Surprising loved ones with grand gestures has become increasingly popular, especially for birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, or other special occasions. One creative trend involves decorating car trunks with LED lights, balloons, flowers, and unique gifts to create a “wow” moment when the trunk is opened.

Such videos often go viral on social media, capturing the joy and astonishment of recipients upon discovering the elaborate setup inside the trunk.

Recently, a video featuring a husband’s unique birthday surprise for his wife gained widespread attention. Following the trend, he decorated the trunk of their car with balloons, flowers, and gifts to celebrate her birthday.

However, what set this video apart - and stirred controversy - was that the husband included their young daughter in the trunk, presenting her as part of the surprise.

When the wife opened the trunk, she appeared excited and delighted. In contrast, the child was visibly distressed, crying loudly. Despite her daughter’s cries, the mother waved cheerfully at the child before comforting her with a hug.

The video, posted by the mother on TikTok with the caption “Daddy’s birthday gift for Mommy is so sweet,” quickly amassed over 100,000 views and hundreds of comments.

Many viewers expressed outrage at what they described as a reckless act, accusing the couple of prioritizing a viral moment over their child’s well-being. Critics pointed out the potential psychological harm and trauma such an experience could cause.

One user, Tuna, commented: “This is childhood trauma in the making. I got stuck in an elevator at 29, and I’ve been terrified of confined spaces ever since.”

Another user, My Trinh, echoed similar concerns: “The parents might think it’s fun, but the child is crying out of fear. Even if they open the trunk immediately after closing it, the experience can still be deeply unsettling for the child.”

The video continues to draw mixed reactions online, with heated debates about whether such acts are harmless fun or harmful to a child’s emotional health. As of now, the parents have not commented on the incident or provided additional context.

Thanh Minh