This Gamer’s Birthday Wish Turns Christmas Into A Marriage Crisis
This dad wants to play COD with friends for his birthday / Christmas, but his wife is not having it.
Most people only juggle one celebration on December 25, but this husband (OP) has lived with two his entire life. Christmas and his birthday land on the same morning, and he grew up never having a real birthday of his own.
He says he barely heard the words “happy birthday” as a kid, and the day always centered on church, family, and routines that didn’t include him.
The only people who ever made the day feel special were his close-knit group of friends, guys he calls his brothers because of everything they survived together.
Now he is married with two very young kids. Life is busy, loud, and full…and he rarely gets time with those same friends. They all live in different states and hardly ever manage to be online at the same time.
This year, they planned to meet up and play COD on Christmas afternoon, something he sees as a chance to finally enjoy his birthday in a way that means something to him. He planned to open presents with his family in the morning, then hop online for a few hours.
His wife hates the idea. She feels Christmas should be family-focused from morning to night. She also worries that his friends do not like her, which adds another layer of tension.
When he said he wanted uninterrupted time with them, she saw it as him choosing gaming over his wife and kids. He insists he handles his responsibilities, spends plenty of time with family, and just wants one birthday where he gets to be himself.
Their argument has snowballed, and the guilt on both sides is growing fast.
Here are the screenshots so you can read the full story yourself.
Let’s dig into the details
Reddit.comOP wants to spend his birthday / Christmas day playing COD with his friends
Reddit.comHowever, OP’s wife is not happy with this decision, as she feels the day should be strictly for family. In fact, she wants to throw the Xbox out of the window
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Important edit
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OP dropped another edit
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More context
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Final edit from OP
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We gathered some interesting comments from the Reddit community
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“You can play COD with the boys, celebrating your birthday, on the day before or after Christmas, or any other day.”
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“If you don't want to be a husband and father, don't get married and don't have kids.”
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“Spend Christmas morning with the family and the afternoon playing COD for a couple of hours.”
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“If you're trying to do it all day, you would be TA. If you schedule a few hours that would be totally reasonable.”
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OP wants a birthday that finally feels like his, while his wife wants a holiday that feels connected and intentional.
Neither goal is unreasonable, but the timing makes every choice feel heavier. They may need a clearer plan, one that protects a few hours for his friends without letting the holiday feel divided.
Finding that balance is tough, especially with young kids, but not impossible.
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