Christmas Debate: Would You Charge Your Family for Christmas Dinner?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Here’s some context: I was watching This Morning, and a Christmas debate came up about a man hosting Christmas dinner who decided to charge his family members £75 per head. WHAT?! Are they eating gold dipped potatoes, diamond-cut Yorkshire puddings, and drinking champagne made from crystals?

Look, I understand the cost of living is tough right now. Money is tight, and when you have a big family (something I can easily relate to), hosting can get expensive. But personally, there are three scenarios I think make sense in this situation, and none of them involve charging my family £75 per head.

Now, I’m pretty confident most people would agree that it’s ridiculous to charge your family members for Christmas dinner, or for any meal, for that matter. But I bet you’re curious about my alternative scenarios, so let me share them with you:

Scenario 1: You offer to host, you pay.This is my usual choice, simply because of how I was brought up. My mindset is that if I’m offering to host, I won’t then start adding conditions. It’s as simple as that.

Scenario 2: A Christmas compromise.You’re hosting, but to take the financial and general stress out of the equation, you suggest that everyone brings a dish. This way, the cost, effort, and mess are shared. Less expense, less stress, and less mess, win-win!

Scenario 3: A budget-friendly, all-in approach.One person hosts, and everyone chips in, say, £20 each for ingredients, drinks, etc. The host does the shopping and cooking, but the cost is shared among everyone.

But under no circumstances is it acceptable to tell your family, “I’ll host, but it’s going to cost you £75 per head!” Nope. Not happening.

So, now that you know my thoughts, what are yours?