That's okay, my aunt won a seven million dollar lottery jackpot years ago and I haven't seen a gift since...

UPDATE: grr...

I do not have any well to do relatives. If I did, it seems selfish to expect a generous gift from them. I imagine they would be feeling that too. just because they have money that they are expected to buy lavish gifts. especially if they feel those relatives never treat them nicely during the year. and now are looking what kind of loot they are going to get.

I agree with Ignatius. A gift by definition is unearned and given without strings attached. No one ever "deserves" one. And the size of the giver's bank account doesn't come into it. I'd accept it with a warm 'thank you.'

Never experienced this but I read about them all the time in Dear Abby.

. . .perhaps I deserved it (?)

Gifts from some of my more well-to-do relatives tend to be meaningless, anyway. I'd much rather they forget me than to give me that fake smile along with the fake gift.

I personally wouldn't care as I only give presents at Christmas time to my parents and my sister so I wouldn't expect anything more or less from anyone else. If however the wealthy relative gave me a cheap Christmas card that couldn't even stand itself up on the mantlepiece, then somethings definitely wrong or their just being tight.