Should You Charge Your Family for Christmas Dinner?

As people gear up for the biggest festive season since the COVID-19 pandemic, the backdrop of rising prices is causing anxiety for many.

Some families have even announced plans to charge their loved ones for their annual festive meal, asking for as much as $20 a head.

Mike Simone, executive director of market research and intelligence at National Cattlemen's Beef Association, told Newsweek: "New research shows that consumers are planning to gather in larger groups this holiday season, with an average of 10 people per occasion. This is two more people than the average holiday gathering size last year, and the inclusion of extended family has nearly doubled since 2020. With more mouths to feed this year, 42 percent of consumers are worried about food prices."

According to the latest data from the National Retail Federation, Christmas is a big expense for many, with Americans spending around $1,000 a year on Christmas.

While much of the annual spend will go on gifts, research has revealed that most Americans will spend well over $200 a year on non-gift items, including food and decorations.

Holiday retail sales have increased year-on-year since 2008, with 2021's sales projected at up to $859 billion, more than double the 2002 figure of $416.4 billion.

Should You Charge Family for Christmas Dinner?

"The rising cost of a Christmas meal may lead consumers to opt for more budget-friendly meals with lower costs per person," said Simone.

The idea of charging friends and family members for a homemade festive meal is relatively new, though. Earlier in December, a viral post on London-based internet forum Mumsnet discussed the concept, sparking conversation when one user explained: "My colleague told me yesterday that her sister has invited her for Christmas Day dinner but wants to charge her £20 ($24) towards the meal."

While it might seem like an unusual concept, more people are discussing the idea of charging for their festive meal on social media this year. Facebook threads on the topic are amassing thousands of comments, and posts on both Mumsnet and Reddit are going viral.

"I have never charged money, however with the current financial climate, I think it's more than reasonable to ask people to all chip in so that one family isn't burdened with the entire cost," Charley Mackintosh, a mom from the U.K., told Newsweek.

"We don't charge money in my family, but we do all contribute by bringing something, puddings, cheese course, turkey or something. I don't see Christmas in the same way as a normal dinner party—it's an opportunity for everyone to get together and that comes with a considerable cost if you're footing the entire bill," she said. "This year we're hosting my in-laws only, and we aren't expecting them to bring anything or pay as it's a very small gathering, but they have offered to contribute."

Many people on Mumsnet and Facebook have backed the idea of charging for Christmas dinner, suggesting that it was a good idea for people to contribute to the cost.

"I wouldn't think of it as being charged for Christmas dinner, more just throwing some cash into the pot to make the cost less eye-watering," said one commenter. Another wrote: "I personally don't think it's unreasonable. I go to my parents every year and we always plan out our shopping list in advance and divide and conquer."

Contributing to the discussion on Facebook, another person wrote: "I do [charge] because we have hosted for at least the last 10 years. We do the whole day, mince pies in morning, full turkey dinner, Christmas cake, supper at 6pm all drinks. £25 a head. The choice is pay or offer to host… they keep coming back."

"I am lucky enough to be in a position that at present I don't need to charge," Claire Tarling, who is preparing for Christmas with family in the U.K., told Newsweek. "My view is purely that I feel asking for a contribution, monetary or food-wise is fair if you are feeding a whole family, especially in the current climate."

"Better that than people don't get together because of the cost. My daughter is a student and when they entertain they each bring a dish/course. I see this as just the same."

The annual U.S. inflation rate for the 12 months ending October 2022 is 7.7 percent according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Previously rising to 8.2 percent, it has seen a small drop, but prices continue to be much higher than a year ago.

In the previous 12 months to October 2022, food has seen a 10.9 percent increase in cost, meaning that most people are looking at a festive food bill increase that is likely to leave a dent in finances.

Is It Rude To Charge for Christmas Dinner?

Tamiko Brown-Zablith, an etiquette expert and founder, CEO and managing director of Minding Manners, told Newsweek: "Christmas can be special and stressful in equal measure. This year's need for many to reduce their financial expenditure may actually be a blessing in disguise as it can help us return to the true meaning of sharing, in a simplified, less expensive fashion.

"The role of family is to support one another and, as such, it should be OK to let your family know your situation and that although you would love to host Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, this year you would like to invite participation," she explained.

But while Brown-Zablith believes it is acceptable to ask for some help in creating your family Christmas meal, she said it might not be a good idea to ask for a monetary contribution.

"Do not limit the participation to money, instead provide options that allow the invitee to prepare within their own parameters," she explained. "At the heart of hospitality in the Western world, it can be deemed impolite to ask for money or monetary contributions for meals, so to stay on the safe side, let's avoid it."

"Whilst one may not have the financial means to host in the fashion they would like to do so, equally, the invited family members may not have the funds to contribute," she explained. "Asking for a financial contribution could cause uneasiness on both sides, and as such, would be best avoided."

Top Tips for Saving Money This Christmas

If you're looking to keep an eye on costs this festive season but want to avoid charging guests, Philip Stubbins, managing director at Money Expert, provided some tips.

1. Shop in the right spot

"When shopping for Christmas food, supermarkets will look to tempt you in with deals on certain products but not all," Stubbins told Newsweek: "This is an easy way to get caught up in convenience and spend too much."

Shopping around and even trying out different supermarkets for different items can often help to keep grocery costs down.

2. Make swaps

We all have Christmas traditions and there are some things that are irreplaceable at Christmas, but some swaps can make a big difference to your festive grocery bills.

"There are easy swaps you can make in order to save on costs but not impact the taste. For example, if you normally buy fresh gravy, you could swap this for granules or fresh stuffing could be changed to a packet mix with the addition of some butter to add a richer flavor," suggested Stubbins. "You should also consider buying your turkey frozen rather than fresh as it can save money. It is also considered to be a better environmental purchase."

3. Buy the right amount

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture one-third of all available food in the U.S. goes uneaten through loss or waste. But that amount rises by up to 25 percent during the holidays.

"When it comes to saving money, at the core of any savvy shopper's tactics should be pre-planning," said Stubbins. "Prior to doing your shop, plan out your portion sizes per person in order to buy exactly what you need. Don't be tempted to size up 'just in case' because in reality you always tend to have waste."

"If you do end up with any leftovers, there are plenty of recipes online offering ample inspiration to re-purpose those scraps into new tasty meals," he added.

4. Remember it is just one day

We all want to have a very merry Christmas, but Stubbins points out that it is important to keep things in perspective.

"It can be easy to get carried away with the festivities, but it is important not to put yourself in financial difficulty because of it," he said. "Due to the cost-of-living crisis, lots of families are already struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table as they did before. With this in mind, try not to let the pressure of Christmas influence your buying decisions and focus on the bigger picture."