I make my family pay for Christmas dinner – people say it’s ‘disgusting’ but I think it’s fair

A mum has revealed how she is looking forward to Christmas and cooking dinner – but has tasked her family with taking part.

Abi Richards, 35, spent $294 on food and drink over the festive period and is cooking for 10 family members.

She is charging them $31 each and the cost covers breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days – including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

This is the fourth year in a row that she has been waiting for Christmas at her home in Hampshire, and every year her family has “hijacked” the shopping bill.

This year, she kept the receipts and “processed it fairly” — billing eight of the adults who get $31 a head for their share of food and drinks.

She said it’s “easier” to do it this way, so they “don’t have to worry” about bringing anything home for Christmas.

Abi said her family are more than happy to contribute and they were the ones who “begged” to do it since the first year she was expecting.

Her “controversial” idea has had mixed comments from her followers on social media – with some “praising” her and others calling her “disgusting”.

Mother-of-two Abi, a content creator, said: “We’ve always split the cost.

“I didn’t initiate it – my family suggested it to me.

“Every year I give a rough estimate for them to enter.

“I never like to ask too much or too little.

“This is the first year that I keep the receipts and I processed them fairly.

“It’s funny – I never thought it was a big deal.

“We’re in a cost-of-living crisis, so some people really struggle with it.

“Everyone is very willing to contribute.

“It’s whatever works for you and your family — it works for us.”

Abi lives at home with husband Ross, 37, who works in a bank, and their two children Teddy, five, and Emmie, two.

She is hosting the family – including her mother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister and her partner and her niece – for three days.

Abi shopped at Aldi – where she spent $216 on food and drink – before heading to Tesco for the remaining items.

She spends another $77 at Tesco, bringing her total spend up to $294.

Abi found that of the 10 participants, eight are adults who are happy to contribute and asked each of them to donate $31.

She said: “Some years, my family has brought things with them.

“But this way, everything is here when they arrive and they don’t have to worry about getting anything.

“Breakfast, lunch, dinner and all drinks are listed.

“I check and see if there’s anything they like, but I’ve been waiting a few years now and I know what they all like.”

Abi will prepare the roast turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas Eve, and then the leftovers with a festive buffet on Christmas Day, followed by another WHAT meal on Boxing Day.

She said: “This is the first year we’ve had a Christmas Eve roast.

“I’m the only one with young children and I feel bad that I can’t spend as much time with them on Christmas Day because I’m cooking.

“I love to cook and host, and everyone is more than happy to participate.

“It’s the way we’ve always done it.”

Abi posted a video on social networks and was “shocked” by the response.

The video has now been viewed 19.6k times and Abi’s methods have divided the crowd.

She said: “The clip was quite controversial” but there was mostly positive feedback.

“People say they do it in some form, bringing food or scraps.

“Others have said it is ‘disgusting’ and they would never let their family contribute.

“It’s not for everyone, but it’s what’s always worked for us.”