I Took Revenge On My SIL For Her Disrespectful Gifts And I’m Not Ashamed

Generally, we should all avoid unnecessary family drama, but when it comes to difficult relatives, we sometimes have to take some measures. In this Reddit user’s case, this meant settling the score with her in-laws, in a sneaky... and hilarious way.

“I chose to get even with my ungrateful SIL in the most hilarious way.”

For years, my loaded SIL gifted us nothing but Goodwill rejects, never once thanking me for my thoughtful presents. Now, this woman lives the high life — she’s a paralegal sitting on a trust fund, while my BIL proudly brags about scamming his disability benefits to pay for their mortgage. They’re rolling in money and every holiday, my SIL struts around with her latest designer bags.

“I even gave my rude SIL a not-so-subtle nudge.”

I even tried gifting my sister-in-law sets of thank-you cards—complete with stamps—as a not-so-subtle hint. She never got it. I was beyond frustrated. It became painfully clear that she either didn’t care or just felt entitled to my generosity without feeling the need to reciprocate.

“The gifts I got in return hardly qualified as thoughtful... or even useful.”

While I put time and thought into every holiday gift, my in-laws treated the exchange like an opportunity to clear out their junk drawer. What did we get in return? Literal garbage. Lowsy stuff from Goodwill —puzzles with missing pieces and tacky Disney knick-knacks. And let’s not forget, these are people who own multiple luxury cars and designer bags.

My in-laws were showing off their wealth, yet when it came to gift-giving, they couldn’t be bothered to put in the slightest effort. It was never about the money—it was about respect. But I’m not one for confrontation. Instead, I prefered a little playful mischief.

“So I used my little nephew and his attitude to my advantage.”

To get my revenge on my flashy relatives, I relied on my nephew: a sweet but spoiled little boy who had no clue about gratitude, just like his mother.

So this year, I bought the loudest and most obnoxious toy I could find for her son. I bought a popping toy, and made sure to send it last the perfect moment.

When the holidays came around, I wrapped the gift with the same care I always did and sent it off, strategically deciding to skip the family gathering that year.

“The sweet aftermath was more than I could have hoped for.”

The best part? I didn’t even have to be there to witness the chaos. My mother-in-law was more than happy to fill me in. Apparently, my plan worked even better than I’d hoped. My nephew was obsessed with the toy, refusing to put it down, and drove everyone up the wall.

My sister-in-law’s parents—who usually loved to hang around and bask in their daughter’s wealth—were so annoyed by the noise that they left after just a few minutes. When my mother-in-law told me everything, I couldn’t stop laughing. My message was loud and clear—literally—and I didn’t have to say a word.

Other Reddit shared their own clever comeback gift stories.

One user wrote: “I once gave my ex-husband’s niece a recorder and how to play songs from frozen on a recorder book and a kids nail polish set for Christmas after his sister was incredibly rude to me. Best Christmas gift I ever bought.”

Another one shared a similar revenge story: “My brother tormented me as a kid. When I was an adult I managed to get my revenge. One Christmas my nephew received an electric drum kit and my niece an Electronic Guitar. The following year I got them each an Electric Keyboard. The final year a Giant Piano Mat.”

Another user chimed in: "Loud toys are one thing but if you REALLY want to mess with someone... you get the kids gifts that require constant supervision and vigilance: Anything with glitter, Jewelry making sets, Kinetic Sand. Anything that if you turn your back you’re spending more time cleaning it up than the kids did playing with it.

Up for some more in-laws drama? Check out this story from another Reddit user, who claimed her in-laws’ behavior was too intrusive.