Grandma Banned From Giving Christmas Gifts After Hiding 3-Year-Old’s Santa Toy

One family has taken the dramatic step of banning a grandmother from gift-giving after her competitive behavior soured the holidays. According to a story shared on Reddit, the breaking point wasn't just bad gifts—it was when she was caught hiding her 3-year-old grandson's favorite toy from Santa out of pure jealousy.

A Pattern of Competitive Gifting

The mother-in-law's approach to Christmas was reportedly less about generosity and more about control. For years, she demanded detailed gift lists from the family, only to completely ignore them in favor of what she believed they should want. Her signature move, according to the post, was 'latching' onto an idea, which resulted in the family receiving new towels for six consecutive Christmases.

While annoying for the adults, this behavior crossed a serious line when it began to negatively affect their young son.

The Final Straw: Hiding the Santa Toy

The 'war on Christmas' began when the 3-year-old grandson was overjoyed with a new toy from Santa. The grandmother, apparently jealous of a fictional character, tried to force her own gifts on the boy. When that failed, she was caught literally hiding the Santa toy so he would be forced to play with what she had brought.

The damage was evident the following year. The boy, now four, was seen proactively hiding his new toys before his grandmother arrived, fearing that 'Gramma will take them away.' Instead of showing remorse, the mother-in-law complained that her grandson wasn't 'excited enough' about her gifts.

Setting a Boundary to Save Christmas

Having seen the magic of Christmas being destroyed for their son, the parents put their foot down. At Thanksgiving, they calmly informed her of a new rule: no more gifts. The mother-in-law reportedly 'lost it,' accusing them of 'ruining her few Christmases left' and initiating the silent treatment.

Experts suggest this behavior aligns with 'narcissistic gift-giving.' According to a study from NYIT, a narcissist’s gift is more about their own happiness than the recipient’s. It can be a tool to show off, assert dominance, or compete for attention. This also fits the 'Competitive Grandparent' archetype identified by Parents.com, where a grandparent views their relationship with grandchildren as a contest.