A British grandmother who charges her family members for Christmas dinner has had to put her prices up for 2023. Caroline Dudderidge, from Cardiff in Wales, previously charged family members up to £15, with kids paying only £2.50 per portion. However, given the cost of living crisis, she’s had to ask for more this year, BBC News reports.
Caroline started charging her family for Christmas dinner in 2015.
After her husband died, Caroline decided the family needed to chip in for their festive feast. She let them know the prices and instructed them to send the money straight to her bank account so she could “keep track of any stragglers.”
This isn’t down to greed — no doubt she found herself in need of a bit of financial help as she tried to run a household all on her own.
In 2022, her prices were pretty reasonable. Last year, she charged her two sons £15 each for Christmas dinner. Her daughters paid £10 each, her four grandchildren over five paid £5, and her two 3-year-old grandchildren paid £2.50.
Caroline’s daughters were charged slightly less since they have families and only work part-time, while her sons are employed full-time.
Nevertheless, given that she provides food from Christmas Eve through Boxing Day on December 26, she feels like she provides pretty good value for money.
She has to ask for more money this year.
Even though she doesn’t want to put her Christmas dinner prices up, Caroline has no choice but to ask her family to pony up some more cash.
“I have put the girls’ prices up (this year) by £2 because I did get a bit of stick from people saying I was being sexist – not that I listen to public opinion, particularly,” she explained.
However, she told Radio 5 Live that she still doesn’t believe this added income will cover the higher costs at supermarkets.
“I’m not sure it will, because when you buy a few bits and pieces it comes to like £30 or £40 and it’s barely a bag full,” she said.
“This is not Christmas stuff either but just general shopping – it’s just horrifying and you wonder where it’s all going to end.”
She serves up quite a good feast.
In addition to the main spread on Christmas Day, Caroline also sets up a mini sandwich buffet on Christmas Eve and a full buffet on December 26.
“I also do food for my parents and take it round to them – they find it a bit too much coming to mine now,” she added.
