For many, Christmas is a time for family gatherings, festive meals, gift exchanges—and, of course, sending holiday cards. While the tradition of updating loved ones with an annual Christmas card has become less common, some families still embrace it with a personal touch.
One such family, led by Melynda King, has made their yearly holiday card a cherished tradition.
“Let me put it this way, last year, she went to Home Depot and bought paint sample cards of the colors that we were all allowed to wear,” Amanda Cooper, 28, told TODAY.com, reflecting on her mother’s meticulous approach to the tradition.
This year, however, Cooper decided to add a humorous twist to the process.
Ahead of their family photo shoot, Cooper texted her siblings with a playful suggestion: What if they subtly flipped off the camera? Her brother-in-law joined in on the fun, proposing a code word to coordinate the prank.
“So right before the middle finger picture, I called out, ‘Everyone say ‘I want a hippopotamus for Christmas!’” Cooper explained.
The prank went off as planned. Before sharing the results on Instagram, Cooper gave her mom a heads-up.
“I get this text from Amanda, and it just said, ‘I’m going to apologize in advance for the reel I just posted,’” King, 55, recalled.
At first confused, King quickly realized what her daughter was referring to.
“Then I look at the video, and I burst out laughing,” King said. “I thought it was absolutely hilarious.”
While the family took the joke in stride, the internet was divided over the prank.
The post garnered a mix of reactions, with some applauding the family’s sense of humor and others criticizing the gesture.
One commenter wrote: “I’m a photographer and mother of five, and now that my children are grown, it’s harder than ever to get them to take a family photo. I know this is meant to be funny, but it hurts my heart a little for moms trying to get their families together for what—less than an hour of their lives?!”
Another added: “In such poor taste to ruin a family photo this way,” while a third called it “no class.”
However, many others found the prank hilarious and appreciated the family’s lighthearted spirit.
“I love a family with a sense of humor, and they apparently have it! And apparently seem to be a very close, loving family!” one person wrote.
Another commenter defended the joke, saying: “Sorry that all the people who clearly don’t joke with their families are flooding your comments. This is hilarious, and if we did this, it would be my mom’s favorite because she has a sense of humor.”
A third chimed in: “As a mom who does this, this is hilarious. If my kids did this, I would probably frame it.”
