Gran who charges for Christmas lunch

And she wanted bank transfers so that she could check on what she called ‘stragglers’. A very strange attitude to hosting family.

The difference is @Doodledog she charged - a set amount per person - not each according to their means or each according to their needs.
There’s a heck of a difference between a contribution or a donation and a PRICE.
One is offered, the other demanded.

Either the turkey is going to have to set off well in advance or the diners will (hopefully) have set out at least the day before if the are going to get to Manchester from Penzance! There’s such a thing as cheques and bank transfers to cover the turkey/wine/Stilton anyway.

Well yes. It just wouldn't work to have people bringing contributions. And how do cheques and transfers differ from however the woman in question got money from the family? Didn't she set up an app or an account? What's the difference?

As I said, I'm lucky enough to be able to lay on food and drink for a few days, but if I couldn't I'd still want to see my family. I've got the space to host them, and am used to cooking for a crowd. Their day will come to host, but I'd hope that if I fell on hard times they would still want to come to me for now, and would stump up a tenner or so each to make it happen.

No way would I charge my family. I want to absolutely drink in every second of such a special day ... BUT there will be people who make Christmas dinner that are struggling with money! There are 2 sides to everything but no I wouldn't charge.

People bringing food can work if everyone is local, but when family come from near and far it can be tricky. It's not going to work if the dinner is in Manchester and the turkey is coming from Penzance

I had to laugh!
Either the turkey is going to have to set off well in advance or the diners will (hopefully) have set out at least the day before if the are going to get to Manchester from Penzance! There’s such a thing as cheques and bank transfers to cover the turkey/wine/Stilton anyway.
If the “hosts” are hard up or more accurately on a limited income you would hope the rest of the multitude expecting to be fed might offer a contribution. That’s part of what I mean about Christmas being about giving and sharing
Love is also not measurable in how far one “pushes the boat out” - especially if someone is coming round collecting fates too.
It’s the hosts charging that gets me.

I'm never asked for contributions to Christmas dinner. I always offer well in advance so DSiL knows what's what. I suspect that's how it works for many families. Is that the crux do you think?

Some people seem to have lost sight of the fact that Christmas is supposed to be about giving (and sharing) haven’t they?

'Some people'? It's a privilege to be able to give and share, and 'some people' may have lost sight of that. If you have no money and a large family, but want to lay on a good Christmas spread it may be the only way it can be done. People bringing food can work if everyone is local, but when family come from near and far it can be tricky. It's not going to work if the dinner is in Manchester and the turkey is coming from Penzance.

If it works for them, I don't see the harm, and I don't really understand the difference between asking for contributions of food and contributions of money.

There is indeed a huge difference between being charged and being asked if you can bring X item of food/drink, or volunteering a contribution in cash or kind.

I think what jars with me is the idea of charging.
There’s a world of difference between offering to contribute- whether it’s the red cabbage, the crackers or the wine, or indeed a financial contribution - and paying a price

Some people seem to have lost sight of the fact that Christmas is supposed to be about giving (and sharing) haven’t they?

What's the difference between asking people to bring something and asking for the money to buy and make it yourself?

£150 a head seems like profiteering, but a tenner is just a bottle of wine - you'd struggle to get a Christmas dinner for £10 even in Wetherspoons . I am hosting my lot as usual, and the food bill is very high. I'm lucky enough that it doesn't matter, but someone with a large family and a small income might find it impossible, particularly if they want all the trimmings.

We have always made a contribution to the food costs to close family for Christmas lunch. I am hosting this year and the food delivery was over £260. My DiL is bringing a pudding, and my DD will look after starters. We will have enough to give everyone items to take home, but for this special day I try to provide everything that might be wanted. I can't understand why this item is newsworthy - to quote a cyncial being of our acquaintance 'Does it pass the 'So what' test?'.

LoobbyLoo

Not as bad as this person on GMB this morning who is charging her family £150 each for Christmas Dinner.....
www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/itv-gmb-guest-sparks-fiery-31723104
🙃

Has she got any?
Guests, I mean. Family too.

My blessed phone *parboiling

I collected my meat order yesterday - all contributions gratefully received!!!

Seriously, all our family contribute to the say - dd1 is making red cabbage and parboiking carrots, dd2 is making breadsauce and a yulelog, dd3 stuffing and a cheesecake and ds1 the crackers. So each to their own.

When I was on jobseekers but still wanted to entertain my mum and dad, my mum would give me some money towards the food, I didn't ask for any and certainly wouldn't have done, I would have managed somehow.But each to their own

Not as bad as this person on GMB this morning who is charging her family £150 each for Christmas Dinner.....
www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/itv-gmb-guest-sparks-fiery-31723104
🙃

I don’t know the circumstances, I could not do it. If money was really tight I would suggest everyone bring either a bottle or something, such as the pudding, and I’m sure they would. If I was absolutely penniless I would say , sorry can’t afford to host Christmas this year. You could suggest taking turns hosting Christmas. There is a lot of people struggling at the moment and I’m sure don’t expect one person to carry all the cost

Comments like "mi

I'm not sure why has this been made public when it's not really anyone else's business. She is feeding the family for 3 days and they all look happy enough, so why should we judge?

Blossoming

Having read the full article I think it’s a great idea for everyone to chip in. She’s feeding them on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It sounds like a good spread and they all seem to be enjoying themselves in the accompanying photo.

* * * ## ## ## * **

I agree. She is doing the work, providing the space, the electricity, the oven, the crockery and cutlery etc etc, receiving the family and bringing them all together. It's about getting together. I'm sure the family are quite happy to contribute. Cheaper than eating out.

(I think I ought to read the article now!)

Probably works well for that family! Years ago we used to share the Xmas shop amongst the 3 household's involved, to share the load and the cost, and we would take the items to who ever was hosting. All would help with food prep & clearing up too.
We still organise shared dinner parties regularly- we all like it- good fun& not too onerous on the host!!

I wouldn't charge my family, and I don't expect to contribute financially when we go to eat at their houses - I'm fairly sure it balances out over the year.

However, if this is how this family chooses to organise things then that's fine; I don't quite understand why we all need to know about it.

Elaine1 hoping you have as illness-free time as you can - there are so many coughing bugs doing the rounds at the moment.

We share out getting the food between all the adults. Not much different really. Last few Christmases have been difficult with ill health - Covid, norovirus, serious flu in DGS age 9 and DSil involving trips and treatment in hospital on Christmas night at 11pm so praying that this year will be different however DGD age 6 has been ill with strep throat and missed all her parties and school and DM is in hospital with exacerbation of COPD and RSV - still on oxygen and everyone else is coughing so don't hold out much hope 🤷‍♀️

So family = scroungers in your life biglouis?

I do think that's sad.

I can think of nothing more horrendous than hosting my family for several days. I would certainly need to be paid handsomely to do it.

When people ask you to do things for them I have found that the quickest way to end the conversation is to tell them that you are not a charity and your time is not free.

"So we will need to discuss money. Shall I think about it and give you a price?"

Gets rid of scroungers pretty sharpish.