didnt Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

Finally, people are saying it’s not the kids’ fault.

Screenshot 2025 12 06 at 1.48.10 PM Young Man Didnt Want To Go With His Family To Get Their Christmas Tree, So He Got Blamed For “Ruining” The Entire Family Experience

Nothing says “holiday cheer” like getting yelled at before the tree arrives.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.