food

'My mother-in-law just informed us she's charging $30 for Christmas lunch. It feels wrong.'

Every family does Christmas lunch (or dinner) differently.

Some families employ the “everyone bring a plate” method, others alternate each year meaning everyone gets their turn to foot the bill, and there are those who simply book a restaurant so each family member can pay their own way.

(And some people don’t even HAVE Christmas lunch).

There are two types of “Christmas people”, which one are you? Post continues after video…

There’s no right or wrong way to do it, but there’s no doubt Christmas is expensive, so we all want to minimise the financial burden one way or another.

Well, one woman’s idea has Mumsnet users divided, with many calling her attempt to cut costs “horrible” and “tight”, while others think it’s reasonable.

She’s opting to charge her guests for the meal, rather than request everyone bring something for the table.

“My partner has just told me me that his mother who he’s having Christmas lunch with said she wants £17 (about AUD $30) per head,” the original post on the UK site read.

“She said she doesn’t want to do it all from scratch and wants to get it all pre-done so it’s more money, which I understand, but he’s gutted.”

“I can see it from both sides and it’s hard work and can be expensive but not like she is financially destitute,” the post continued.

She went on to say that her partner had offered to bring dessert, and said handing over cash “just feels wrong”.

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The responses to the post were varied.

One person said, “If you can’t afford it, don’t invite people,” while another chimed in, “Cannot think of anything less hospitable than setting the menu and demanding your ‘guests’ pay for it.”

“I definitely would not ask for money and would not ask for food contributions either,” another poster claimed.

Most agreed that requesting a contribution by way of a plate of food or bottle of wine was more appropriate.

“If I was hosting I would not dream of asking for money, just bring a bottle,” one said.

Others weren’t so critical of the idea to request cash, with one person even adding that it works the same way in their family.

“We ‘host’ Christmas dinner every year, but it’s only here because we have the space for the tables. So everyone chips in to cover it (There’s 29 people this year – no way could we afford to pay for all of that every single year),” they said.

“Don’t think of it as her charging you but instead think of it as you all contributing to the cost of the food,” another posted.

Others mirrored this sentiment, “If someone asked me for cash I’d pay – it’s really expensive hosting, particularly at an expensive time of the year.”

Another person concluded: “Based on how much Christmas costs us I’d say that was a good deal!”

Do you think it’s unreasonable to request cash from your Christmas lunch guests? Let us know in the comments below.