Am I Wrong for Testing My Mother-in-Law on Christmas?

I entered my mother-in-law Diane’s mansion with two Christmas gifts and one mission: to see which she valued more—the heartfelt or the luxurious.

I met Richard in a chaotic elevator moment that led to love and a quiet wedding by a lake, just the two of us. Diane, however, wasn’t impressed, dismissing our elopement as “cheap.” Despite her disdain, I stayed open-minded as we visited her for Christmas.

I brought two gifts: a hand-painted stone of her cat and a sleek Gucci bag. Diane dismissed the stone as “folksy,” suggesting it belong near the cat’s water fountain. Her gift to me? A $20 movie theater card—practical but underwhelming.

When I presented the Gucci bag, Diane’s demeanor shifted, her eyes alight with greed. She questioned its authenticity and insinuated I’d used Richard’s money. But Richard defended me, confronting her superficiality and lack of respect.

Silence followed, heavy and revealing. Diane clung to the Gucci bag but left the heartfelt stone untouched—a clear symbol of what truly mattered to her.