Christmas is officially less than a week away, and many of us will be spending the next few days making sure we have everything in place for the big day, as well as preparing for any parties we might be throwing for mates in the days leading up to Christmas Day itself.
But one man has found himself at the centre of controversy in his friend group over the new rule he has put in place for his upcoming Christmas party, as while it will save him some cash, his mates have claimed it's "selfish".
The man explained he and his wife throw a Christmas party every year at their house for friends, family, and some of their co-workers. In previous years, he and his partner have provided all the food for the gathering and have spent around $500 (£410) on catering for the event.
This year, however, as money is tighter for the couple and they need to save wherever possible, the man has asked every guest to bring one dish with them as a contribution to the party - which has left some people fuming.
In a post on Reddit, he said: "Quick post, just trying to get opinions as my wife and I have gotten a lot of backlash over our annual holiday party. Every year, we hold a little soiree-type gathering at our house - there are usually 20-25 people who come. Nothing crazy. It's a mix of coworkers, family, and friends.
"Normally, we do all the cooking for 25 people, and it sets us back about $500-$600 (£410-£490) at the grocery store. This year, with money being a bit tighter, we've added some 'stipulations' to attending the party.
"On the invites that we mailed out, we added that guests need to bring a dish with them to the party if they'd like to attend. We listed some potential dishes that they can bring, or they can bring their own creation. If not bringing a dish, the alternative would be paying $20 (£16) per guest, to help offset food costs.
"Out of the 27 people we invited this year, there were 6 people (friends of my wife and me) who had an issue with this in particular. None of them ended up RSVPing and when my wife reached out, they said that it was selfish to expect a dish from guests, and not considerate."
Commenters on the post were quick to defend the man for imposing new rules on his annual party, but others said he would have to accept that some people would decide not to attend as a result.
One person said: "I wouldn't have asked for the money. That turns a fun get-together into an event with an entrance fee. Just changing the name from 'Holiday Party' to 'Holiday Potluck' and asking guests to bring a dish would have been enough."
While another added: "You were clear upfront with the requirements to attend. So provided you aren't upset when people choose not to attend or upset when someone brings a bucket of KFC and not what you suggested then you are not the a**hole. It does get tacky that you phoned and asked why people weren't attending. You can ask and they can decline."
And a third noted: "Just don't get angry if people don't want to come."
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