Gift giving can test relationships with your significant other, friends, or family members. A woman revealed how that happened to her and ended a 14-year friendship over the Christmas present she received.
The video featured TikTok user Hailey (@haileypeters), who posts content about “lifestyle, skincare, makeup, and fashion.” This time, she recalled how a Christmas gift made her call it quits with her best friend of 14 years. Four years ago, the content creator and her two friends planned a gift exchange for months. One thing Hailey noticed was her best friend always had a tree with “a million gifts” under it. “For all her friends, everyone she’s ever known, her cat, her dog,” she said.
The day of the gift exchange had arrived, Hailey brought with her $150 worth of stuff for the best friend. When she and the other friend arrived at the best friend’s house, the best friend told Hailey that the gift was “in the other room.” Excited, the content creator thought the gift must have been “something special” if it wasn’t under her tree. After 10 minutes passed, the best friend returned with a “dirty white notebook” in her hand.
“Because you love writing,” she told Hailey. “This is for you.” However, Hailey says she enjoys reading— not writing. To add insult to injury, the notebook was used with the first four pages torn out of it. The top of the first page read, “To Hailey. Love you. Merry Christmas.” At first, Hailey thought she was “being pranked.” But it wasn’t. As a result, she left the notebook at her best friend’s house, feeling upset.
Instead of talking to the best friend, the content creator felt “done.” This was the final nail in the coffin of their friendship. “It’s not the gift. It’s, like, the principle, like effort and friendship and stuff,” she explained. Hailey felt done after years of a one-sided friendship. To this day, she and her former best friend don’t speak to each other.
@haileypeters the gift was so bad i had no choice. enjoy this story bc it is unbelievable 😭 #christmas #christmasgift #storytime #christmasgiftideas #whiteelephant #secretsanta ♬ original sound – hailey
“the gift was so bad i had no choice. enjoy this story bc it is unbelievable,” she captioned the video. The video racked up over 993,000 views. In the comments, viewers expressed shock.
“I NEED to know what kind of BS excuse she came up with to explain why she gave you a dirty notebook,” one viewer wrote.
“That wasn’t a gift. That was a message,” a second stated.
“A DIRTY NOTEBOOK? wild i would’ve had to do the same thing fr,” a third user commented.
In addition, others shared their similar experiences.
“literally i spent over $300 on two friends, bc we planned to exchange gifts, THERE idea, n then they never sent me anything but always said i’m gonna send it, NEVER did,” one user revealed.
“I got my BF of 5 years a PS5 in 2020 on Christmas Day & he didn’t get me anything. Nothing. We lived together. That was it for me,” a second shared.
In a follow-up video, Hailey provided more background information. First, she revealed that the former best friend spent weeks “hyping up” a gift that didn’t exist. Second, Hailey said she did open up to her about how she felt and why they wouldn’t be friends going forward. The ex-friend’s response? “I’m sorry that hurt you. I’m sorry that bothered you.” Hailey felt this response showed a lack of any genuine concern or regard for Hailey’s feelings.
@haileypeters Replying to @B_Hailey answering some questions you guys asked abt my storytime😭 #storytime #drama #tea #christmas #christmasgift ♬ original sound – hailey