For years, a married couple skipped exchanging Christmas gifts due to tight finances, focusing instead on presents for their children and in-laws. One year, however, the husband surprised his wife with a large box about ten days before Christmas. He insisted it was for her, but she had a nagging feeling it was something he wanted for himself.

On Christmas Eve, as the family opened presents, the husband eagerly pushed her to open his gift. Inside was a wet and dry vacuum cleaner. The wife was unimpressed—she preferred sweeping and mopping their hardwood and linoleum floors. Moments later, her suspicion was confirmed when her husband admitted he needed it for his garage, boasting that he had already tested it before wrapping it.

Hurt and frustrated, the woman refused to sleep in the same room that night. When her husband accused her of being selfish, claiming gifts should benefit the whole family, she decided to bide her time and plot revenge. It would take a year, but she was determined.

The following Christmas, she found the perfect payback. She wrapped a huge box and placed it under the tree with her husband’s name on it. His excitement quickly turned to disbelief when he opened it to find a bulk case of toilet paper. She reminded him of his own words: Christmas gifts should be for what the family needs.

The family burst out laughing, agreeing he deserved it. From that moment on, no man in the family dared to gift a household appliance for Christmas.

When asked later if her husband’s gift-giving improved, she admitted he never gave her another present. He passed away two years later.