A 20-year-old walks into her sister’s world of altars, hexes and Etsy listings and promptly drops the hammer.
Here’s the scene: the sister, age 22, deep into witch-stuff. Not just aesthetic. She truly believes, runs a little business offering blessings and hexes. The younger sister shows up for her birthday, she gives the older sister a practical gift (iPhone portable charger). What she gets in return: a rock. On purpose. Because “spiritual gift.”
The younger sister laughs, then realises her sister is serious. She snaps. She tells her sister it’s all b__lshit and she needs a “reality check” and better hobbies. The older sister cries to Mom. The younger sister asks: “Am I the a__hole?”
This conflict bursts at the intersection of belief vs. skepticism, sibling expectations vs. financial realities, gifts as currency vs. gifts as meaning. And yes, the rock matters.
Now, read the full story:
Reading this felt like watching a sibling relationship get tangled in belief, money, and gesture. On one side: the older sister exploring spirituality, trying to turn it into something real (altar, Etsy shop). On the other side: the younger sister, struggling financially, who gave what she could and expected at least a meaningful return.
When the younger sister told her it was “all bullshit” she crossed a line because belief systems, however, fringe, are deeply personal. But the older sister’s gift-choice (a rock) also ignored the younger sister’s needs and the birthday context.
This feeling of clash between belief and practicality, sibling dynamics and expectations is textbook for family friction.
At its heart, this story isn’t only about witchcraft or rude gifts. It’s about respect, values, and how belief and gesture collide.
Research shows that belief in witchcraft, magic or other “mystical” systems often fulfills deeper psychological needs. For example Psychology Today notes that contemporary witchcraft offers “a sense of control over our circumstances” and helps build “psychic strength to fight back against abuse and injustice.”
Another study found contemporary witchcraft beliefs correlate with subjective well-being: individuals who embrace these beliefs often report increased purpose and agency. These findings mean the 22-year-old sister’s altar and Etsy hexes aren’t necessarily delusions, they may be her expressions of identity, purpose and control.
Gifts carry loaded emotional meaning. A review of gift-giving psychology points out that a good gift reflects how well the giver understands the recipient’s values and expectations.
In this case, the younger sister gave something that aligned with her reality (practical charger) and assumed reciprocity in kind. The older sister gifted something meaningful to her own value system (rock + spirituality) but mis-aligned with the recipient’s expectations.
Hence the younger sister’s anger, the gift did not feel meaningful to her, and she perceived a mismatch in investment/value.
At 20 and 22, the sisters occupy different life stages. The younger sister is still economically vulnerable; the older one has enough income but uses it to fuel a spiritual business. When the younger sister sees a rock while she gave a charger, the imbalance triggers resentment.
Further, the younger sister’s reaction (“it’s bullshit… get a reality check”) may feel invalidating of the older sister’s belief system. Research on cognitive style and religion finds that individual differences in style explain how people hold supernatural beliefs.
So the conflict is, one sibling invalidates the other’s belief, the other assumes the other should automatically respect it.
Practical advice
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Respect the person, challenge the behaviour. The younger sister had every right to feel upset about the gift and to express her frustration but calling the belief “bullshit” shuts down respectful communication.
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Clarify expectations around gifts. When gifts mismatch values, hurt follows. The younger sister could say: “Thanks for the thought, but this isn’t something I value, let’s pick something we both choose next year.”
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Boundary around belief vs. sibling space. The older sister is likely exploring identity and purpose. The younger sister can say: “I don’t share this belief, but I will respect your space. In return, I want us to respect each other’s values.”
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Reframe the gesture. The younger sister’s charger was thoughtful. She could shift the narrative: “I gave you what I could afford and believed you’d appreciate.” That lets her own feelings without attacking the sister.
Check out how the community responded:
Many users felt the older sister’s gift was tone-deaf, and the younger sister had grounds to be upset.
Others pointed out the younger sister’s reaction crossed a line by mocking belief.
Some emphasised how the gift-giving process itself was broken.
So what’s the verdict? You weren’t entirely in the wrong, you had a legitimate grievance about the gift and felt disrespected. On the flip side, your reaction dismissed your sister’s belief system and likely hurt her identity.
In short: YTA (You’re the ahole), but softly**. You could have voiced your frustration differently. Instead of saying “it’s all b__lshit,” you might say “I don’t share this belief and I hoped for something more aligned with me.” Respecting someone’s beliefs doesn’t mean agreeing with them but it does mean not calling them bullshit when loyalty and family are involved.
Moving forward, suggest picking gifts together, talk about how both of you feel valued, and set clear boundaries around belief and gesture. That way next year the rock might be replaced with something meaningful to you, and the altar stays in her space.
Would you feel okay if you were the older sister and she called your belief system bullshit?
And if you were the younger sister, what gift would you hope she gives you next time, one you feel truly seen?
