A mother said she’s hosting another Christmas dinner this year – and this time she’s demanding her family attend.
Abi Richards, 35, from Hampshire, England, said she spent nearly $300 on food and drinks this Christmas as she cooks for 10 family members over three days. (See the video at the top of this article.)
She charges them just under $32 each to cover the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner on these days – Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day, which is celebrated in the United Kingdom.
FAMILY SAVES $1,800 A YEAR BY GROWING THEIR OWN FRUIT AND VEGETABLES: “EAT LIKE OXYGEN”
Richards shared the news in a video posted on social media, which sparked mixed reviews.
“It’s going to be expensive,” she said of the costs associated with all the food.
Abi Richards said she was charging her family for Christmas dinner because it was so “expensive”. (Abi Richards/SWNS)
Richards told SWNS that this was her fourth year in a row hosting Christmas dinner at home.
She said her family contributed to the grocery bill every year.
This year, however, she kept the receipts and “charged it fairly” – charging eight of the participating adults for their share of food and drinks.
She feeds her mother, her mother-in-law, her father-in-law, her sister, her sister’s partner and her niece over the holidays.
Richards said it’s “easier” to do it this way, so her family doesn’t have to worry about bringing anything for Christmas.
Some praised the plan on social media, while others called it “disgusting.”
FAMILIES CAN SAVE $100 A MONTH ON GROCERIES IF THEY DO THIS: OREGON MOM
Richards lives with her husband and two children, ages 5 and 2.
In addition to her immediate family, Richards feeds her mother, her mother-in-law, her father-in-law, her sister, her sister’s partner and her niece over the holidays.
Richards feeds her extended family for three days during the Christmas holidays. (Abi Richards/SWNS)
Richards said she would prepare a roast turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Eve, have leftovers with a festive buffet on Christmas Day and prepare another meal on Boxing Day.
In her video, Richards calculated that she spent almost $300 between two stores.
So she did the math and decided to charge adults almost $32 per person.
“It changes the dynamic of the celebration.”
“What I actually — I don’t think it’s that bad if you eat for three days,” Richards said.
Diane Gottsman, etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio, told Fox News Digital that charging a certain amount “can easily seem insulting.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
“Don’t give them a specific amount like they’re going to a restaurant,” Gottsman said. “It changes the dynamic of the celebration and everyone could go out to eat at a restaurant instead.”
Richards told SWNS that her family is happy to contribute. She said they were the ones who “insisted on it” from the first year she hosted.
Richards calculated the cost of her groceries to determine the price for her family members. (Abi Richards/SWNS)
“Every year I give a rough estimate of how much they will bring in,” Richards told SWNS. “I never like to ask too much or too little. This is the first year I have kept the receipts and billed them fairly.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
Gottsman said it may be time for Richards to pass the apron to another family member next year.
“If she feels like she can’t afford the lunch or dinner, she should forego hosting next year and offer to help someone else,” Gottsman said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
But Richards told SWNS she didn’t think it was a big deal.
“It’s not for everyone, but it’s always worked for us.”