Mom Says Her In-Laws Aren’t ‘Respecting Her Boundaries’ By Giving Her Kids Easter Baskets — ‘Baskets Should Come From Mom, Not Grandparents’
“I just don’t think that a gift given instead of getting to know my kids is loving them."
Yuganov Konstantin / Shutterstock A woman accused her in-laws of “steamrolling” her Easter holiday by presenting her children with their own Easter baskets filled with toys and treats.
While some people may view the Easter baskets as a nice gesture, the mother argued that her in-laws crossed a line and that parents should be the only ones to give their children gifts on Easter.
The mother claimed that her in-laws are ‘disrespecting her boundaries’ by giving her children Easter baskets.
Rachel Gist took to TikTok to vent her frustrations about grandparents giving their grandchildren Easter baskets.
“I’m really curious about other people’s stances on this,” she said. “Me personally, I’m not a fan [of grandparents giving their grandchildren Easter baskets].”
Gist encouraged viewers to hear her out before judging.
She claimed she had been “blessed” with extended family who did not respect her personal boundaries. “They have steamrolled over every major event in our life,” she said. As such, she wanted Easter baskets to be an exclusive tradition of hers.
While she acknowledged that some people might not agree with her, Gist believes it should be between parents and their children — at least in her family.
“I’ve been very nice, so just let me give my kid the chocolate bunny!” she said.
“If I had extended family that respected boundaries and just let me grow up and be an adult and do adult things, I would have no problem welcoming their Easter baskets with open arms.”
Some people agreed with Rachel’s Easter basket stance.
It seems hard to believe, but there were actually commenters who agreed with Gist.
Photo: noblige / Canva Pro
“Agree. It’s an amazing thing to do for your grandkid if the relationship with the parent is good. But, when the relationship is bad, something like this can be death by 1,000 bricks,” one TikTok user commented.
“It’s about respect. Giving your grandkids an Easter basket when the parents should be the ones doing it is just weird,” another user wrote.
However, many people believed there was no harm in grandparents gifting their grandchildren Easter baskets.
“My kids get baskets from each set of grandparents. Don’t be difficult, just be grateful,” one user encouraged.
“As someone who has absolutely nobody doing a single thing for my child other than me I would be so happy to have someone who cared about her,” another user wrote.
“It didn’t take anything from my mom for my grandma to give me a gift. I don’t really get the idea that including your family somehow excludes you,” another user shared.
Others were concerned about why Gist wanted her children to receive love only from their parents and not from their extended family members.
In a follow-up video, Gist delved into why she strongly discouraged her in-laws from giving her children Easter baskets.
“I absolutely don’t want my kids to only receive love from my husband and me, but I also don't want them to receive fake love either,” she said.
She claimed that her in-laws have largely been absent from her children’s lives, and when they do show up, it is rather intrusive.
“They literally show up, hand the basket over… and leave and don’t call again for months,” Gist said.
Gist also explained why giving her children Easter baskets herself is so important for her and their relationship.
“One of my kids is autistic, and he’s gonna love any Easter basket you give him, but you’re really only going to get the wow factor from the first one that you get,” she said.
Since her in-laws give the kids Easter baskets a few days before Easter, by the time the holiday rolls around, the novelty has worn off, and her son, who has autism, isn’t interested in the basket Gist gives him.
“I really don’t care that they [my in-laws] want to buy my kids things, but the fact that they want so much to take that moment away from me is [expletive] weird.”
Every family will have different dynamics and expectations regarding gift-giving.
Whether it's appropriate for grandparents to give their grandkids Easter baskets largely depends on family traditions, cultural norms, and personal preferences.
In many families, it's a common and cherished tradition for grandparents to give Easter baskets to their grandchildren as a gesture of love and celebration during the holiday.
However, some may have different cultural or religious practices surrounding Easter and may not want their children to receive baskets.
Some may want to limit the number of sugary treats their children receive.
Photo: GmbH / Canva Pro
And some, like Gist, may not have the best relationships with their extended families and do not want their children getting gifts from them.
Ultimately, as long as the gesture is made with love and consideration for the family's values and preferences, giving Easter baskets can be a meaningful way for grandparents to connect with their grandchildren and celebrate the holiday together.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.