In a viral post shared on Reddit’s Am I The A**hole group, user speedofaturtle explained they typically spend between $150 and $200 on their nephew and nieces.
According to U.K.-based discount website Voucher Cloud, an average birthday party in the country costs $348.59, with a further $191.07 spent on birthday gifts.
The Reddit user, 33, added their sister-in-law Hannah, 34, had invited people over to celebrate her son William’s first birthday, but that she shared a cheeky request with guests.
In an email shared to friends and family, Hannah said: “We look forward to having you at William’s first birthday. Some of you are asking what you can buy for him.
“What he really needs is a new deck to play on in our backyard. Therefore, we ask that everyone donate funds towards that goal, rather than physical gifts.
“The deck will cost a total of $10,000 and we anticipate that 35 of you will be attending. Please give as you’re able. William will be so excited by this addition to his outdoor space.”
The Reddit user said the request “sat weird with me” and that they instead decided to buy a $200 new train table for William instead after she noticed he “fell in love” with one at their house.
They continued: “Hannah noticed the large box at the party among a pile of cards filled with money. She asked who brought it and my husband (her brother) said ‘we did.’
“She said ‘I specifically sent an email after getting your text. Did you not read it?’ [My] husband told her to take it up with me. Later on, she told me she was really frustrated and disappointed in me because she expected we would be contributing the most to the deck, as we have more money than the other family members.
“I said we wanted to get something just for William. Hannah scowled and told the rest of the family that I was using her son’s birthday to grandstand and make them look bad. [The] rest of the family is split on it.”
The post has been upvoted some 7,600 times since being shared on Wednesday, September 28.
An overwhelming majority of posters believed Hannah had been out of line and even “tacky” to try and use a child’s birthday party to get more money out of people.
One Reddit user, whose comment was upvoted some 12,400 times, said: “She made herself look bad by requesting that her family finance essentially an addition to her home instead of buying a one-year-old child some toys and outfits.”
Another added: “She didn’t need OP’s help in looking bad, she did that all on her own. I can imagine her deciding to have another child based on the additional family donations it would bring in.”
While a third person posted: “It seems incredibly tacky to use a child’s birthday party as an opportunity to get a free deck.”
Newsweek has contacted speedofaturtle for comment.
