What do you contribute if not hosting Christmas dinner

[Star2015]

On the back of the how much do you spend if hosting thread, I wondered what you contribute if you’re not hosting.

We are going to my parents for Christmas Eve tea, Christmas Day and Boxing Day and have bought 2 nice boxes of crackers for both Christmas Day and Boxing Day day lunch.

Christmas pudding from M&S for Christmas Day.

Some fizz for Christmas Day from M&S.

I will make some homemade sausage rolls for Christmas Eve when we have hot pork sandwiches, as well as homemade mince pies.

I’ll make the terrys chocolate orange and malteasers Christmas pudding for Christmas Day.

We have bought a new board game to play Christmas Day.

I think that’s it... we will pick up a nice bottle of red wine and some biscuits to take around.

My brother and his partner will rock up and won’t contribute anything (no problem as my parents don’t expect anyone to).

Is this enough? I don’t think they are spending anything like £1600 some people have quoted but seeing it on paper it doesn’t seem like much.

What else could we contribute (other than cash?)

Just to add we are hosting my parents and brother and partner this coming Sunday for tea at our house where we will provide all food and drinks and have paid for us to have a meal at Bella Italia on 27th Dec.

We will transfer £20/head this weekend, we will take with us all alcohol we will drink, plus some.
We’ll take a chocolate log and cheese board, crackers too... think that’s it.

We arrive lunch time 25th and leave 26th evening.

Difficult to answer, how many of you are going to your parents home?

When I’ve hosted Christmas I am genuinely happy to provide everything, I can afford it & I like to be in control of what I serve. It’s nice if guests contribute some wine or nice chocolates (but don’t expect it to be served as I will have planned the wine, drinks etc).

This year I am going to my parents, (just me), I have asked what I can bring and they’ve said just the brandy butter . I have got chocolates & some other extra ‘treats’ but to be honest they will probably send them home with me. I think it can be awkward when people arrive with unexpected food & drinks, one year a guest turned up with some smoked salmon (I’d already prepared a smoked salmon starter .).

If in doubt, ask your hosts.

Thanks @somethingspecialzz - my parents won’t accept cash... I don’t drink and they have recently bought vimto zero for me but we can take a case of beer around too which DH can take. Thanks!

Really good wine, usually.

Box of crackers, decent wine and flowers. Maybe some crisps as well.

Going to inlaws. We usually bring wine. They'd be insulted if we bought food! When I go to family we spread the lo's more - usually bring wine and are allocated something like the cheeseboard or similar.

Thanks @Ragwort my mom has done an M&S food order so I don’t want to rock up with things she has already ordered... she loves to host and spoil everyone so I know she takes pleasure in choosing things for Christmas...and likewise she would probably send me home with things.. there will be me and DH and my brother and his partner so just 6 of us.... I’m thinking what we have planned is ok and if we feel it wasn’t enough after could always treat them to afternoon tea or cinema etc after Christmas

A bottle of champagne and one of wine, cheese board and all associated biscuits/fruit/nuts/chutney, at least one side and some chocolates

Thanks @SpeedofaSloth @Janaih @Aria2015 - I had forgotten flowers - I usually pick up a winter bouquet or a plant... think we pretty much should be ok with the other things

@HeyMicky we’re not a cheesy family otherwise that would have been a great idea... my mom has ordered all her sides from M&S but will take fizz and wine

We will bring alcohol, I'll make a couple of deserts (this year is tres leche cake and a malteasers cake) and some nice sweets / picky bits. We also make sure we do all the tidying and cleaning and make sure MIL sits down and has a baileys occasionally as she flaps and never looks after herself lol. It's not much but MIL loves doing it all, and won't let us bring much.

My parents are offended if we try and buy anything lol (only child, I think they still spoil me). We will take the dogs for a walk every day, DP does DIY jobs around the house, I'll pamper my mam as she never does anything for herself (make her an afternoon tea on boxing day as it's her favourite, take her shopping etc.). DP and my dad will spend time playing in the shed (they're both carpenters so it's heaven for them lol).

We're going to friends for Xmas day and are taking cheese, port, wine, champagne & the Xmas pudding. I can't wait 🐷

I didn't realise Bella Italia was still going misses the point

I never go to others but i host pil.

Took mil shopping tonight and she gave me a bottle of white wine and a bottle of prosecco and talked of brining a bottle of red with her. I would guess the three course meal we will provide them with will cost us at least £20 per head if not more. I tried to hint how much i need to buy to be able to produce the meal but she wasn't taking the hint.

I usually ask. When I was with H my in laws asked for money towards food.

My family usually tell me what items to get ie soft drinks and snacks or cakes and salad etc.

We always go to my mam and stepdad for Christmas Dinner. They are very well off and enjoy hosting. We always bring either the starter or sweet depending on what my mam requested. We usually bring a bottle of champagne too to go with the bottles they have (from Aldi admittedly but it's really nice).

We only ever take crackers.

Sometimes a bottle of wine too and always flowers for my mum as well as her other presents.
They definitely wouldn’t accept anything else.

We host my lovely SIL, her DH and X2 Children, plus the in-laws. So 10 in total Including us.

SIL et.al. generally come up Christmas Eve or day before and stay until the 27th. We do an online shop for all food and wine for the 4 days and split it 50/50. We all have access to the online account and add to it as and when.

It works really well for us, especially as we always host. No one feels that they stand on ceremony and everyone pitches in/ makes food/drinks as it belongs to all of us iyswim?

We go to my parents and I take crackers and homemade Yorkshire puddings.

Just going for xmas dinner, we will bring puds, cheese and biscuits and all the booze (DP gets it cheap from work)

We will do the washing up! My parent would be offended if we took anything as they have already got it all.

Sounds like you have it all covered, I've never seen a Christmas lunch on the scale or size of running into thousands as it's normally 5-6 of us at the most. Normally if DP or I go to our parents for dinner we don't take anything but we do any little 'jobs' they need help with (computers, moving heavy objects etc) and help out in the kitchen where needed, wash up etc. This year we're at BIL and SIL's, so I should probably think of a little something to take with us but I'm not sure what.

Sounds like you have it covered!

I would probably text my brother and ask what he and his partner were bringing, just so we didn't clash. Might give him a gentle hint. I would imagine his contribution, however small, would mean a lot to your parents.

Yes call your brother to ask what he's taking and gently hint he should take a bottle of prosecco/champagne and flowers.