Christmas gift miscommunications are a tradition older than wrapping paper itself, but few hit quite like this one.

After years of producing award-winning video work and using high-end professional cameras through his school’s broadcasting program, this high schooler had a very specific gift in mind for Christmas. He told his parents he was saving up for a real camera, and he was clear about what it would take to make it happen.

But instead of honoring his wishes, his parents responded by buying him a beginner photography camera — pretty much the exact opposite of what he asked for.

The student tried to be gracious about it at first, but eventually just had to be honest. So when he told his parents how he really felt, the reaction wasn’t pretty.

Now he’s juggling guilt, gratitude, and a camera he doesn’t know what to do with.

Read on for the full story.

AITAH for not being grateful for a camera I didn’t ask for?

I am a 17 year old male, and for at least 5 years I’ve worked with cameras.

Through my school’s broadcasting program, I have been able to produce several great videos (some even award winning).

He’s lucky to be able to nurture this talent with some considerable resources from his school.

That is to say I am not a novice by any means, and I’m planning on pursuing this as a career.

The last piece of important information is that my school’s broadcasting program is very wealthy and during the school year I have access to high end professional cameras such as the Canon R6.

So for Christmas, he knew exactly what he wanted.

That brings me to Christmas time. I had wanted to be able to produce my own projects OUTSIDE of school. The cameras are great but stay at school with the exception of a few short overnight stints for school related projects.

So when I knew that I was going to invest in a camera for myself, I figured that if I was going to get any camera — it’d be on par with the school equipment.

Now if you know cameras, the one that my heart instantly locked onto is thousands of dollars.

He’s well aware of the costs and he’s more than happy to chip in some of his own money — whatever it took.

I was not about to have my parents buy me this camera, but I did make it known that I’d like to save up for a camera and if they would be willing to gift me some of the cash to go towards it that would be great.

His parents, however, chose not to honor his wishes.

My parents did not like that idea because they thought I’d be better suited with a beginner camera that I could learn with.

Thus on Christmas Day I was gifted with the Rebel T-7.

This wasn’t what he wanted or needed at all.

A great entry level photography camera, but I needed neither an entry level OR photography camera.

I did my best to seem grateful and to some degree I was, but after a couple days (and my sister whom they put in charge of researching the camera leaving) I made it known that while I appreciate the effort, I was not very happy with the fact that they pretty much disregarded all of my work and got me an entry level camera and that I would be remaining with my plan to save up for a camera — I had gotten a job to fund it, again any money from them would’ve been a little bonus to accelerate the process.

Now his parents flipped the “guilt trip” switch on him.

My parents got initially mad at me, and any family I’ve talked to says I need to be grateful.

But to me what is there to be grateful for?

He asserts that they willfully went against his wishes.

They essentially wasted money on something I didn’t want, and then got upset with me for still not wanting it?

Now I have used the Rebel for a few photography gigs because I do want it to at least have been used, but between the camera and the lens, it is not the camera I NEEDED.

Am I the AH for not liking a gift I didn’t ask for?

Sounds like this teenager was shouting loud and clear what he needed from the very start.

What did Reddit have to say?

This redditor reminds everyone that two things can be true at the same time.

His parents shouldn’t expect him to jump up and down with joy over a gift he doesn’t even want.

This parent takes a different approach with his grown children’s gifts.

These parents clearly thought they knew better than their son.

There’s something especially frustrating about being told what’s good for you by people who clearly didn’t listen the first time.

This teen laid out exactly what he wanted, why he wanted it, and how he was going to fund most of it himself.

But ultimately his parents went their own direction, then handed him a camera that doesn’t even match the work he does.

So turning around and acting hurt when the teen gently pointed out his disappointment is wild behavior. Parents who insist on overriding their kid’s plans don’t get to be shocked when the kid notices.

Gift-giving works best when you actually listen to the person you’re shopping for. Shocker.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a woman whose family says they support her art career, but they still don’t want to pay her for product.