'AITA for telling my coworker the 'office prank' wasn’t funny and refusing to participate?'

"AITA for telling my coworker the 'office prank' wasn’t funny and refusing to participate?"

I (23M) work in a small office. We’re the type that celebrates birthdays with supermarket cake and a card everyone signs. There’s this guy on our team (mid 30s M) who LOVES “banter.” He’s not malicious, but he pushes things. Last week it was my birthday. I don’t like big attention, but whatever.

I came in and my desk was completely wrapped in tin foil. Keyboard, mouse, chair, monitor. Even my water bottle. Everyone was laughing. Someone filmed my reaction. I smiled at first because I assumed it was light. Then I realized they’d also changed my desktop background to an old LinkedIn photo of me that I hate. Like zoomed in.

Slightly distorted. And they printed it and taped it to the wall behind my desk. Everyone was watching me. I just…stopped smiling. I said, “Can we not do this?” The “banter” guy said, “Oh come on, it’s your special day. Take a joke.” I said I didn’t find it funny and started unwrapping everything quietly. No yelling. No swearing. Just not playing along. The mood got weird fast.

Later my manager pulled me aside and said I “killed the vibe” and that it was meant to be team bonding. Apparently they spent their lunch setting it up. Now some people are acting awkward around me. One said I could’ve just laughed and moved on. Another said I made it uncomfortable by being serious.

Here’s my thing: if I had fake-cry laughed and pretended it was hilarious, I’d be rewarding it. And I genuinely felt embarrassed being filmed while everyone waited for a reaction. I didn’t insult anyone. I didn’t storm out. I just didn’t perform gratitude for something I didn’t enjoy. AITA for refusing to play along?

Here's what people had to say to OP:

[deleted] said:

NTA. You are not obligated to enjoy their prank. Your manager says you killed the vibe? Maybe their prank killed your enjoyment of the birthday celebration.

binjamins said:

This happens to me once. I didn’t take any of it down and left it. The manager came in and asked when I was going to remove it. Said never. Why should I be involved at all?

Careless_Welder_4048 said:

NTA and your manager is a bad manager.

wanderingstorm said:

NTA. This just sounds awful to have to put up with. I hate ridiculous sh*t like this disguised as “team building." Wrapping your desk up in foil is wasteful of not only foil but your own time and energy to remove it.

And posting unflattering pictures of you is so very awkward. And filming it? Without your permission? To do what with? Share around as the “fun joke?" “Look how uncomfortable we made Jane, isn’t it hilarious?” So much cringe.

Azdak66 said:

NTA. The problem with “pranks” is that the line between “good, clean, fun” and “harassment/bullying” is not always clear, and those perpetuating the “prank” usually are the most tone-deaf and unable to tell the difference (which is why their “pranks” usually suck). The manager’s response was reprehensible. It’s obvious where the toxic work culture comes from.

Sparrowsfly said:

NTA, what a ridiculous, bad sitcom-style way to approach a workplace. Your manager is definitely an ah for allowing this to happen and then demanding you be happy about it. Life is not an episode of The Office.

sarahmayim said:

NTA. This is weird hazing.

thechaoticstorm said:

NTA. You really need to know your audience when you do this kind of stuff. Pranks are only funny if everyone is enjoying them. I would have initially said NAH, as I don't think they were explicitly trying to be mean. The foil thing is a harmless albeit annoying prank, but someone filming your reaction makes the entire scenario particularly awkward and uncomfortable.