Last year Carla Bellucci charged her guests £150 each for their Christmas meal. This year she's charging £200 ($252). She justifies the £50 increase as covering the rising cost of food and utilities. She says "Paying up is the least they can do for all the time and effort I'm putting in." *
Only adults and teenagers over 16 are required to pay, while younger children dine for free. She says anyone unwilling to pay is welcome to decline the invitation.
Not surprisingly she has received a torrent of online abuse, including death and rape threats. But a lot of people agree with her that the cost should be shared.
It's a valid point that expecting one person to foot the whole cost of the Christmas meal is rather unfair, on top of all the other Christmas expenses. But I suspect that many of the guests quietly slip the host a tenner or two towards the cost.
But £200 a head is a pretty hefty charge, especially since she expects the guests to bring their own alcohol and drinks. Are they being served caviar and oysters? Are the choicest ingredients being flown in from across the world?
Jenny and I are dodging the whole controversy. It'll be just the two of us for our Christmas meal. And it certainly won't cost us £400.
* Maybe she's also charging for the time and effort?
After reading the link, she’s clearly not a normal person. She’s a faux celebrity looking for attention.
ReplyDeleteBijoux: I agree. I'd like to know what her family members think of her monetisation of Christmas.
DeleteNick, I do not know who that person is.As Bijoux said faux celebrity trying to get attenton and money. Human stupidity.
ReplyDeleteHannah
Hannah: Yes, faux celebrity. Will anyone actually pay £200, I wonder?
DeleteI saw something about this in the newspaper .....apparently her 'entertainment' is included. The mind boggles...
ReplyDeleteFly: I didn't know about the entertainment. Indeed, the mind boggles.
DeleteI would never charge guests for anything. I know that some provide the main course and quests bring sides and dessert. I think this is a fine arrangement, especially with large families.
ReplyDeleteMy son and his wife are coming here next Saturday. He offered to bring food. I accepted, not because of cost but because his wife is vegan and this way I don't need to worry about that. Which is why he offers, I would guess. We provide beverages.
DeleteSandra: Yes, asking people to bring some food for the meal is a sensible solution, especially for large families, as you say. Vegans providing their own food saves a lot of stress and fuss.
DeleteI make an effort to provide vegan food for my vegan family and gluten free food for my coeliac family.
DeleteI don't like being left out because of my specific needs or ethical choices and i won't do it to others
Wow. It's one perspective on hosting your family's holiday dinner. When I have held them in the past I wanted to put on the spread. I would never even considered charging them.
ReplyDeleteSome people are horrified by the idea of charging, some think it's a good idea. Certainly the cost of food is going up in leaps and bounds.
DeleteFor our large family meals, everyone contributed one or two types of food. I usually brought deviled eggs and Dave brought homemade pie. The eggs were so we could have them as appetizers when his sister was running way behind schedule and we needed something to eat NOW. If the hostess prefers to make it all herself, that is HER choice. We don't even pay that much for nice restaurant meals.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda: Guests bringing some of the food is a handy arrangement. Indeed, restaurant meals can cost a lot less than £200 a head. How on earth can she justify such a huge sum?
DeleteThat wouldn't fly at my house. Everyone brings something and it's traded around.
ReplyDeletenope! i dont know what prices are like over there but here you could go to a restaurant on Christmas day for that price.
ReplyDeleteI say don't invite people if you can't be generous.
I think it's nice for guests to bring a contribution: drinks, dessert, a salad, a tray of cheese depending on their skills and budget.
But ultimately, if you invite people, you pay. And if all you can afford is chipolatas and bread, there's no disgrace in that. They can eat it and be grateful for the hospitality