An elderly woman in the UK who asked her family members including children, to pay for Christmas dinner has defended her decision, calling it a ''good idea''. In total, she charged £180 (Rs 17,950) this year to help cover the cost of food for her five adult children and their families. According to The Guardian, 63-year-old Caroline Duddridge, from Fairwater in Cardiff, charged her two sons £15 (Rs 1,495) her three daughters £10 (Rs 996), her four grandchildren aged five and older £5 (Rs 498) and her two three-year-old grandchildren £2.50 (Rs 249).
Family members were asked to transfer the money directly to her bank account by December 1. Mrs. Duddridge told BBC 5 Live that she came up with the idea after her husband died in 2015. Her household income was halved and she lost her job, so she asked her family to contribute.
"I said to my children, 'right, it costs a lot of money, I'm going to do a little kitty jar so you can put £2 away starting in September'. It sounds good, doesn't it? But of course, it all got a bit shambolic, trying to keep track of them and there were a few stragglers," she told BBC.
Mrs. Duddridge said about half of the money she raised was spent on meat that she said she "doesn't even eat". She further explained how rocketing food and energy costs was another reason for the charge.
Defending her decision, she added, ''Why should the host hold the full financial burden? I'm hoping that people won't think it's a terrible thing and think 'hmm that is a good idea'. It's very fair. I'm not out to make a profit, I'm doing it just to have a bit of help with the cost of it.'' The woman also hoped that her grandchildren will see her new tradition as the norm when they are older.
Meanwhile, the story which blew up on several social media websites received mixed reactions from internet users. A user on Reddit reacted to the news and wrote, ''Yeah, the family should help, but this is just weird.''
Another user defended her decision and commented, '' An elderly woman who lost her husband and thereby half the fixed income she was used to is asking her family to help pay for the food she makes for them. This sounds completely reasonable and anyone who wouldnt help out their grandma in this situation by paying for the food isnt very nice family member.. She could stop doing it if its too hard to pay up!''
