Birthdays are always meant to be celebrated, but especially for kids, these are some of the most exciting days of the year. Friends and loved ones gather round to play your favorite games, eat a delicious slice of your favorite cake, and of course, there’s always some gift-giving involved. 

But when one man realized that his sister-in-law was sneakily swapping name tags on his nephew’s presents, he decided that it was time to teach her a lesson. Below, you’ll find the full story that this uncle recently shared on Reddit, detailing how he managed to give his nephew the perfect gift and get petty revenge on his mother.

This uncle was excited to give his nephew the perfect gift for his birthday

Image credits: gaysorn1442 / envato (not the actual photo)

But first, he had to make sure that his sister-in-law wasn’t able to take credit for it

Image credits: StudioVK / envato (not the actual photo)

Later, the man clarified how their sister-in-law was able to get away with swapping name tags for so long

Image credits: Frugal-Voyager

A child’s birthday is typically the most exciting day of the year for them

To learn more about this situation, we reached out to the uncle who shared this post, Reddit user Frugal-Voyager. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and explain what inspired him to share this story online. “I’ve always been a person who loves to share experiences with like-minded people,” he noted. “So, to share my story with the people of r/PettyRevenge was a no brainer.”

The OP also told us that he has not spoken to his sister-in-law about the incident, as he doesn’t want to escalate any tension between the two of them. “I’m fine with her knowing it was me though!” he added. As to whether or not the mother learned her lesson, Frugal-Voyager says there’s no way to know. “But one thing is for certain, she won’t be trying this any time soon!” he noted.

We were also curious about how the nephew responded to his gifts. “I know my nephew well enough to know he would have laughed off [the fake present], which was what happened exactly. He was very amused, even more when he unwrapped my Lego gift,” the OP says.

As an adult, it can be easy to brush over birthdays or start to feel like they’re not worth celebrating anymore. And if you choose not to throw a party or bake a cake, that’s totally your choice. But for our kids, birthdays are a great opportunity to make them feel special that we should never miss out on. Exceptional Explorers explains on their site that celebrating children’s birthdays can help them build a sense of identity and self-worth.

For at least one day during the year, they get to feel like the center of attention and get to call all of the shots. They are in charge of choosing the menu and activities for the day, as well as who to invite. It teaches them that their preferences matter and that there’s value in gathering loved ones together to enjoy a fun day. 

Presents are often an important part of the celebration

Birthdays can also foster social skills and relationships, as they’re an opportunity to hang out with friends outside of school and to make sure that everyone’s having a great time. Lasting memories can be made during birthday celebrations as well. Kids can cherish the memories of their special days for years to come, and hopefully, their friends that attended will cherish the memories of these parties as well.

Finally, Exceptional Explorers notes that birthdays instill a sense of tradition and ritual. Having family traditions is a great way to make sure that there’s always something to look forward to, and these can be a great way for loved ones to bond. Knowing that there’s always another birthday around the corner helps kids feel familiar, comfortable and assures them that they belong. Only they know the traditions of their family, whether it’s annual pancakes in bed or a trip to the movies on their big day, which can make them feel extra special.

While presents certainly aren’t the only thing to look forward to when celebrating a birthday, they can definitely be an enjoyable part of the festivities. In fact, Elisa Strauss at CNN says that giving presents can provide kids with more benefits that you may even realize. First, Strauss notes that gift giving teaches kids about generosity. For most of the birthday parties that little ones go to, they’ll be bringing presents rather than taking anything home.

Giving gifts can be a great opportunity to teach children generosity

This can be an important lesson in being able to pick out something for another person that is perfect for that friend, instead of always thinking of themselves first when shopping. It’s also great for kids to learn from a young age how wonderful it feels to see a loved one light up when they open a gift that they truly love. 

Giving presents on friends’ birthdays can also help kids learn that not all gifts have to be expensive or extravagant, Mary Jo Katras, program leader of the Family Resiliency team at the University of Minnesota Extension Center, told CNN. “The gift can take on many forms: a tangible gift, a gift of time or a gift of service. Just something that honors the person being celebrated.” 

This might include inviting a friend over to watch their favorite movie and enjoy their favorite foods for dinner or creating a painting of your friend’s beloved pet to give them for their birthday. There are countless gifts that would make for a perfect birthday present, but let’s try to remember the spirit of birthdays. We gather around to celebrate and shower the birthday boy or girl with love. Swapping name tags to try to make the day about what a great parent you are certainly isn’t the way to go.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this birthday present drama in the comments below, pandas. Then, if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article discussing petty revenge and presents, look no further than right here! 

Later, the person revealed what they actually gave their nephew

Readers applauded them for their petty revenge, and some provided clever suggestions for next time

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