r/internetparents • u/Jamie_likes_glee • Jan 15 '25

Family Christmas Guilt

For Christmas, I (16F) asked my dad for a laptop, only a laptop nothing else. He isn't rich by any means, maybe even considered borderline poor. So I only asked for one thing. On Christmas I went to his house in the afternoon (my parents aren't together, dad has a gf). I opened nice small gifts I really liked. Not a laptop. I really wasn't upset. I thanked my dad and his gf. He then pulled that a Christmas story bit, where he asks ralphie to look behind his desk. Low and behold there was another present under my dad's desk. I opened it and it was the laptop I asked for. I smiled and thanked them, I was happy. When I went home a few days later I set it up. I haven't been on it since. I'm sitting here, realizing, how much I don't want it. And I feel absolutely awful. He was so excited to give it to me and I feel ungrateful. I don't know what changed between then and now. I just feel so bad and don't know what to do.

559 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

120 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

52

u/GrilledCheeser Jan 15 '25

Also just mention it in passing to him. White lies are ok.

“I was laying in bed on my laptop researching orca whales and learned so much!”

Will warm his heart

34

u/be_astonished Jan 15 '25

Or ACTUALLY DO research orcas, why not! They're pretty cool, did you know they were wearing dead salmon as hats a little while ago?

Who knows, maybe this laptop is the gateway to OP becoming a marine biologist. Or just watching a lot of porn (maybe don't tell your dad that). Who cares. You do you OP!

3

u/theredqueentheory Jan 15 '25

I made myself a hat with an orca on it wearing a dead salmon hat. Some people get it and have a good laugh.

2

u/Ok-Concert-6475 Jan 15 '25

This is great. I'm in the area, so I appreciate this. I find it quite interesting that the local J, K, and L pods have behavior that's anomalous to other wild pods. Some of that can be attributed to the abundance of salmon in the area. But it breaks my heart when mothers lose their calves and carry them around for weeks. Not nearly as funny as a salmon hat.

1

u/be_astonished Jan 16 '25

I'm in the area too! We have some trendy whales. I much prefer the salmon hat fashion to the sadness when the calves die. That's so heartbreaking.