In my writing I'm looking for an alternative way to say that something is a "mixed blessing". The word "blessing" seems to carry a religious connotation.
I'm seeking to convey to the reader that a specific thing that has happened has both positives and negatives for this character.
"Getting invited to the party was a mixed blessing for Charlie. Sure, he was hoping to be invited, but this now meant that he was expected to bring a gift for a person who is impossible to shop for."
I don't think that most people would think of it as more than just a regular saying, but if you really do want to avoid the word blessing, there are a few other expressions you might use. Some would require rephrasing your passage.
In terms of the thinking of a person, you could also say that they were of two minds.
Depending on your audience, you could say that the invitation was something of a silver lining for Charlie.
This expression invokes the proverb “Every cloud has a silver lining”, but it suggests that the bad (the cloud) is bigger than the good (the silver lining). It also suggests that the whole story is not being told, but that the intelligent reader can infer it from their broader knowledge.
A corresponding proverb is “Every rose has its thorn”, although possibly not so well known.
The best choice really depends on the tone you want to strike in your description of Charlie.
