Am I overreacting for being upset after receiving perfume samples as a birthday gift from my mom?

My mom gave me a little « gift » for my birthday : a set of perfume samples. Not even a real set, just those small tester vials you can usually get for free or very cheap. Inside the set, there was a small discount coupon provided by the perfume store itself (not from her, just a marketing promo). She told me, « This way you can try them and then buy yourself the perfume you like. »

To me, it feels incredibly stingy. She didn’t buy me a perfume, she basically passed along a store’s freebie/discount as if it were her gift.

Also, I told her I wanted make-up for my birthday, a few weeks prior to receiving this « gift ».

Am I overreacting? Would anyone else feel disappointed if their mother did this for their birthday?

Ps: she has enough money to buy me a proper gift and I am currently not working because I have debilitating health issues.

Posted Oct 3, 2025, 10:06 AM UTC

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