My aunt is incredibly generous with my kids but it makes me feel awful that I can’t give her anything close in return

My aunt loves my kids and spoils them with gifts that are honestly way beyond anything I would ever buy. Birthdays, holidays, even random visits… she’ll show up with new toys, gadgets, or clothes that are definitely not cheap. She’s a really generous person and I know she does it out of love, but it’s starting to eat at me.

The problem is I can’t reciprocate. Whatever I get her or do for her doesn’t even come close to what she spends. I feel like it creates this weird imbalance. She never makes me feel guilty about it, but I end up feeling like I’m constantly “behind” in the relationship.

I don’t want to offend her or seem ungrateful, but part of me wonders if I should ask her to tone it down a bit. At the same time, I know she enjoys giving and I don’t want to take that away from her.

How do you handle it when someone’s generosity makes you feel guilty instead of grateful?

Posted Oct 3, 2025, 9:52 AM UTC

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