A mother has revealed her heartbreak after her adult daughter cancelled their Christmas Day plans at the very last minute, offering an explanation that left the parent feeling furious and let down.
A Pattern of Last-Minute Letdowns
The upset mum took to the online forum Mumsnet to share her story on December 29th. She explained that her 26-year-old daughter, who lives in London with her long-term partner, had promised to spend Christmas with the family this year.
The woman had prepared stockings, favourite drinks, and snacks, eagerly anticipating a full family gathering. However, just days before December 25th, her daughter had a sudden change of heart.
This was not an isolated incident. The mother noted that last year her daughter spent the holiday with her boyfriend's family, and the year before that, she also backed out of visiting her parents at the last minute.
The Text Message That Caused the Rift
The situation reached a crisis point on Christmas Day itself when the daughter sent a text message to confirm she would not be attending. When her mother asked for a reason, the response was a lengthy rant.
The daughter explained she found being around lots of children "tedious and annoying" and disliked the pressure to be a fun, involved aunt or cousin. She admitted she was not bothered by the fact she hadn't seen her siblings in over a year and had not even met two of her young nieces and nephews.
To add further insult, when asked about gifts, the daughter revealed she had bought presents for her parents but nothing for her young relatives.
Reactions and Advice from the Online Community
The mother asked the Mumsnet community if she was being unreasonable for finding her daughter's behaviour "incredibly rude." The responses were mixed, offering both sympathy and perspective.
One user agreed the last-minute cancellation was "very unfair" and "selfish," while another labelled it outright "rude" and said they would be "bitterly disappointed."
Others encouraged the mother to see her daughter's point of view, suggesting the large, child-centric family gathering might feel stressful or overwhelming for a young professional without children of her own. "Sounds like she finds being around all of the children tedious/stressful," one commenter rationalised.
Many advised the mother to tread carefully to maintain the relationship, expressing hope this was "just a phase" that would pass as her daughter grew older. The overarching advice was to communicate her disappointment clearly but to leave the door open for future visits once the hectic festive period had ended.
