Gran who charges for Christmas lunch

What happened?

don't apologise, it made me tchgrin

Callistemon21

pascal30

considering she is offering food from News Years Eve until Boxing day I think it's amazingly good value for her family, and they all look perfectly happy.. it's no different from contributing food just very well organised..

Did you mean Christmas Eve, pascal?

Otherwise it sounds like a real bargain 😂

yes sorry

pascal30

considering she is offering food from News Years Eve until Boxing day I think it's amazingly good value for her family, and they all look perfectly happy.. it's no different from contributing food just very well organised..

Did you mean Christmas Eve, pascal?

Otherwise it sounds like a real bargain 😂

Who knows the truth here? She says she came up with the idea when her husband died. It’s possible her income reduced significantly. Maybe she enjoys hosting but couldn’t afford to do so unless everyone chips in financially.

considering she is offering food from News Years Eve until Boxing day I think it's amazingly good value for her family, and they all look perfectly happy.. it's no different from contributing food just very well organised..

I'd happily provide all the food if someone else cooked it

HousePlantQueen

If the wine is included she would be running at a loss if I was invited.

😂😂😂

No, I think this charging malarkey is mercenary. If you can’t afford to host, don’t host, or you ask everyone attending to bring something, eg the pudding, some veg, a joint, the wine, whatever.
Our niece tried this one a few years ago - we declined the invite.

I also do food for my parents and take it round to them - they find it a bit too much coming to mine now.

Clever parents….Stay home, she does all the work and you get the food for nothing. 👏👏

I think she's taking the mickey out of all the people getting on their high horse at the prospect of someone 'charging' the family.

Not very hospitable though. We all contribute to our family Christmas dinner. We bring the champagne,wine, Christmas pud and crackers. Others bring, prepare or make the rest. Nobody is left out of pocket or feeling taken advantage of.

I don’t see the problem it’s her effort shopping, cooking, heating and fuel costs. Maybe the others can’t be a***d so for a few pounds they’re onto a good thing.
She may be on a very small income too. As with a few local news items the detail is deliberately sketchy to generate the headline.

It sounds tight at first but really it's just a fair way if splitting costs across the family, I'm sure plenty do the same only they just phrase it differently. She's right to ask for contributions if she can't afford to pay for it all herself but is happy to host. A loving family wouldn't mind this at all, I'm sure they'd rather contribute than see her struggle with bills or go without so they can all have a free dinner.

It's newsworthy because it's obviously annoying people and encouraging criticism. It's journalism creating exactly the result it set out to do. I think it's funny and I know that if I did this with my family they'd think it hilarious.

I agree. Bank transfers so she can chase ‘stragglers’? It’s akin to running a restaurant. I’m amazed she doesn’t ask for a deposit and their credit card details. She looks very pleased with herself in the photo - I would be mortified.

Bit harsh RosieMaw we don't know the circumstances and it seems like a good deal to me. Not everyone can afford to feed their whole family and this seems quite fair.

I knew it sounded familiar.
Look back at this OP from 2021

Quote Mapleleaf Sat 04-Dec-21 19:14:27
Now, is it just me, and this is the way things are done nowadays so I’m behind the times? Had invitation for Christmas lunch at a family members home, along with other family members, but the person doing the lunch requests all who would like to attend pay them x amount for the privilege, to cover the costs of the food and drink (this includes their parents having to pay, too)

silverlining48

Thanks Ailsa. I think contributing £10 for food for 3 full days is a bargain. In fact £10 just for Christmas dinner is not too much.
Mercenary? I don’t think so. No one is being forced.

That is not the point.
Chipping in is one thing, bringing food to shares another, maybe even “divvying up” the total expense but charging ?
It would serve her right if they all stayed away and she sat on her lonesome with her turkey ready-meal.
Miserable old bat.

Agree that I’m not sure why it’s newsworthy but so mean to take money off children
When my daughter invites me I always offer to go halves or vice versa but to actually ‘charge’ everyone including the children is just nasty

Different families have different traditions
- in some the host pays
- in others it is a joint effort with people bringing dishes/foods
- in others one person does the all the shopping and then the cost is split (which seems to be the case here)

I don't really see the issue

If it works, it works (not sure why the story is particularly newsworthy though?)

No one's forcing them to go and pay and it's a lot cheaper than eating in a restaurant. Maybe no one else can be bothered to cook.

Maybe they have all agreed that this is the simplest and fairest way. Maybe she has the time, but not the money, and they have the money but not the time to shop and prepare. If it works for them, who are we to judge?