A single mother has candidly shared why she gifts her two sons toilet paper, trash bags, paper towels, and laundry detergent for Christmas.
Ahead of the holiday season, Donna Bitner, a 55-year-old mom from New Mexico, stocks up on various household necessities – not for her but for her children.
According to Bitner, it’s a tradition passed down from her mother.
Bitner spoke to Today in early November and opened up about her family’s Christmas routine after a video of her packing the cleaning supplies for her sons last year went viral on TikTok.
“I have been doing this for years,” Bitner confessed in her December 2023 video as she stuffed empty laundry baskets with a variety of utility items. “It’s a very practical gift and one that they are always appreciative of.”
On Christmas morning, Bitner’s 25-year-old son and 28-year-old son are typically handed these “bonus gifts” once they open all their other typical presents like gaming sets.
“It’s a great tradition and a very useful gift,” she said online.
The social media mom’s two sons live in their own homes but usually spend the holiday with her.
Meanwhile, her 32-year-old daughter typically stays in Ohio where she lives, so she doesn’t get any of the necessities. Bitner told Today that she’ll purchase whatever her daughter needs – tissues, toilet bowl cleaner, towels, and Windex – when she’s visiting.
Back when Bitner was a young single mom raising her kids alone, her mother would always give her the same “bonus items.” In fact, she did this until she passed away in 2006.
Though the presents weren’t anything revolutionary, Bitner was thankful to receive them, she explained.
“They were great, practical gifts… it was good to take away the pressure of buying those items,” she admitted.
Her sons, on the other hand, weren’t exactly sure what to do with the household necessities when she first added them to their Christmas lists.
Bitner told Today: “At first they looked through it and said, ‘What should we do with this stuff?’ I said, ‘Well, hopefully use it to clean!’”
“In our stage of life, we buy what we need,” she explained, adding how she plans to expand her offerings this year to food must-haves.
“I will do a five-gallon bucket full of the cleaning supplies and a large tote filled with their favorite shelf-stable food and snacks,” Bitner noted.
Her 2023 video sparked a storm of positive reactions online with many followers commenting on their favorite “practical” presents they’ve gotten from their parents. One woman said her parents put four new tires on her car last year, while another suggested Bitner add light bulbs and batteries to her list of utility gifts.
“I would be thrilled to get this! Great idea for adult children,” another person said.
Another added: “See why can’t all moms do this for grown kids? I would freaking love that, you know how expensive that stuff is.”
The Independent has contacted Bitner for a comment.
