This Aunt Wants To Give Her Niece A Very Special Gift — But Is Christmas The Right Time?

A 24-year-old Redditor has been planning a deeply personal gift for her 16-year-old niece. With her niece’s birthday just a week after Christmas, she wanted the present to double as a holiday surprise.

Her idea? A photo album filled with pictures of her niece’s mom and dad. For context, the niece’s mother passed away when she was very young, and her father — the OP’s brother — died in 2021. The OP now has full custody and cares for her niece full-time.

In preparation for the gift, the OP has been digging through old photo albums. She found a treasure trove of pictures of her brother and his wife, many of which her niece has likely never seen. She noticed her niece only has one physical photo of her parents that she clings to, making this album all the more meaningful.

The OP recently unearthed the photos in her basement and was excited to give them to her niece. However, her niece’s aunt — someone uninvolved in her care — warned that giving such a gift at Christmas could be “insensitive.”

The OP understands the concern but is struggling to find a “better” time. She knows it will be emotional no matter when it’s given but believes the album could be a special keepsake. She emphasized that the gift would be entirely private, shared only between her and her niece.

Now, she’s asking the internet for guidance: Is Christmas the wrong time for such a sentimental present, or will her niece truly appreciate it? The OP wants to make the moment meaningful without causing unintended heartache.

The OP noticed her niece only has one physical photo of her parents that she clings to, making this album all the more meaningful.

AI-generated image

Here's the original post by Reddit user 'deviouslife6'.

hey yall. I (24f) have been planning a special gift for my niece (16f) for this Christmas and her birthday (her birthday is a week after Christmas). I want to make her a photo album of all the possible pictures of her mom and dad that I can find. for context- her mom passed when she was really young, maybe 5 or so, and her dad (my brother) passed in 2021. i have sole custody of her , she lives with my full time and is my full responsibility. I've been going through old photo albums. I've found a lot of pics of my brother and his wife, probably many of which she has never seen. I wanted to take every one I could find and make a photo album for her to keep in her room and look through whenever she likes. I thought that this was especially a good idea since I noticed she only had one physical photo of them that she had been clinging onto for dear life lol. I recently found all these photos buried in the basement and want to give them to her. her sister (30something) who is totally uninvolved in her care, says it would be an insensitive gift to give her for Christmas. while I understand this in a way , i dont really know if there will ever be a "better" time. its hard and emotional no matter what time of year I give it to her, and I thought it would be really special but now im reconsidering. am I an asshole if I do it? do you think this is the wrong time to give it to her, or do you think she'll appreciate it? what is your opinion on this? help!edit- I absolutely would NOT ever give it to her in front of family. it would 100% be a private affair between her and I.

Here's how the Reddit community reacted.

CaptRory

"I don’t think I would want something like that at Christmas or my birthday."

VH5150OU812

"Save the album for another occasion."

hadMcDofordinner

NAH.

keesouth

"I would do it strictly as an 'I love you' gift."

CapableImage430

"NTA but make copies."

Vuirneen

"It’s not the best idea to make this her Christmas gift."

Low_Soil_743

"Give it to her."

MedicinalWalnuts

"It is a wonderful gift."

70plusMom

"Wait until a different date."

Born___Pink

"Maybe give it to her on her birthday."

Revolutionary_Dot139

"This is an excellent gift and you should go for it."

Jerrica_xoxo

"There is a better time."

SillyMoose25

Ask her first.

unsafeideas

"It's a beautiful gift better given on a quiet day."

FoxtrotEchoCharlie

"Why not Valentine’s Day?"

Dusa-

"I hope that’s not the only gift for combined Christmas & birthday."

Affectionate_Big8239

No matter the timing, the OP’s gift is a heartfelt way to connect her niece with memories of her parents. Given with love, it’s a keepsake that will be cherished far beyond the holidays.