Gran who charges for Christmas lunch

Might the media have picked this up because it has 5 pages of comment on GN..?

pinkquartz

Am pleased too see more comments added with normal human responses.
Of course it is a far better option to bring the family together.

I nearly choked when reading the comment that it might be better to spend the day alone rather than club together.

Pehaps this story is meant to inspire others to do this ??
Why the BBC is reporting it I have no idea. I can't see any real need for it to be in the news.

Why the BBC is reporting it I have no idea. I can't see any real need for it to be in the news.

My feeling, exactly.

All families come to some sort of arrangement about Christmas one way or another.

Why on earth is this considered newsworthy?

It's tabloid trivia.

A role model for us all Iam64 - no chance of me sticking at the 7 1/2 stone though!
But yes, smiling and showing pleasure at everything - we could all do with a lot more of that!

Thanks silverlining she certainly was x

Your mum sounds a real character Iam.

This gran was on Jeremy Vine today, rather confirming my suggestion that she welcomes publicity. I switched off. I’m with everyone who says most families find their own way of enabling folks to contribute, according to their means. My mums contribution over her last few years was to glam up, be ready for whoever was designated to collect her, to arrive, be thrilled to see everyone, never to say no to a drink, then to absolutely love watching presents being opened, she’d eat huge quantities, despite never getting above 7 1/2 stone and - always cheer Steve McQueen on as he tried to jump that final fence in The Great Escape.
I can see her now, 5’2” in stiletoes, fur coat and glitz, arriving with a big smile, determined to enjoy the day and bring a sprinkling of magic. She was 85, 3 years desperately widowed, registered partially sighted …….

Doodledog I absolutely agree. It's all very well organising contributions for one meal but this is for meals over 3 days. Plus we don't know where the families are coming from.

Doodledog

I may be being stupid, but as I said upthread, I can't see the difference. A contribution is a contribution, and if one person has overall control she can do all the shopping, so that nobody forgets the ham, or finds that cranberries are out of stock where they shop. If there are glitches the 'project manager' can make adjustments accordingly.

Christmas with family is lovely, but for many is too expensive for one person to provide, particularly in a cost of living crisis. Are those who saying that if you can't afford it you shouldn't host really suggesting that people spend Christmas alone for lack of money? I'm not religious personally, but I don't think for a minute that that attitude has anything to do with the 'true meaning of Christmas'.

That is exactly how I feel about it too.

Am pleased too see more comments added with normal human responses.
Of course it is a far better option to bring the family together.

I nearly choked when reading the comment that it might be better to spend the day alone rather than club together.

Pehaps this story is meant to inspire others to do this ??
Why the BBC is reporting it I have no idea. I can't see any real need for it to be in the news.

I may be being stupid, but as I said upthread, I can't see the difference. A contribution is a contribution, and if one person has overall control she can do all the shopping, so that nobody forgets the ham, or finds that cranberries are out of stock where they shop. If there are glitches the 'project manager' can make adjustments accordingly.

Christmas with family is lovely, but for many is too expensive for one person to provide, particularly in a cost of living crisis. Are those who saying that if you can't afford it you shouldn't host really suggesting that people spend Christmas alone for lack of money? I'm not religious personally, but I don't think for a minute that that attitude has anything to do with the 'true meaning of Christmas'.

Sallywally1
Maybe this has been reported out of all proportion 🙄
As the other way of looking at it is that everyone makes a contribution as others have suggested . When families get together for Christmas isn’t it normal or usual that everyone contributes either by making something for or bringing something . We have hosted many many Christmasas & it is very easy for the hosts to ask or be asked what they should bring,
We are going to my DD on Thursday for our get together , I have baked a Ham & Christmas Pud,& Cranberry sauce plus I will be taking other items that are surplus to our needs . Others will take drinks & Cheese & biscuits & I believe a big chilli . I’m also making a trifle …
There will be 14 Adults 4 Teenagers , Two 11 year olds & a 1 year old …
A busy & noisy day is in store .

I don't understand why anyone's bothered either. It clearly works for this particular family, no one's being forced to do it are they. It may even start a new trend.

It's lightweight journalism of the sort the BBC was peddling many years ago when I worked for them. I can't understand why it's bothering people so much; I suspect the family concerned is absolutely loving the publicity.

I can’t see what on earth this has to do with the BBC. Stuck for a story or what ? It’s gone down in my estimation, it used to be sensible and reliable. Sounds more like the rubbish we get over here though I don’t think even our lot would stoop so low.

Annma

Unbelievable,we have allthe family for Christmas dinner every year.Wouldn’t dream of charging for the food.We are so glad that the family can all come to us.

If you read the newspaper report you will see that this gran isn't just providing Christmas dinner. This generous lady provides for her family from Christmas eve through to Boxing day. That's quite a lot of food etc. etc. I think she is a star.

... and if I pay and I don't like the food, or if it is not suitable for me... do I get a refund?

A few years ago a friend invited me and my adult children to join her on Christmas day along with another single friend. We all shared the cost and some of the cooking though she cooked most of it. We were all single parents so couldn't have afforded to host entirely but by splitting the cost we all had a great day without undue expense.

Since the family still go to her and pay what she suggests I assume they are all happy with the arrangement and it seems pretty sensible to me. Of course it would be mean if she made a profit but it doesn't look like that is the case at all.

Not sure what the difference is between charging for dinner or me paying £40 for a fancy ham to bring to dinner. For our dinner today everyone brings something so everyone is still being charged just in a different way. I don't think it has anything to do with affording to host. Maybe she has the biggest space. We usually come to my parents as they have more room than I do.

“ judgemental old bat”? Nah, lass, not me. Just don’t agree with this charging malarkey. If you can’t afford it, don’t do it, or ask for help contributing; but for heavens sake, don’t go into the red trying to make a meal with all the trimmings if you can’t afford it - say something, accept support or otherwise, don’t do it.

Free of charge

I would rather choke on my food than pay a family member for the privilege regardless of their circumstances, if my family member couldn’t afford the dinner I might just make it at home and take a plateful along to them,

#pinkquartz not all of us are well off. We are reasonably comfortable off but the expectation from my DH's side of the family was that they paid when it was them and that we would pay when it was us. Both my SIL's are really well off and DH and I are not particularly. When I told him how much it cost he was appalled. We try to eat healthily and organically, which is expensive on it's own, however we didn't feel it was appropriate to compromise our beliefs to have a cheaper Christmas dinner.

wow this thread proves that many grans here are really well off and have no real understanding of poverty.

comments like 'if you can't afford then don't "
talk of offending family by offering to pay !

yes many judgemental old bats

awful that is not the real meaning of xmas at all

FannyFanackerpan

^Good grief, what judgemental old bats some of you are!^

Kettle. Pot. Black.

... ah! I see you got there before me!

Good grief, what judgemental old bats some of you are!

How charming!