Unfiltered Story #272034

(My boyfriend’s mother has her 70th birthday and we are at her and her husband’s apartment to celebrate. The family has spent a significant amount of money on a certain fruit-company’s newest tablet.
Prior to this party, we wrapped it at our home and my 4 year old daughter watched. The tablet is pictured sideways on the box, so it kind of looks like a stick to a 4 year old – so that’s what we told her. We also wrapped the gift in boxes of increasing sizes.)

Boyfriend: “Happy birthday mom!”
MIL: *Starts to open the huge gift* “Oh wow, you shouldn’t have! It’s… it’s a clothes horse?”
Me: “Yes, it’s the same one we bought last weekend, the one you said you liked!”
MIL: *trying not to show her disappointment* “Well, yes, and.. and it IS lovely. Very practical with the… the wheels.”
Boyfriend: “Open it and have a look!”

MIL opens it, only to find a slightly smaller gift. The unboxing repeats itself until she starts doubting every box she unwraps. Her face going from curiosity, via disappointment and laughter, to doubt is the most hilarious thing I’ve ever seen.
Finally she arrives at the final one where the tablet is, hidden in a cereal box.

MIL: “Oh I bet there’s a box of napkins in here. What is this anyway?”
4 year old daughter: *excitedly* “It’s a stick! It’s a stick! It’s a stick!”
MIL: “A stick? You gave me a stick!?”

She finally unwrapped the actual tablet and was very grateful. Her old one was slow and making her very frustrated, so it was time to upgrade anyway.

(Every time she retells this story, she comments on how confused she was when [daughter] proudly revealed it was a stick – after all those boxes.)