real life

Is it reasonable to charge your relatives $50 for Christmas dinner?

A mother in the UK has triggered a storm of Twitter debate after saying she charges family members to come to her house for Christmas dinner.

Yep, mum-of-four Gemma Andrews, 33, charges relatives £30 ($53 AUD) per head for the big event and there are a number of reasons behind it.

First, she’s been hosting Christmas dinner for 10 years because her son has severe food allergies and – as anyone who knows anyone with severe food allergies will understand – it’s not something you take chances with.

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Second, her grandparents were actually the first to offer to contribute – she didn’t just start holding her hat out as people walked through the door.

Listen: Amelia Lester and Mia Freedman discuss everything wrong with Melania Trump’s First White House Christmas. Post continues after.

 

Third, Christmas dinner is expensive.

 

Of course. It’s never that simple and Andrews’ comments on UK breakfast show This Morning attracted huge backlash online from people calling her ‘greedy’ and labelling her pricing unreasonable.

Oh, the outrage.

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Andrews said she’s actually had to increase the price from £10 to £30 over the years because feeding and boozing 16 people has become quite expensive, and no one has batted an eyelid.

“No one has ever had an issue [paying],” she said. “The alcohol content has gone up as more children become adults, there are more people who have had children.”

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It’s not all been hate for Andrews either, with many-a-Twitter-user pointing out £30 for a Christmas dinner is not bad. Not bad at all.

What do you think? Would you charge your rellies for Christmas dinner? Tell us in the comments below.