In a world where social media often blurs the lines between reality and exaggeration, one TikTok creator found herself at the center of a storm. Lindsey Noden, a woman with a story to tell, went viral for an extravagant 'brrr basket' she made for her 15-year-old son's girlfriend. But as it turns out, the story behind the basket is far more complex than it initially seemed.

Admitting the Truth

In a follow-up video, Lindsey Noden bravely admitted that the gift basket wasn't entirely real. She explained that her intent wasn't malicious but rather a way to have fun and increase views on social media. "You guys are losing your mind over brrr basket," she said. "Yes, I got her a brrr basket. It was so cute. … Yes, I made the video, yes it was fake. Was it for views? Was it for money? That's how social media is."

The Origin of the Basket

Speaking to PEOPLE in an exclusive interview, Lindsey clarified that she did indeed make her son's girlfriend a gift basket. However, it wasn't as over-the-top as the one she shared on TikTok. Her son and 13-year-old daughter helped her create the original gift basket. But then, her son's girlfriend had an idea. "It was actually my son's girlfriend who said, 'You need to redo this for TikTok,' " Lindsey told PEOPLE. "And I said, I will … but maybe I'll exaggerate it a little bit."

The Process of Exaggeration

So, Lindsey set up her camera and added to the actual basket she had given her son's girlfriend. Items like the Apple Watch and AirPods were just empty boxes that she or her family members had had for years. The $20 bill was pulled from her wallet. "I posted it at 10:30 at night," she said. "Within a day, it was at 4 million views and growing."

The Reactions and Backlash

Noden was soon inundated with comments. At first, many were positive, with people saying things like "You're the best" for making the basket. But then, the comments turned negative. "People started stitching the video, accusing me of being out for money, or clout, or views," she said. Her 13-year-old daughter also faced questions from friends at school.

The Impact on Noden

The negativity became so intense that Lindsey briefly made some videos private and limited comments on others. She is quick to acknowledge that she uses social media as a form of income and is part of TikTok's Creator Fund. But she also emphasizes that the exaggerated "brrr basket" isn't a guaranteed money-maker. "I live in a regular, middle-class neighborhood. I'm a hairdresser. I have a salon in my garage, my kids do travel sports. We are very basic."

Looking Beyond the Controversy

Noden adds that her real intent behind the video was simply to have fun. She doesn't want to be known as the "brrr basket" person. "I have no control over what goes viral on TikTok," she says. "And I don't necessarily want to be mean. The negativity is okay for me but I do worry about my kids. But I have one friend who is a larger creator and I asked how she deals with this kind of backlash. And she gave great advice. She said, 'In a week, they'll have someone else to talk about.' "