Nothing says, “Let’s Celebrate!” like popping a bottle of bubbly.
But as many are aware, there exists an imaginary sliding scale correlating the degree of the celebratory moment to the fanciness – or even the sentimental value – of the bottle being uncorked.
So, how should one feel if a person opened a bottle of champagne knowing they were saving it for a special occasion?
A woman on Reddit became furious after her husband opened a bottle of champagne that she told him, time and again, she was holding onto for a future occasion, so she took to the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit to seek back feedback from fellow Redditors.
Redditor Turbulent-Cat-8649 asked:
“AITA for being upset that spouse opened champagne I was saving for special occasion?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“At the start of Covid when things looked bleak and uncertain, I (47/F[emale]) bought a bottle of champagne to save for a future occasion.”
“Had not opened it.”
“When asked occasionally by spouse (45 M[ale]) if I wanted to open it I said no, I wanted to save it.”
“This weekend we went on a short trip.”
“We talked about bringing a bottle of sparkling wine we had just gotten as a gift but I was ambivalent as I had a bad headcold.”
“At the last minute husband tossed a bottle in the car.”
“Also brought enough hard liquor for a few mixed drinks.”
“We are not big drinkers.”
“That night he brought out the bottle he brought and I saw it was my special champagne, not the prosecco wine.”
“I told him not to open it because I was still saving it.”
“He blew up, called me an idiot for saving it when I didn’t have anything in mind to open it for or what future specific reason that I was saving it for and that the whole idea was stupid.”
“He offered to replace it later (no liquor stores nearby) and I said no, I’d prefer to save it.”
But her preferences didn’t stop him.
“He yelled at me some more for being a stubborn jerk and then went ahead and opened it.”
“He had maybe 4 to 6 oz glass and then stuck the cork in it.”
“I didn’t have any.”
And the situation still has not settled.
“I’m still p*ssed and he still thinks I overreacted since he can just buy another bottle.”
“Thinks are very strained between us as in figuring out how to move forward when I’m still so angry.”
“AITA?”
The OP also offered the following explanation as to why they think they might be the a**hole:
“I believe I might be the AH because I resisted opening a bottle of champagne when I do not have a specific reason or event that I’m saving it for.”
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided the OP was not the a**hole.
“NTA – I don’t think it matters what made that bottle particularly special the fact is it was yours, that you bought and that you specifically said no, do not open it and it sounds like he did it out of spite.”
“The fact that he had a temper tantrum and then crossed boundaries so willingly is massively concerning- this isn’t about the bottle, you have much bigger problems here.”
“Like disrespect for you, what you want and your things.” – Leahthevagabond
“NTA.”
“It’s the principal of it.”
“You bought that to save for a special moment… and out of all moments he could have opened it… was when you were sick…”
“Husband sounds spiteful.”
“He is the AH for berating you over wanting to save the champagne.” – StruggleDue3218
“NTA Was your husband already drunk when he started yelling at you, belittling you and calling you an idiot?”
“Has he done this before or is this behaviour out of character.”
“I would find this so unacceptable I would reconsider the relationship.”
“Side note: I am daily shocked at how yelling and insults seem to be ok and normal in so many relationships on Reddit.”
“I don’t get this at all.” – Evening-Anteater-422
“NTA”
“If he could buy a bottle to replace it, he could buy a bottle to drink.”
“He just wanted it because it was around and you wanted to save it.”
“There were other drinks and other bottles he could bring.”
“He just wanted to take something from you.”
“I hope this isn’t a common occurrence of him.” – Glum_Hamster_1076
“NTA”
“You owned the bottle. It is not up to him to decide when to open it.”
“That said – unless he is a pain on a regular basis – it might be good to forgive him.”
“If he is like this all the time – you might need to rethink how this marriage develops” – Ambitious-Cover-1130
“NTA.”
“It doean’t matter whether the special occasion never came around – it was yours.”
“It doesn’t matter that champagne doesn’t age well—it was yours to let rot if you chose.”
“You had repeatedly told him no, and if he was that desperate to drink it, it was about the power of the situation.”
“I would be angry too.” – Debinze
“NTA.”
“I had a bottle of Dom that my dad gave me from 1999. A $600 bottle.”
“I was saving it for my wedding, but my dad died.”
“I was going to save it for a wedding anyway, a way to have my dad there.”
“But after research, I realized that wine was probably vinegar (it was).”
“But if I hadn’t looked it up, I’d have kept it until then.”
“I still have the bottle, I plan to fill it with new champagne and have it at the head table.”
“It wasn’t your husband’s to drink. He had no say.” – Background-Interview
“NTA.”
“It doesn’t matter what it was.”
“You asked him not to do it. He did it anyway.”
“He has no respect for you.”
“Ball’s in your court.” – weech1234
“NTA.”
“It’s yours, and you don’t have to justify not opening it to your husband or to these Redditors.”
“I’m mad for you.” – throwaway4mypups
“NTA.”
“I don’t really understand why the champagne couldn’t be replaced at a later date or why saving it was so important to you.”
“But that’s kind of the point.”
“It’s nobody’s business why you wanted to keep it…it’s yours.”
“The real issue I see is this man blowing up and calling you an idiot and a jerk because you asked him not to do something, and him feeling so entitled to decide for you what should be important and ignoring your feelings about it.”
“Ick. Just ick.” – Impressive_Fuel_2528
“NTA- You wanted to save it, and he should have respected that.”
“However, at the end of the day, you’re married, and it’s just a bottle of wine.”
“Imagine you’re 90 years old looking back, was some wine really worth the headache?”
“He still shouldn’t have done it, but it’s wine under the bridge at this point, he needs to make up for it and you both need to move on.” – -Gisele-Kimura-
“NTA.”
“Nice how he completely respects your property. /s” – shammy_dammy
“NTA But your spouse is, and I don’t know that he would still be my spouse after this…. from calling you stupid to yelling at you, putting you down, blatantly ignoring you and making a decision about your belongings in his mind and then deciding that he was in charge of how that would go…..”
“Seems like a huge a-hole and not spouse material” – SavyMarie777
“NTA, at all.”
“You bought it, it’s yours to drink or not drink as you like.”
“My husband got a very nice bottle of wine as a thank you from a friend, and even though I’d love to open it, he’s told me that he just likes knowing that he has a very nice bottle of wine and may NEVER open it.”
“And you know what? That’s his choice.”
“It’s HIS!”
“Even if it drives me slightly crazy, I would never open it without his full approval.” -TeaAggressive6757
“NTA that was very rude of your husband.”
“I will add, as someone who buys special wines and champagne, sometimes you keep saving for a special occasion and it never quite comes.”
“Set a date you will drink it by if a special occasion doesn’t pop up.” – Single_Oven_819
“NTA because you didn’t want to open it. It had sentimental value.”
“Maybe you wanted to stare at it forever as a representation of a bad time you overcame.”
“I don’t know it matters.”
“But I’m confused by the statement ‘not big drinkers,’ yet it was a short trip and punctuated by packing wine and hard liquor.”
“I know this is less than a lot of people consume.”
“But the need to have it also dictated it was important.”
“It has the ‘I can stop at any time’ feel.”
“People I think of as not big drinkers may take a glass of wine offered them at dinner.”
“Toss a bottle of wine they were gifted in with their things and if it wasn’t on hand not bother.”
“But making note to have enough for mixed drinks and wine for a short trip sounds like it was important.”
“It’s semantics and not relevant to your question.”
“I just though it was odd.”
“Maybe alcohol is playing a larger role in your relationship than you realize?” – Mean-Vegetable-4521
It definitely seems like this couple has a lot to work through.
Hopefully, they can maturely have a discussion about why each felt so strongly about their position.
One thing remains, though: that bottle is gone forever.
Perhaps they can buy another bottle together as a couple with a specific milestone in mind.
And a case of inexpensive bottles to make sure this never comes up again, so there’s some on hand.