On one extreme end of the heartwarming Christmas tradition of united family bonding and love was one lone photo that has provoked public outrage across social media for Christmas this year. And that issue? A particular grandmother took it upon her self to buy matching Christmases PJs on behalf of her family exclusion that became hot debate issues – about blended family dynamics.
It wasn’t until a family friend decided to make the photo public on social media that the story spread. The picture showed a scene of the biological grandchildren all clad in new, brightly colored pajamas, the step-grandchild standing at the end in last year’s tattered pair-the caption a declaration of disgust at her actions, which resonated with viewers and quickly became viral.
The online community exploded with vitriolic criticism. There were plenty of people admonishing the grandmother for cruel and insensitive behavior. “How can someone be so overtly dismissive to a child’s feelings?” one commenter wrote. “This is not about PJs but about what those represent,” another said. “The exclusion is heartbreaking.”
Some speculated on the possible motives, saying she has done it out of latent bias or that it might have just never really clicked how this could affect her granddaughter emotionally. Others suggested that this was a symptom of something deeper within the family.
Not everyone, however joined in the chorus of vilification. Some said the backlash was disproportionate to the offense. “It’s just pajamas,” countered one user on Threads. “There are far bigger issues in the world. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as it looks.
The grandmother has said nothing amidst her growing criticism, but her son spoke in her defense. He said his mother loves all her grandchildren equally and suggested probably the stepchild preferred to wear the old pajamas, rejecting any idea of exclusion on purpose.
Yet for many, the defense fell flat. “Whether the child chose the old pajamas or not, the grandmother should have made them feel included,” said one social media user.
The furor has rekindled discussions about the sensitivities of blended families, where even the tiniest act can take on great emotional meaning. Experts say it is important to make everyone feel included in such families. “Even small actions-meaningless to some, like wearing matching outfits-signal to children who is in and who is out,” said Dr. Emily Carter, a family therapist. “For kids, these signals mean everything.
This is not the first time something of this nature has headlined. Just last year, there was an incident in which a grandmother was berated for not including her step-grandchild in the family’s tradition of wearing matching holiday outfits. Such parallels only go to show how sensitive these situations can be and how much one needs to be sensitive in family settings.
This, also, is a story that lends illumination to how social media is used to turn private, family issues into public controversy. What should have been but one picture in time of holiday cheer has become a lightning rod for judgment, with debate far exceeding that which might have reposed in the living room of the family. Where some say public shaming makes people accountable, others argue that it amplifies the petty at the expense of nuance.