A mom got her child’s Angel Tree order in the mail, but it wasn’t what she expected. Instead of receiving nice-looking items from her Angel Tree haul, she ended up with a limited selection—a single off-brand “posable” doll, a PEZ dispenser, and a cheap magnetic doodle board.
Many people found the Angel Tree delivery unacceptable, regardless of what program it came from. But others mentioned that this wasn’t a traditional Salvation Army Angel Tree haul. The video garnered 588,000 views, with TikToker Tieshia (@tieshia07) receiving both sympathy and abject hatred from those who saw it.
So, what is the standard gift for a “Prison Fellowship” Angel Tree? Is Tieshia truly ungrateful for the gifts?
What is the Prison Fellowship?
The Prison Fellowship runs its own Angel Tree program, where churches and other individuals donate to help children with incarcerated family members have Christmas gifts. The program specifically exists for these children to receive gifts alongside notes from their parents who are behind bars, ensuring that they still feel their parents’ presence in their lives.
This program also seemingly exists to provide one or two special gifts for Christmas. Many people suggested that it’s not supposed to fulfill a Christmas shopping list in the same way that a Salvation Army Angel Tree might.
One commenter said, “That’s Prison Fellowship Angel tree. They suggest keeping it at $25. It’s not supposed to be like Salvation Army.” This is technically true, as many local churches that participate in the program reportedly ask individuals to contribute $25, but this number seems to be a suggestion, not a strict standard.
As one viewer described, “Our church participates in this program, they ask us to keep it around $25.00 but I use that as a suggestion… I took it to be a gift from the parent/guardian who is [incarcerated] not a full Christmas like angel tree typically is. but also these gifts aren’t really it, I understand her being upset.”
How much did Tieshia’s daughter receive from Angel Tree?
If the suggested total for a Prison Fellowship Angel Tree is $25, then Tieshia’s family definitely didn’t receive that minimum.
As many viewers quickly noticed, multiple of the items from the Angel Tree were from the Dollar Tree. The posable doll seen in Tieshia’s clip costs $1.75. The Doodle Board is also from Dollar Tree, and although it does not appear to be on their website, it is also around that price range. PEZ candy dispensers typically cost less than $3.
What’s worse is that the PEZ dispenser appears to be Easter themed, not Christmas. Many viewers expressed concerns that the candy inside had expired.
In all likelihood, Tieshia’s family received an Angel Tree that was thrown together and cost less than $5, assuming that the donor purchased the PEZ dispenser.
But viewers thought that the actual value of the gift came out to $3.75. “All she wanted was a baby doll, toy stroller and art supplies and they couldn’t even do that. They spent $3.75 on that Angel Tree haul. I cannot believe Angel Tree delivered that,” wrote one commenter.
Is Tieshia ‘ungrateful’ for her daughter’s gifts?
Despite the lackluster gifts from Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree, many commenters told Tieshia that she needed to be more grateful for receiving something in the first place.
Viewers said that the woman shouldn’t have relied on an organization for gifts, especially one that was, based on their accounts, supplementary to Christmas shopping.
“So what did you buy your daughter? What did her father get her? What did her grandparents get her, [and] what did family and friends get her?” One person asked. When Tieshia explained what gifts she got her child, commenters said she didn’t need to be on an Angel Tree list.
“Maybe the people that [bought] your daughter a gift didn’t have lots of money… They did the best they can,” wrote one viewer. “I think it is not about how many they get. It’s about being with [a] family that loves you, many people can’t and are lonely. You and your daughter are blessed for spending Christmas together.”
Another commenter advised, “Don’t depend on these organizations to help you prepare ahead of time. Start buying a toy or two in September so when Christmas comes, you won’t be feeling some type of way.”
Previous articles from The Mary Sue have explored the Prison Fellowship program. It’s caused some controversy this year when considering “gratitude,” and what it means to receive a gift from a charitable program. But, other Prison Fellowship Angel Tree recipients received $45 sneakers, not $3.75. So, it’s not necessarily an overconsumption issue.
@tieshia07 #angeltree #ungrateful #dobetter #momlifevibes #christmas ♬ original sound – Tieshia
Did Tieshia ever get a ‘proper’ haul?
According to updates from her comments section and TikTok page, Tieshia has gotten an additional delivery of Angel Tree gifts for her child.
One viewer said, “They didn’t even try. What the baby asked for wasn’t even a lot. What a shame.” Tieshia responded, adding, “They are delivering extra items today, stay tuned Merry Christmas.”
Her daughter wanted to post an update and thank those who donated to Tieshia for the “wonderful presents.” Since they received so many gifts, Tieshia and her daughter decided to give back to their community.
“Today [my mom and I] will be sharing some of these presents with three other families,” Tieshia’s daughter told viewers.
We’ve reached out to Tieshia to see how her gift-giving has turned out.
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