When 'Family Only' Backfires: How One Grandma Turned Holiday Pettiness into Petty Revenge Gold
If you’ve ever spent the holidays navigating the prickly maze of blended families, exes, and new in-laws, you know the season sometimes brings more drama than fruitcake. But one Redditor’s holiday tale proves that with a dash of pettiness and a sprinkle of savvy, you can turn even the most Grinch-worthy situation into a moment of pure, satisfying revenge.
This is the story of a petting zoo, a golden ticket, and a grandma who refused to let last-minute family snubs steal her Christmas joy.
The Setup: A Petting Zoo Holiday Spectacular
Our narrator, a self-proclaimed “Grinch” (though we beg to differ), is a 49-year-old grandmother who, along with her husband, has gone above and beyond to keep the peace with her son’s ex, Anna, and Anna’s new partner, David. The plan? An all-invited, all-inclusive family trip to a twinkling nighttime event at the local petting zoo, complete with mini horse sleighs, carolers, and a chuck wagon dinner. Grandpa even splurged on VIP tickets for everyone—no small feat when you’re wrangling adults, children, and a dash of holiday chaos.
Enter Anna, who—just two hours before the event—calls with a curveball: after conferring with David’s mother (her new mother-in-law), she announces they’ll be attending their own “family only” festivities, and oh by the way, they’re also revamping all of five-year-old Crystal’s Christmas gift guidelines. No robot dinosaurs, no art supplies—just clothes, jewelry, and American Girl dolls (which, notably, Crystal never asked for).
The Petty Revenge: Tickets, Please!
Understandably annoyed, our Grinchy grandma confers with her husband and son. They decide to soldier on with their original plan—and then, in a move worthy of the Petty Olympics, they turn the unused tickets into a random act of holiday kindness for strangers. When they arrive at the petting zoo, they instruct the staff to gift the other two VIP tickets to the next couple with kids who show up without passes. Imagine the joy for those lucky recipients!
Meanwhile, Anna calls in a fury when she and her new family discover they have no tickets waiting for them. They’d assumed the original hosts would just hand everything over so Anna, David, his mom, and her date could enjoy a free night on someone else’s dime. Grandma calmly offers to bring Crystal in (since, after all, she is “family”), but Anna’s group opts to pay full price—double what the original tickets cost—and still misses out on the perks of VIP. The cherry on top? Crystal spends the evening enjoying all the best parts of the event with her dad and grandparents, while Anna and crew leave early, unwilling to shell out for dinner.
Holiday Drama: The Gift That Keeps on Giving
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the artistry here. Was it petty? Absolutely. Was it justified? Reader, that’s for you to decide. But let’s be honest: nothing says “Merry Christmas” quite like turning a last-minute snub into a small win for yourself—and a big win for a random family who gets to skip the general admission line.
There’s also a deeper lesson here about boundaries and generosity. Grandma and Grandpa bent over backwards to make everyone feel included, only to get ghosted at the eleventh hour for a supposed “family only” gathering that, in the end, wasn’t even that exclusive. The kicker? Anna tries to guilt-trip Grandma, declaring she “ruined” her gift for her new mother-in-law. (We’re guessing the true spirit of the season got lost somewhere between the American Girl wishlist and the ticket booth.)
Why This Story Resonates
If you’ve ever felt like the odd one out during family festivities—or watched your thoughtful plans get derailed by someone else’s last-minute whims—you’ll find a little catharsis in this tale. Our Grinchy grandma didn’t stoop to outright meanness; she simply took the lemons she was handed and made a batch of sweet, lightly salted lemonade. Sometimes, the best revenge is living well—and making sure someone else gets to enjoy it, too.
What Would You Do?
So, what’s your take: was this justified pettiness or an over-the-top Grinch move? Have you ever been caught in the crossfire of holiday family drama? Drop your own stories—or your best petty revenge ideas—in the comments below. After all, tis the season for sharing… and a little bit of shade.
Happy Holidays, and may your plans be drama-free (or at least, more entertaining than stressful)!
Original Reddit Post: I'm a Grinch and I'm not sorry