AITA for gift-wrapping a box of salt?
This happened a few years ago, but the key person in this story has not gotten over it, so maybe I am/was the asshole. Also this is a throw-away because my family knows my main account.
A little backstory first:
I am American living in a European country with my husband. We travel to the States every other year or so, and when we do we stock up on things that are difficult or impossible to find and/or too expensive here. One of those things is kosher salt. You can buy a three-pound box in any grocery store in the States for less than five dollars. However, where we live it's just not available. It's not sold in grocery stores. You have to order it online and then it costs $20 or more. Therefore, I always buy a big box whenever we travel to the States and it usually lasts until our next trip.
We were visiting my family over the holidays. We did our usual stocking up of stuff you can't get over here, like actual cold medicine, large bottles of OTC headache pills, and of course, kosher salt. Before we left we asked the family what they wanted from the States for Christmas, got a few ideas from most of my in-laws, but my husbands sister (SIL), upon being asked what she wanted for Christmas, replied "world peace." Alrighty, then. She did ask if we could buy her some cold medicine and a large bottle of Advil. No problem. I also bought her a box of kosher salt because she's a really good cook and I figured she'd appreciate that.
Anyway, we had a nice Christmas with my family. When we got back we had a lot of presents and supplies for everyone. I wrapped up the presents for my in-laws, including the kosher salt and bottle of Advil for SIL. We had a mini Christmas over at their house. When SIL unwrapped the box of kosher salt, she did not look appreciative. She looked genuinely confused and dismayed. She said, "SALT??!" I explained what it was and how it was a really popular thing to use in the States, and how difficult it is to get here. Later on we got a call from my husband's mother, who had just gotten off the phone with SIL. She had called her after we left. She was upset and crying, absolutely inconsolable. Not only had I given her a box of salt, I had actually wrapped it, which infuriated her. She thought it was a joke gift and she didn't find it very damn funny. I tried to reassure her that it wasn't a joke. I just thought she might like some special salt from the United States. Wrapping up world peace is kind of difficult, so I did the best I could.
So, am I the asshole for wrapping up a box of salt? Apparently, she has never gotten over this.