Is It Right to Charge Guests for There Christmas Dinner?

So much for hospitality.

Sharing the cost perhaps ? I'm sure many already do this ? But charging ? How much - £15 for Adult, £5 for kids . What price a glass of wine ? Bonkers .

I wouldn't if I was inviting them. If guests wanted to be charged they would go to a restaurant for a meal instead. I would tell them if they want to that they can bring their own booze as I don't drink alcohol.

If you are expected to pay then will the guests get a choice of meals like they do in the restaurant? and if the meal isn't right then will they get a refund?

my family are all chipping in, dinner at me mams shes cooking, we all put some money in towards dinner and snacks ect, everyone splitting costs cheeper and get to be together

There are so many arguments for and against. I am fortunate to be able to put on Christmas dinner for 7 of us but we are all generous by nature so they would never come empty handed. If you cannot afford to put on a dinner but have a big diner and can cook then i see nothing wrong with saying that you would provide the meat and do the cooking if others supplied the veg, trimmings, pudding, starter etc. But I would find it very hard to charge money. Surely any guest worth their salt would offer to contribute?

I wouldn’t dream of asking guests to pay although a few years ago some friends invited a crowd of us to theirs and we were asked to chip in £40/50. I paid up but it left a bitter taste.

I don't think charging people money for the meal is right. It's a bit different if people are just asked to contribute something, like to bring the booze as one of the comments above mentions. But charging a fee for the meal just doesn't seem right to me, and it's not something I would do.

For Christmas, as a family, we all help out but not directly with money.

It's a nice way for everyone to contribute, add their personal touch and divide the pressure.

There could be anything from 8 to 14 adults, plus 6 toddlers, depending on if my siblings are going go their in laws (year about)

E.g. my nanny always pays for the family turkey, but I as the 'host' cook it, along with the starter and sides, my mum makes and brings the ham, my MIL and brother both make a dessert each, and my sister brings the cheese board.

It is always really enjoyable, no-one feels put out, and everyone feels a part of it!

No, I don't think it's a long time coming. The whole point of inviting them to come, to your dinner is you give it for free. How churlish are you if you charge your kids and family a charge? You can do it so much more subtly buy asking them to bring a desert or cakes or mince pies than out right charge.

Taking turns sounds like a better idea. You would have to pay me to go to my wife’s family for Christmas Dinner.

I love to cook the Christmas dinner for my family and friends would never think of charging them if I could not afford to do it I simply wouldn’t do it

Definitely not as if you have invited friends and family that’s your choice you should definitely not charge them as you invited them

Maybe bring a bottle but charging guests for the food is not nice,never heard of this before x

I would have thought it better to take turns being the host.

If it was just one person doing it every time I can see them asking for donations towards cost of ingredients

I never charge, but I do get a bit peeved when people turn up empty handed.

It's not too much to ask to bring a bottle of wine.

I would never charge a guest for Christmas dinner, if they insisted on bringing something I might say dessert.

Most people do bring a gift even if it's a small box of chocolates for the host.

If it was very close family and you know someone was experiencing financial hardship, you would have that conversion and offer £ towards the shopping, even if it was to say we buy the meat.

Wouldn't charge anyone who comes to eat at our house - They are welcome to bring a bottle, as would I if I was going to someone house to eat. Mind you its a good way of encouraging someone NOT to come round if you really dont want them!

My parents are coming to ours for Christmas this year and my mum has already said that she will make certain elements of it or buy and bring it along so its not as much work. I wouldn't charge my parents as we are fortunate enough to be able to afford dinner for the 5 of us but I know when we went to my mother in laws for Christmas I offered to pay for something or to bring something as I felt it was the polite thing to do.

If someone wants to bring something then that's fine and if there is a big family get together and everyone pays for something or brings something then that's great.

I personally wouldn't charge as if I couldn't to do it then I wouldn't invite them round, same with any dinner really.

I could never ask for payment, if they offered to bring something like a dessert or the likes then great but if i ask people round then it would be for me to pay and cook

I wouldn't dream of charging people! Either split the cost of the groceries upfront as a group , or everyone brings different things, or take turns. But not inviting people and then charge a flat fee!

I think it's wrong to charge for any type of dinner, I would only think it's acceptable if a group had a discussion prior to the event and decided that it might be worth chipping in to cover the costs.

Id never ask for payment, we hosted Christmas 3 years running but I didn't last year and wont be this year. We did however ask them to bring a bottle as we don't drink . But provided soft drinks.

I would never ever dream of charging anyone to attend any dinner/party I was hosting. If I invite others it's because I can afford to do so, I would appreciate my guests bringing pudding or a nice bottle but charge them? Never.

And if someone tried to charge me I simply wouldn't go. Asking to bring items to contribute is acceptable but money, no. I don't think it's very gracious.

I don’t think this is right personally. If I couldn’t afford to pay for the food I wouldn’t offer to host the meal.