I'm thinking about charging friends and family to come to ours for Christmas - thoughts please

[Oohthedrama]

Looks like really good weather ahead,
charging people if they start drinking or using more water…..5 year olds need to stop thinking they need so much hydration or water like it’s free, like it is but still.

 

[bagafreebee]

Can't you book into a local hotel/restaurant and then everyone will have to pay anyway.

 

[Blair-Waldorf]

Another option,
If you got pregnant right now you could probably pull out by December,
people would have to buy you double gifts….
Nobody would argue being changed for a celebration if it’s going towards cleaning out the pool when the baby does a code two.

Omg lmaoooo this is me. I’m due in November so everyone can piss off I ain’t hosting this year

 

[wiganuser]

Omg lmaoooo this is me. I’m due in November so everyone can piss off I ain’t hosting this year

Awww congrats Blair. Another little tattle baby on the way
Il send round some of the driest pampas known to man and some beige tit coloured ballons x

 

[FakeSmile]

Lovely weather down south today. I charged my 4 year old 10p to go into the garden. He was in and out so many times it was a real money spinner.

 

[strawb]

i just want to see the look on the faces of the people at the grazing/catering company when they got an inquiry for christmas in march

 

[Chocolate2008]

OP you clearly don’t want to host Christmas so don’t. Stay and home with your husband and then you don’t have to waste your time thinking about costs.
Your posts come across as if you feel quite resentful about the amount of money you have spent previously.
I’ve never spent Christmas in a hot climate so a grazing board be alien to me on Christmas Day & certainly at those prices.
I think you have a few issues to work through if I’m honest. Charging people to use your pool in case a child had an accident is insane to me.
If you proceed Id expect every person who attends will have been talking about you, I’m sure that’s not something you want.

 

[Not_another_flogger]

Anyone else raging we've to wait 9 months to see how this pans out

 

[Oohthedrama]

i just want to see the look on the faces of the people at the grazing/catering company when they got an inquiry for christmas in march

“so is is possible to hire a server who keeps an eye on who eats what and in what quantity?
granny’s gonna try and slip some of the good biscuits into her bag and aunt Jean didn’t get that size from sticking to salad, if you know what I mean,
I’m charging extra to anyone who goes above my fair use limit, taking the piss just because you’re 94 doesn’t wash with me, plenty of biscuits available online these days”

 

[WilmaHun]

Anyone else raging we've to wait 9 months to see how this pans out

Be the biggest anticlimax ever if she doesn't update us

 

[Sheabutter]

Awww congrats Blair. Another little tattle baby on the way
Il send round some of the driest pampas known to man and some beige tit coloured ballons x

Is this an influencer thing?? Somebody made my friend a balloon arch out of these for her newborn’s party and it just looked like knockers

 

[Ethel's little Willy]

I just can't get over the fact someone shat in your pool and left it/no one saw who did it
Did they not even wipe afterwards????
Was it an adult poo or a child's poo?
Don't the little ones wear swimming nappies?

So many questions about the poo in the pool!

Also, wouldn't you be having your pool filled up anyway with it being summer?

I need to think about the other points as I'm distracted by the pool situation.

 

[Felix08]

I just can't get over the fact someone shat in your pool and left it/no one saw who did it
Did they not even wipe afterwards????
Was it an adult poo or a child's poo?
Don't the little ones wear swimming nappies?

So many questions about the poo in the pool!

Also, wouldn't you be having your pool filled up anyway with it being summer?

I need to think about the other points as I'm distracted by the pool situation.

I always thought, how horrible it sounds, that if someone pooped in their swimming pool they would just fish it out and… i dont know let the chlorine deal with it? Had No idea that you needed to clean it but i come from a place where almost no one has a pool.

and i would not be paying for a grazing board, i need a full meal.If i were going to a party that had one of these i would need to go to maccie D after to get some food

 

[Jane Porcupine]

Lots of people get squicked out by grazing boards too. I think it's all the food touching.

 

[Ethel's little Willy]

Lots of people get squicked out by grazing boards too. I think it's all the food touching.

Especially if people are shitting in the pool!

I need to stop concentrating on the pooing in the pool issue.

 

[thetis]

Is this an influencer thing?? Somebody made my friend a balloon arch out of these for her newborn’s party and it just looked like knockers

When I tell you I'm out of breath

I haven't any fresh takes for the OP, this is a ridiculous question, obviously don't host if you cannot afford it. I'm glad I don't have a pool, I can't imagine considering inviting guests according to their their chance of shitting in it...

This thread had made me wheeze after an exhausting day so I'm grateful for the laughs

 

[Cooksie]

When I tell you I'm out of breath

I haven't any fresh takes for the OP, this is a ridiculous question, obviously don't host if you cannot afford it. I'm glad I don't have a pool, I can't imagine considering inviting guests according to their their chance of shitting in it...

This thread had made me wheeze after an exhausting day so I'm grateful for the laughs

‘According to their chance of shitting in it’

 

[Wowitsme]

I’m seriously questioning the type of family and friends this poster has. Like seriously “shitting in the pool”

 

[_Laura]

Here is my two cents... Which now that I've written it, is a bit of an essay.

Three friends and I recently had a joint birthday party for which we rented what used to be a hotel for two nights and bought all the food and alcohol for the weekend. About 40 people attended, and we asked everyone to contribute £50 (that amount was for accommodation [bedroom that would accommodate between 2 and 4 people, each bedroom with its own en-suite bathroom], 4 meals [Friday night, 3 meals on Sat, Sunday brunch]) and drinks + alcohol).
We explained everything when we invited them so no one was tricked into agreeing to come without knowing what they were "getting themselves into". We also said that if money was an issue, they could always tell us as their presence was more important to us than the money. The weekend was a success and everyone was really happy, but we did have a few people that paid less because they didn’t eat much that day or because they didn’t drink alcohol. It didn't bother us as the £50 contribution from everyone was not going to cover it all anyway but it's still something to bear in mind. I just thought I should mention it as you may end up having a fair amount to cover out of pocket.

I kind of understand where you’re coming from as hosting is expensive and stressful, but I don't think that asking people to financially contribute to a meal is a great idea. I think you're at risk of facing two situations:

1. People paying for the full amount but being unhappy about the food and talking about you behind your back. I know it sounds mean, but I think that's what is going to happen... You don't want your Christmas to be the one people laugh about for years to come... I’m from the Northern hemisphere so I don’t know what is considered standard in New Zealand, but I personally wouldn’t like to have one of those grazing table for my dinner, and I also wouldn’t be happy to pay £50 for it. I think they're trendy and great to have at your baby shower if you're an influencer, but not for Christmas. To each their own, I guess
2. People not being happy with the food or not thinking that the food was worth the price and deciding to pay less than their share, leaving you to pay the difference.

I think that in your shoes, I would think about doing one of the following:

1. Be completely honest with them and say that you would love to host them and give them a good Christmas, but that you don’t think you can financially afford to take care of everything on your own. I would expect everyone to understand that and to want to help out.
2. Say that you'll take of all of the salads and side dishes, but that it could be great if everyone could bring the meat they want to eat on the BBQ (or the other way around).
3. Don’t mention the money, but just create a spreadsheet or something where you say that you need x starters, x mains, x desserts and that you’re taking care of I don’t know, drinks. That way, people can choose what they bring and you don’t have to take care of everything on your own. I think that most people love a pot luck and from what I understand, this is what used to happen when your sister-in-law was hosting anyway. I think it would be great if you could even suggest some dishes people could bring based on previous gatherings. As someone mentioned, ask your auntie Lizzie to bring that salad she made once and that everyone loved, ask your neighbour Jim for his pasta bake... People will love to see that their food made an impression, and it’s such a nice conversation starter as well. Much nicer than "Woah, I just ate $5 worth of grapes"

As for the pool, either say that it's off limits or just let people use it... Even if you have to say that you'd really appreciate if kids could wear nappies or something. But I think asking people to pay to use your pool is a bit crass. I know you say that a day at the pool costs x dollars, but that's a slippery slope. Going to the cinema costs x dollars, doesn't mean you charge your friends when they come round for a movie.

 

[Sky Sports Main Event]

I made an account just to comment on this and ask what you decided to do? I had a great laugh reading this thread months ago and it randomly popped into my head today.