One woman has caused a debate after revealing she charges her family for the Christmas dinner she prepares every year.
She insists the controversial move helps her avoid waste and cover the rising costs of preparing the meal, including almost €100 on meat alone.
Caroline Duddridge, 63, from Cardiff in Wales, will be hosting up to 12 people for Christmas dinner this year. She'll also be putting on a buffet on Christmas Eve, and another on Boxing Day. So, she said, charging a fee is a sensible solution.
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"I've got to be clear," she told WalesOnline, "I'm not out to make a profit. It's a contribution; I'm not getting one up on my children.
"It sounds, on the face of it, like 'oh my god, how could she do that?' But it started when my husband died just before Christmas 2015. My income was halved and I lost my job, so I said to my kids that they'd have to contribute to all the food."
Caroline started by asking each of her children to put a couple of pounds a week into a jar for the weeks up until Christmas, but it got too confusing when some people were paying and some weren't. To avoid having to chase her kids up for the money, she made it more simple - asking them to pay a set fee by December 1.
And Caroline said her kids are all "fine about it," adding that the amount she charges is carefully calculated. She sits down and figures out how much of each food she'll need and how much it'll cost, and sets a fee that covers the cost.
Adding up £90 for the meat, which she doesn't actually eat, then a nut roast for a vegetarian option, and several desserts (including vegan ones and alternatives to Christmas pudding for the kids), Caroline thinks it's fair to ask for help with the cost. She likened it to when families ask everyone to bring their own dishes - one person contributing the potatoes, another the vegetables - but said that this way, she knows exactly how much to buy and there's no waste.
She's also got a smart meter, meaning she can see how much it costs to cook a full turkey dinner. When this is combined with the cost of decorations, Christmas crackers, and having the heating and the Christmas lights running all day, it starts to add up.
Caroline said: "Some of my children are in their late 30s and earning money. Just because I’m a mother and a grandmother doesn’t mean I have to pay everything myself. If I was a millionaire or something, fair enough!"
She charges her two sons and her son-in-law £15 each, because they work full-time, and her daughters £10 each as they work part-time. Then her older grandkids pay £5, and her younger grandkids £2.50 - although, Caroline added, this is more likely to be paid by their parents than to be taken from their pocket money.
"When people read it, and not just look at the headline, they’ll actually think ‘hmm, yes, that’s actually not a bad idea.’ I’ve got a couple of friends who think they’re going to start doing the same."
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