Mum sparks debate by charging family $50 each for Christmas lunch—‘Is that fair?’
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As the festive season approaches, many look forward to gathering with family and friends to celebrate and share a meal.
However, hosting Christmas lunch can be a costly affair, and one mum's solution to this has sparked a heated debate online.
Her unconventional approach to holiday expenses has generated mixed reactions and highlights the diverse ways families navigate the financial aspects of the festive season.
Abi Richards, a 35-year-old full-time working mum and content creator from the United Kingdom, has revealed that she intends to charge her family $50 each to attend her Christmas dinner.
This year, she's expecting to feed 10 people over the course of the holiday, from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
The idea of charging for a home-cooked meal may seem unusual to some, but Abi's approach has a practical reasoning behind it.
She explained that her family members ‘always want to chip in’ with the costs, and she finds it ‘really hard to know what to ask them for’.
To ensure fairness, Abi decided to do all the shopping herself, visiting budget-friendly stores like ALDI and Tesco to stock up on festive essentials such as gammon, vegetables, and frozen Yorkshire puddings.
However, Abi's decision left people greatly divided, with some even labelling her as ‘tight’.
She shared, ‘I charge my family to come to Christmas dinner at my house—does everybody do this? I’m intrigued to know what you guys do.’
‘I’m very grateful that my family wants to contribute because it’s gonna be expensive.’
‘I don’t wanna overcharge or undercharge, so I’m gonna go do all of the shopping. I’m gonna go to ALDI and Tesco,’ the mum added.
Abi did a substantial Christmas shop at ALDI, purchasing items like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turkey gravy, red cabbage, a smoked gammon joint, goose fat, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
Knowing her family would be staying for a few days, she also stocked up on quiche, dips, bacon, crackers, and croissants.
In the frozen section, she picked up pigs in blankets, prawns, Brussels sprouts, and Yorkshire puddings, spending a total of $346.
She then went to Tesco for additional items, including drinks and snacks. After tallying her expenses, Abi found she had spent $469 in total.
‘I divided it by the adults because I feel like the kids barely eat anything, so I’ve divided it by eight adults, and it comes in at just under [$60] per person, which I actually don’t really think is that bad for three days worth of eating,’ Abi explained.
‘I might tell them it’s [$50] each…is that fair?’
The video has evidently astonished many, quickly amassing 103,600 views in just 14 hours.
Social media users were sharply divided by Abi's decision to charge her family for dinner—some thought it ‘made sense’, while others were far less approving.
‘I’d happily pay [$50] per person for two days to go to my family. [$50] is a bargain!’ one commented.
‘Makes the most sense! I’ve hosted twice, and it sure does tally up,’ another agreed.
‘I think it’s a great idea, stops you feeling resentful and the family feel relaxed because they have contributed,’ a third explained.
However, not everyone agreed with the idea.
‘That is weird,’ one remarked.
‘If you can’t afford to host, then don’t. I would be mortified to ask anybody for money!!!’ someone else argued.
You can watch Abi’s full video here:
While the debate over charging family members for Christmas lunch highlights the varied approaches to managing holiday expenses, it also brings to mind the different ways people experience the festive season.
Just as some families navigate financial contributions, others face unique challenges that can make the holidays less enjoyable.
This contrast is evident in the story of Princess Diana, who harboured a strong dislike for Christmas with the royal family, shedding light on the pressures and difficulties that can accompany even the most glamorous traditions.
We'd love to hear from you, our valued members. Have you ever considered asking for contributions for a large family meal? What are your thoughts on Abi's approach? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below, and let's navigate the complexities of hosting during the holiday season together.
However, hosting Christmas lunch can be a costly affair, and one mum's solution to this has sparked a heated debate online.
Her unconventional approach to holiday expenses has generated mixed reactions and highlights the diverse ways families navigate the financial aspects of the festive season.
Abi Richards, a 35-year-old full-time working mum and content creator from the United Kingdom, has revealed that she intends to charge her family $50 each to attend her Christmas dinner.
This year, she's expecting to feed 10 people over the course of the holiday, from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
The idea of charging for a home-cooked meal may seem unusual to some, but Abi's approach has a practical reasoning behind it.
Social media personality Abi Richards shared she plans to charge her family $50 each for a Christmas meal, hosting 10 people at her home. Credit: @abilourichards / Tiktok
She explained that her family members ‘always want to chip in’ with the costs, and she finds it ‘really hard to know what to ask them for’.
To ensure fairness, Abi decided to do all the shopping herself, visiting budget-friendly stores like ALDI and Tesco to stock up on festive essentials such as gammon, vegetables, and frozen Yorkshire puddings.
However, Abi's decision left people greatly divided, with some even labelling her as ‘tight’.
She shared, ‘I charge my family to come to Christmas dinner at my house—does everybody do this? I’m intrigued to know what you guys do.’
‘I’m very grateful that my family wants to contribute because it’s gonna be expensive.’
‘I don’t wanna overcharge or undercharge, so I’m gonna go do all of the shopping. I’m gonna go to ALDI and Tesco,’ the mum added.
Abi did a substantial Christmas shop at ALDI, purchasing items like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turkey gravy, red cabbage, a smoked gammon joint, goose fat, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.
Knowing her family would be staying for a few days, she also stocked up on quiche, dips, bacon, crackers, and croissants.
In the frozen section, she picked up pigs in blankets, prawns, Brussels sprouts, and Yorkshire puddings, spending a total of $346.
She then went to Tesco for additional items, including drinks and snacks. After tallying her expenses, Abi found she had spent $469 in total.
‘I divided it by the adults because I feel like the kids barely eat anything, so I’ve divided it by eight adults, and it comes in at just under [$60] per person, which I actually don’t really think is that bad for three days worth of eating,’ Abi explained.
‘I might tell them it’s [$50] each…is that fair?’
The video has evidently astonished many, quickly amassing 103,600 views in just 14 hours.
Social media users were sharply divided by Abi's decision to charge her family for dinner—some thought it ‘made sense’, while others were far less approving.
‘I’d happily pay [$50] per person for two days to go to my family. [$50] is a bargain!’ one commented.
‘Makes the most sense! I’ve hosted twice, and it sure does tally up,’ another agreed.
‘I think it’s a great idea, stops you feeling resentful and the family feel relaxed because they have contributed,’ a third explained.
However, not everyone agreed with the idea.
‘That is weird,’ one remarked.
‘If you can’t afford to host, then don’t. I would be mortified to ask anybody for money!!!’ someone else argued.
You can watch Abi’s full video here:
While the debate over charging family members for Christmas lunch highlights the varied approaches to managing holiday expenses, it also brings to mind the different ways people experience the festive season.
Just as some families navigate financial contributions, others face unique challenges that can make the holidays less enjoyable.
This contrast is evident in the story of Princess Diana, who harboured a strong dislike for Christmas with the royal family, shedding light on the pressures and difficulties that can accompany even the most glamorous traditions.
