Grandma Covers the Cost of the Christmas Feast by Charging Her Family, Even the Grandkids!

Most Americans have a few “holiday traditions.” We enjoy sharing the “Yuletide spirit.” However, one 63-year-old grandma thinks her family, including her grandchildren, should share something else: the expenses of Christmas dinner.

Now, as Americans have watched the price of everything skyrocket because of Joe Biden’s feckless fiscal policies, this seems rather bizarre. Certainly, in light of the high cost of putting on a holiday feast, some family contribution might be in order.

Depending on the Christmas dinner stables and side dishes, the price of this year’s holiday feast could be nearly double that of last season. Everything costs more, thanks to “Grinch Joe.” To cover the Christmas feast expenses, Caroline Duddridge is charging for her services.

Duddridge is the mother of five, and grandmother to six grandchildren. She has decided to charge for the lavish Christmas dinner she’s about to host. The going rate for adults is up to $18. Four of the grandkids will pay $6 apiece.

Even the little tykes, Duddridge’s pair of three-year-old grandkids, will be charged. Now, to be fair, the littlest of the clan will only need to pony up $3 for their holiday helping. The adult women get discounted fares because they can only work part time.

Duddridge keeps close tabs on who’s paid and who hasn’t. It’s sort of like a “who’s been naughty and who’s been nice” checklist. We wonder if the nonpayment still gets an invitation, but the guest is served a helping of “coal?”

The scrooge-like host checks her bank balance in late November. Then Duddridge says, “Once my ‘naughty and nice’ tally is done I do a quick ring around chasing my ‘delinquent depositors’ and remind them to meet their payment date of December 1.”

The Duddridge holiday tradition started six Christmases ago. She says most have grown accustomed to the idea. But she still thinks putting on the Christmas spread is a chore. The 63-year-old widow says she wishes it was once or twice a decade.

One positive aspect of charging the grandkids is the chance to teach them fiscal responsibility. Duddridge says she’s encouraged her younger family members to drop change in a jar to save for their “Christmas dinner check.”

Now, each guest shows up to dinner with a pre-assigned job as well. That seems rather bizarre. We wonder if someone might “wash a few extra dishes” to earn a dinner discount? Has she ever considered “potluck” because, understandably, the high costs are her motivation?

While charging family members for Christmas dinner may appear to be harsh, her heart appears to be in the right place. She stressed, “I love the joy of Christmas and all the family together, but it’s now become so commercial.

“People get overwhelmed, and it’s too much. A nice family meal and a gift made with love is all I need.” Certainly, there are a few rather bizarre holiday traditions. But charging your grandkids for Christmas dinner would easily rank high on a list of Yuletide oddities.

Curious if any of Duddridge’s family members have every considered a “dine and dash?” Wonder if she calculates a 20 percent gratuity for herself and adds it to the final check? As she makes her final trip around the dinner table, does she ask, “Is anyone interested in dessert?”