Arranging a lavish Christmas meal can be quite a challenge, involving both significant financial investment in ingredients and the considerable time spent in the kitchen. For those hosting, the experience often mirrors a day on the job.
One resourceful mother has decided she’s finished with what she considers unpaid labor and has introduced a fee for family dinners, requesting adults to pay $11 each for her Sunday roasts.
As the holiday season approaches, 32-year-old Whitney Ainscough has opted to increase the fee to $23 for all 12 family members attending Christmas dinner, including children.
Whitney, who is based in the UK, mentions that despite collecting a substantial amount from her guests, she expects to have only $11 left after covering the expenses for the festive meal if she’s fortunate. Surprisingly, her family members have accepted the $23 charge as ‘fair,’ and when she initially implemented the scheme, they viewed it as a ‘bargain.’
She initiated the practice of charging her relatives for meals after she left her pharmacy job and started receiving welfare benefits, which made it challenging for her to provide meals without compensation.
Aspiring to become a social media influencer, Whitney explained why she began this arrangement: “I’ll be honest it started when I stopped working where I used to work and went on Universal Credit and everyone loved my dinners.”
“I couldn’t afford to cook dinners anymore. I kind of did it from there and it’s worked.”
“I literally just thought they’re using my gas, electric and watching television and stuff as well as having their dinner.”
So, what does this ‘amazing’ $11 meal include, which is ‘worth every penny’?
Ainscough detailed her menu: “Normally it’s roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, pigs in blankets, chicken or beef, pork crackling, Yorkshire puddings, air-fried sprouts, honey-glazed carrots and parsnips, peas and broccoli.”
To justify the increased cost for the Christmas meal, she explained that she would be purchasing three types of meat—turkey, pork, and beef—along with other holiday treats like crackers for the entire family.
Initially, when Whitney began charging, the price was set at $11, and her relatives seemed to accept it. She recalled: “I thought $11 each was a nice simple number. I think they [Whitney’s family] thought, ‘what a bargain’. I think they saw it as fair.”
With the rising cost of living and the added expectations of Christmas, Whitney felt compelled to raise the price to ensure she could provide all the usual trimmings without cutting corners. “For Christmas I’m doubling it to $23 – at Christmas you make a lot more things,” she explained.
“It will all be out in the middle of the table so they can get what they want. It’s double the amount of food, and normally I’d buy normal pigs in blankets but it’s going to be more luxurious expensive stuff.”
While her family enjoys a relaxed holiday, Whitney noted that her pricing decision hasn’t attracted any complaints. “Everyone sees it as a win-win,” she commented.
However, her commercial approach to the holiday season has sparked some varied reactions online. She remarked: “A lot of people are like, ‘I wouldn’t charge for my family’, or ‘we take it in turns’, but everyone likes my cooking. That’s why I do it.”
“I am actually buying everything for Christmas dinner but I’m taking it all down to my mom’s house and cooking it there because she’s got a bigger house.”
“I don’t know whether I’ll get turkey instead and probably more meats as well as pork and beef, stuff like that.”
“I’ll get luxury crackers and whatever else.”