I didn't attend my family Christmas gathering because I can't afford the $250 white elephant gift. скачать в хорошем качестве

I didn't attend my family Christmas gathering because I can't afford the $250 white elephant gift.

I didn't attend my family Christmas gathering because I can't afford the $250 white elephant gift. My family turned our Christmas white elephant exchange into a $250 minimum event. Not a gift for someone I love. Not something meaningful. Just a random gift anyone could walk away with. And that’s on top of buying presents for every single family member. Total cost? Almost $500 just to show up. I tried explaining that I had medical bills, car repairs, and rising rent. Their solution? “Put it on a credit card.” “Budget better.” “Everyone else is making it work.” Apparently, “family is more important than money”… unless you can’t afford the price of admission. They told me I could still come and just sit there without participating. Watch everyone else open expensive gifts while I sit empty-handed like the “broke” relative. So I made a choice. I didn’t go. Was I selfish for protecting my finances… or is Christmas not supposed to come with a $500 entry fee?